This is the first time I have seen the under 18s for a long time, so none of the players were familiar to me.

As it happens for the first 15 minutes the U18s had the much better of the opening play and took the lead whilst looking the more confident team.

At that point I was expecting more from Felixstowe, and as the game progressed Felixstowe did up their game and became more physical and aggressive and started creating more chances and equalised with a lovely headed goal.

Brian Klug was not happy with the physicality and niggliness of the Felixstowe side and was strongly making his views known to the referee as the players left the pitch at half time.

Second half was much the same and Felixstowe looked the more likely to go on and win but squandered chances.

Once U18s went down to 10 men there was really no way back. They did have a couple of good opportunities during the second half from corners where they should have made better connections from headers to score.

Overall the match looked exactly what it was a very youthful boyish team trying to play football against a less talented group of men who were playing a more robust and direct style of the lower leagues.

Felixstowe should have really put this one to bed though and managed well in fitness and energy.

A good work out for both sets of players and a lesson to the young lads who to be fair tried but struggled to match the physicality at times.

Felixstowe will need to be much better in front of goal if they are to improve on their mid table position of last year.

Only one U18 really stood out for me and this was the lad who was wearing the number 4 shirt. I don't know if that was Healy (listed above as 4th in the line up) perhaps somebody can help me here?

He played holding midfield was always making himself available, played nicely in tight situations, good in the tackle and his distribution and longer range of passing was also good. Hopefully I will be able to get a better look if he is given a game with the U23's, who I regularly watch when at PR.

I keep thinking we have signed Michael Ballack!

In pre-season games there used to be a sort of 'gentlemans agreement' whereby refs would not red card players, except as an absolute last resort. Often they would request that the offending player should be subbed. That seems to have changed now unfortunately.
Maybe this was the same ref that refused to officiate for the final 30 minutes in a previous friendly?