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U21s Comfortably Beaten By Charlton
Tuesday, 28th Jan 2025 15:07

A young Town U21s side was comfortably beaten 5-1 by Charlton Athletic at Playford Road, Daniel Babb netting a late consolation for the Blues.

Town included trialist keeper Harry Upstall, a 17-year-old currently with Southampton, who was previously with Fulham’s youth set-up. Last month, he featured against the Blues’ U18s in the FA Youth Cup while on trial at AFC Bournemouth.

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher was on the sidelines, presumably assessing the officials.

Town started positively, despite fielding a young side against the Professional Development League Two South’s second-placed side with many of the U21s regulars having been sent out on loan over the course of January.

Tommy Taylor struck the game’s first shot from just outside the area but failed to overly test Addicks keeper Tommy Reid, then Tudor Mendell sent an effort well over.

On 11, the visitors threatened for the first time on the counter-attack but Kaheim Dixon shot far too high when found in space in the middle from the right.

A minute later, the Blues went even closer to going in front. Matty Roberts crossed from the left and Oli Davis looked set to score but Harvey Kednell blocked on the line.

As the quarter-hour approached, Ryan Huke hit a powerful shot from inside the Town area to the right which was blocked.

The Blues almost went in front again on 17 when Taylor struck an effort from the right of the box which hit the outside of the near post.

However, two minutes later, it was the South Londoners who would take the lead. Town got themselves in a mess passing out from the back and keeper Upstell’s clearance only found Ollie Hobden. Upstall saved the Charlton right-back’s well-hit strike but Dixon reacted quickest to tap home the rebound.

John McGreal’s side, who had been the better side up to the goal, looked to get back on terms, Davis forcing Reid to save down to his left at his near post from the right of the box.

At the other end Ibrihim Fullah hit a scuffed 15th-minute effort from 20 yards out, Upstell bundling away to his right.


And two minutes later, the Addicks doubled their lead from the penalty spot, Fraser Heard having been adjudged to have tripped Kai Enslin on the left of the area. Pat Casey shot down the middle with the keeper diving to his right.

In the 31st minute, Dixon, already capped 11 times by Jamaica at full level aged only 20, was prevented from adding his side’s third by Babb, who was able to turn behind ahead of the Charlton number nine as he was about to turn in another rebound.

Soon after, with the Addicks now dominant and the Blues struggling to get out of their final third, Fullah saw an effort deflect wide, then Casey hit a low shot to Upstell’s right, which the keeper saved.

Fullah hit across the face on 35, then three minutes later the Blues came close to pulling a goal back. Mendel started a good move from in his own half and Town passed their way forward before Davis’s effort from the edge of the area was saved by Reid.

A minute before half-time, Casey somehow failed to turn a left-wing cross into the net from a few feet out, but moments later the visitors were able to add to their lead.

Hobden nodded down a cross from the left at the far post and Huke hooked it into the net from close range.

That was the last action of a half in which the Blues had started brightly, but once the visitors had got in front they had looked much the stronger side and might well have scored more than three goals.

A minute after the restart, Reid saved well from Mendel, then the summer signing from Anderlecht cut back from the right to Davis, who should have scored but the Charlton keeper saved again across to his right.

The Blues continued their positive start to the second half - in contrast to the weather with the rain falling very heavily and the pitch becoming increasingly boggy - and Taylor shot into the side-netting in the 50th minute.

Three minutes later, Josh Lewis was played in in space on the left and his cross eventually fell to Mendel, whose effort deflected wide.

But the Addicks quickly began to threaten again, Upstell coming off his line to block well from Dixon.

Casey hit a deflected drive through to Upstell, then moments later Dixon slipped the ball past the advancing keeper but just beyond the far post.

On 59, Town swapped Luke Towler for Nico Valentine, who has been out injured since November having sustained a hamstring problem while on loan at Needham Market.

And a minute later, the South Londoners made it 4-0, Dixon turning in at the far post from Kai Enslin’s pass with a Town defender hooking into the roof of the net as he desperately tried to keep it out.

After Charlton had made a quadruple change, Lewis crossed from the left for Town but Mendel headed the ball the wrong way.

Valentine, who had had a positive impact on his return, sent Mendel away on the right but the ex-Chelsea forward’s effort was too high. Soon after, Mendel headed across the face of goal and wide.

On 73, Town swapped Davis for fellow frontman Josh Pitts, who signed a pro deal from Southampton last week following a trial.

Moments later, Lewis crossed from the left and Taylor shot wide when he clearly felt he ought to have scored. In the 75th minute the Blues switched Roberts for Rio Morgan.

Charlton made it 5-0 in 81st minute, Upstell saving well from Enslin’s initial effort but Fullah followed-up to stroke into the empty net.

Four minutes from the scheduled end, Morgan slammed a powerful free-kick from the right which keeper Reid got his fingertips to to help it on its way over, then soon after a Valentine effort from the left was blocked.

