Development Squad beaten at Stevenage
Our Under-21s struggled to deal with Stevenage's crosses into our box as the League One side secured a 4-0 pre-season win at the Lamex Stadium on Saturday.
In a greulling test for our young charges against a senior EFL team, the Hertfordshire outfit scored twice either side of the interval and hit the woodwork three times as they imposed themselves on the game for large spells.
Our two best chances arrived in the opening stages - Alfie Devine lifting a shot wide after going through in the right channel barely two minutes in, with Yago Santiago latching onto Harvey White's through ball after a great team move, only to fire straight at goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond shortly afterwards - although we still kept calm on the ball in the face of Stevenage's press throughout the game in what was a valuable learning experience for Wayne Burnett's side.
Devine and White were included in the starting line-up after landing back from the Club's Asia-Pacific tour on Thursday, while there was a welcome return to action for full-back Tyrell Ashcroft in the second half, the 19-year-old having been sidelined with a knee injury since September of last year.
Stevenage began to take control of the game after our two early opportunities, Jordan Roberts striking the base of the post from distance and Carl Piergianni powering a header from the latter's cross against the bar before they took the lead mid-way through the first half, Nick Freeman rising highest in the box to head home Jake Forster-Caskey's corner. Josh March's diving header flew wide before Stevenage doubled their advantage on 38 minutes, Freeman hammering home following Dan Butler's low ball in from the left.
Three minutes into the second half it was 3-0 as another Forster-Caskey corner was headed in by Piergianni, with the game all but over in the 51st minute when goalkeeper Luca Gunter tried to swipe a cross clear under pressure and the ball deflected in off Jahziah Linton.
Gunter subsequently denied Roberts and Alex MacDonald, while the latter saw a fiercely-struck free-kick hit the crossbar before Jamie Reid fired across goal and wide after creeping in behind our defence with just over 10 minutes left. Rio Kyerematen lifted a shot over the bar for us before Reid had one final chance for Stevenage, his glancing header creeping wide.
Match data
Goals: Stevenage - Freeman 23, 38, Piergianni 48, Linton (OG) 51.
Referee: Josh Smith.
Venue: Lamex Stadium, Stevenage.
Weather: Sunny, moderate breeze, 22 degrees.
Attendance: 2,045.