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Fresh from a five star performance against Barnsley on Thursday the Clarets youth team were simply out fought by the older heads of our near neighbours. We had a slightly experimental line-up allowing the management to weigh up different permutations in which they can use their small squad. Liam Newman was deployed in midfield and left winger Michael King started up front. Matt Lomas was also named as right back, rather than his usual position of left-back - though this may have been simply due to the absence of Ben Hoskin from the squad.
It was my first visit to Holt House and it's fair to say I was a little surprised by the slope on the ground. Likewise, I think it's also fair to say it was the first visit for a couple of our lads too and the incline was something they never got to grips with. We had a half chance in the opening 15 minutes as a James Craggs free kick was swung in from the left wing with Chris Lynch steaming in. The big defender may feel he should have done better but he merely deflected the ball away from goal.
Less than five minutes later the hosts had taken the lead. They showed how it should be done as a free kick swung in from the right was stabbed home from a central position within the area by an unmarked attacker. They grabbed a second as the half wound down and again it was from a set piece. This time it was a right wing corner which was met unchallenged at the front post and Stef Ritchie had no chance. The ease with which the goals were scored is definitely something which can be looked at by the lads.
Our best, and truth be told, our only real chance of the game came on the stroke of half time as Craggs was found unmarked at the far post but the keeper spectacularly kept out his thunderous shot across goal.
For the second half we brought on Danny McDonald in goals and he had a largely uneventful half. Colne toiled up the hill but still looked more dangerous than us. Our few half chances were breaks by Craggs but both were rushed, producing tame finishes. King and Dom Knowles both left the field with knocks leaving us a little thin on the ground if they prove serious and the game petered out into a poor 2-0 defeat.
The lads will line up next away to the Stoke academy side next Saturday.
Team:- Stef Ritchie (Danny McDonald), Matt Lomas, Jake McEneaney, Dan Brown, Chris Lynch, Dil Chaggar, Oliver Devenney, Liam Newman, Michael King (Alex-Ray Harvey), Dom Knowles (Wes Fletcher), James Craggs. Not used:- Chris Anderson.