Wycombe Wanderers | Team | Youth Team | Under 18s

YOUNGSTERS BOW OUT

Posted on: Thu 03 Dec 2009

Wanderers' U18s side have been knocked out of the FA Youth Cup at the Third Round stage after being beaten 3-0 by Watford at Vicarage Road.

Matt McClure and Sam Belcher both went close in a first half which belonged to the Blues, but Richard Dobson's men were made to rue missed opportunities in the second period when three Watford goals secured their spot in the Fourth Round.

The hosts started the better of the two teams and Blues keeper Matt Ingram was forced into action in the second minute when he pushed away Piero Mingoia's low drive.

However, Richard Dobson's men responded strongly and Sam Belcher was handed a golden opportunity to put the Blues ahead on nine minutes. Matt McClure put the midfielder through on goal but Belcher fired wide.

Moments later, Jonathan Bond was spared his blushes when McClure couldn't take advantage of a poor clearance from the Hornets keeper. The ball fell to the Northern Ireland U19 international on the edge of the 18-yard box but he could only divert his lob into Bond's arms.

Watford midfielder Kurtney Brooks fired a warning shot when he flashed an effort wide on 13 minutes, but it was Wycombe and the lively Jerome Federico causing the majority of the problems.

Then it was the turn of both keepers to take centre stage. Firstly, Ingram pushed a well directed Fabrice Otshudi header round the post before Bond tipped over a Belcher header after another flowing Wanderers break.

Blues continued to dominate and Watford somehow managed to keep the score at 0-0 on the half hour mark after a flurry of Wycombe shots were blocked.

The half-time whistle came at the wrong time for the visitors, whereas it offered the hosts an opportunity to regroup.

And the Blues were made to pay for their missed opportunities five minutes into the second period as Eddie Oshodi rose highest from a corner to head past Ingram.

Both sides were trying to use the wet conditions to their advantage but the defences were holding firm, limiting the amount of chances at either end.

But it was Watford who struck again on 65 minutes when Matty Whichelow held off the challenge from a Blues defender before slotting past Ingram.

And Winchelow put the game to bed 10 minutes later when he latched onto a Gavin Massey pass before smashing home his second.

Dobson told wwfc.com: "I felt that having missed so many chances in the first half we would end up rueing them and sure enough we did. They scored with a header five minutes into the second half and that was the turning point.

"From that moment their tails were up and we were made to chase the ball and the game. Our second half performance didn't reach the standard of our first half performance and on the balance of play they deserved to win the game.

"However, if we would have taken one of our chances it could have been so different.

"Mark Warburton (Watford U18s coach) told me at the final whistle that we didn't deserve that scoreline. I have a lot of respect for Mark and the work his team are doing. They have an excellent youth system and if we had to lose to anyone I would have wanted it to be to Mark. I wish them good luck in the next round."

Wanderers: Ingram, Grayley, Stewart, Saku, O'Regan, Federico, Scowen (Weemes 88), Belcher, Harris, Wallace, McClure, Harris (Palladino 81).

Subs not used: Raphael, Ware, Graham.