From the resultant corner, Taylor rose highest at the far post and appeared certain to score but Reid somehow saved and the Blues were unable to dig the ball out of the muddy surface and scramble it in.

Two minutes into injury time, Valentine’s mazy run ended with a curling shot from the 18-yard line deflecting just past the post.

And following the resultant corner, seconds before the whistle, the Blues pulled a goal back. Steven Turner looped the ball back into the box from the right and Babb nodded into the net at the far post.

A disappointing result for the young Blues who started both halves brightly - and failed to take a number of chances over the 90 minutes - before being overwhelmed by the visitors, who might well have scored more than five times.

U21s: Upstell, Babb, Lewis, Heard, Frith, Turner, Mendel, Towler (Valentine 59), O Davis (Pitts 73), T Taylor, Roberts (Morgan 75). Subs: Fletcher, Chenery.

Charlton: Reid, Hobden, Laqeretabua, Kednell, Mitchell, Hunter, Huke, Fullah, Dixon, Casey, Enslin. Bower, Sadler, Mwamba, Wales, Cann.


Photo: Action Images



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slade1 added 15:23 - Jan 28
Maybe I'm wrong but it's a bit concerning that the teams under the first team do not seem to have anything about them.
5

atty added 15:57 - Jan 28
Isn’t this foreseeable with so many of youngsters out on loan, to get first team experience?
3

SaffronWaldenBlues added 15:58 - Jan 28
Very few U21s and U23s even make the grade here these days, it's not the 70s anymore. I wouldn't worry about it, we have just two youth team players in the current squad (Clarke who left for Arsenal, and Wolfenden - both rumoured to be leaving) and we only had 3 in the squad last season. Our youth products rarely make the grade here, or elsewhere.
4

Bluewhiteboy added 16:15 - Jan 28
Can we stop the excuse we have youth players on loan, it's not some novel idea just for us. Every team in the football pyramid will do it. Sad thing is Charlton like some the other lower league teams we have lost will prob have half their youth teamers supporting first team so makes it even more worrying for us
1

Linkboy13 added 16:28 - Jan 28
In my 60 odd years of supporting the club this generally happens when the first team are struggling it tends to spread through out the club. Questions have to be asked is it beneficial to run an academy any more bearing in mind Brentford don't and they are doing ok.
-1

chorltonskylineblue added 17:00 - Jan 28
Err Linkboy13, Brentford were top of this league prior to this game. They reopened their Academy in 2022-23.
1

Ipswichbusiness added 17:01 - Jan 28
When we send u-21 players out on loan for experience, they tend to go to clubs well down the pyramid, which is an ominous sign. Only Baggott and Humphreys are anywhere near the first team squad.
3

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:14 - Jan 28
Agree with slade1 that it is disappointing seemingly all the levels below the first team appear to be doing quite badly. Could it be we have to put so much effort into the PL and trying to stay up that there simply isn't much left in terms of resourses for the rest? (This is not a criticism. It's a question.) We all like to see a local boy make good, but maybe that doesn't justify the time and effort spent on getting him there in the modern game, which would include managing large numbers of aspirants in the hope one or two might make it? Sad if true.
0

armchaircritic59 added 19:16 - Jan 28
I just hope this is a case of us treading water until we get Category One established. Many of the results across the academy age groups haven't been acceptable this season. Should never be losing to our counterparts from divisions below, such as Shrewsbury (with all due respect).

Years ago I used to go to youth team games, played frequently at Portman Road, got almost as much pleasure out of that as the first team. That was back in the day when the youth policy really counted for something here.

I'm hoping we can get back to it, and save ourselves a lot of money in the transfer market, and what money we then have to spend can be spent on quality, not just quantity.

The owners, MA and KM have scarcely made a false step, this is one that needs attention, it looks like it's become the unwanted child of the club.
2

runningout added 20:54 - Jan 28
recently lost a couple of coaches at youth level, if I’m right. Think it wouldn’t take much to fix what is affecting form
-1

Dissboyitfc added 07:53 - Jan 29
Linkboy what are you on about? As Charltonskylinebluesays Brentord do have an academy which they reopened in 2022!

I wonder how mny people read the match report before commenting? Probably looked at the scoreline and commented on that! Truth is youth games are about development the results are secondary!
0

Dissboyitfc added 07:53 - Jan 29
Linkboy what are you on about? As Charltonskylinebluesays Brentord do have an academy which they reopened in 2022!

I wonder how mny people read the match report before commenting? Probably looked at the scoreline and commented on that! Truth is youth games are about development the results are secondary!
-1

Dissboyitfc added 08:06 - Jan 29
And Bluewhiteboy it doesnt always follow that the other teams are loaning out the better youngsters, Charlton had a full international playing!
-1

Linkboy13 added 16:49 - Jan 29
Apologise reference Brentford academy .
0


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