Starting Lineup: Nathaniel Copping, Connor Crane, Max Crane, Harry Bales, Luis Vieira, Liam Shaw, Jack McLeavy, Warren Buckman, Ollie Griggs (C), Stan Horne, Ollie Long
Bench: Ollie Dowdeswell, Ashton Rayworth, Rajiv Forrester, Hano Hanwar

The U23s started their second fixture in a week at the Flannery Stadium following Tuesday night’s abandoned game against Coplestonians as a result of a series injury to the visitor’s Ross Turner. The visitors started the game as joint leaders of the early league table.

The early exchanges were inconclusive as to which team would take the advantage. The visitors seemed to be favouring a longer ball out of defence whereas the U23s were trying to advance with a passing game. However it was the long ball which resulted in the first incident of note when one such ball set a visitor’s forward free on their left flank who was brought down by Max Crane who received a red card for the challenge. In the rearrangement that this necessitated Warren Buckman was the player sacrificed to enable Ollie Dowdeswell to come into the defence. The next enforced substitution came when Rajiv Forrester replaced the injured Ollie Long. Playing with only 10 men it was no surprise when the visitors took the lead when another long ball split the new centre back pairing for an easy shot on goal. The U23s should have been level almost immediately after the restart but were unable to find a decisive finish. They did level shortly afterwards when a good move down their left saw the ball played to Rajiv Forrester and his low cross was turned home by STAN HORNE. The equality didn’t last long and it was the visitors who took advantage of a defensive lapse and a lob over the advancing Nathaniel Copping.

Half Time: U23s 1 – 2 Kirton Athletic

Not long into the second half the numbers were evened up, If only for 10 minutes, when the Kirton player’s protestations proved too much for the referee. The U23s took full advantage of this situation, pressing hard for a seco nd equaliser. It did come midway through the player in the “Sin Bin” and in controversial circumstances. A through ball from midfield split the Kirton defence and when the cross eventually came in it was turned into the net by RAJIV FORRESTER. At some point during the action the Kirton Assistant Referee (Only a referee was allocated to the game with both teams having to provide Assistants) raised his flag for a player in an offside position. Having spoken to the Assistant the referee over ruled his offside flag and awarded the goal. It was no more than the U23s deserved for their spirited performance playing for 75 minutes with 10 men. Ashton Rayworth and Hano Hanwar both made appearances from the bench. At the final whistle it was probably the Kirton Athletic players who were happier to hear it because they hadn’t been able to take advantage of having an extra player and with better U23s finishing could have been heading home pointless.

Full Time: U23s 2 – 2 Kirton Athletic