Reserves vs. Whitby (A) Sat 28th July - Match Report (img link inc)

[Powlay]

Middlesbrough: Coddington, Pilatos (Okosieme 70), Weldon (Pilatos 85), Dolan (Oliver 33), Jackson, Burgess, Brobbel (Jones 70), Morris, Edwards, Kneeshaw (Warnett 55), Fowler (Sirrell 70).
Unused: Montgomery (GK)

Whitby was the venue for the latest development squad pre season friendly on a warm and bright summer’s afternoon. The seasiders had recently beaten Sunderland development and held a strong Hartlepool side to a draw so it was to be a solid test for a young Middlesbrough side which included 1st year scholar Bryn Morris.

There was no sign of recent trialist Walid Abeid, but playing for the opposition were former Middlesbrough players Nathan Porritt (who recently had been on trial at West Ham), Nathan Mulligan (who scored a hat trick vs. Sunderland), Kevin Burgess and one time Boro U16 Callum Wilson.

Middlesbrough started the game kicking into a slight breeze and quickly got the ball down and started moving it around well but Whitby were doing all they could to disrupt the Boro style of play closing down quickly and pressing the ball. Young Pro Wilson Kneeshaw had a strike blocked as Boro tried to find the opening goal. A Boro corner saw the ball rebound off a Whitby player and the goal bound ball was cleared off the line.

Whitby were so close to taking the lead themselves though when from a corner the ball was thumped off the crossbar and the rebound cleared by Christian Burgess. Nathan Porritt had Luke Coddington stretching to his right to cover a curling free kick as the seasiders pressed.

But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock, good work by Brobbel to beat his man on the right before sending a dangerous low cross across the box, Kneeshaw was unable to get a touch and it fell to Curtis Edwards who’s strike from a narrow angle was cleared off the line but Kneeshaw was there to tap the ball into the net and give Middlesbrough the lead.

GOAL BORO – 1-0 Kneeshaw

1-0 could very quickly have become 2-0 when right back Bruno Pilatos bombed into space and sent across a teasing cross. Kneeshaw got up well and unfortunately glanced his header just wide of the post.
Matty Dolan who had been inspirational during the pre season seemed to take a knock to the face and was substituted by Kyle Oliver.

Boro Sub – Dolan off, Oliver on (33rd Min)

It was from the right side that Boro doubled their advantage, Ryan Brobbel came in from the right and cut the ball inside to Kneeshaw who kept cool with the keeper advancing and slipped the ball through his legs to make it 2-0.

GOAL BORO – 2-0 Kneeshaw

Luke Coddington again did well to stop a Porritt shot from distance getting down well to his right to parry the ball wide for a corner to Whitby. And Coddington again had to be on his toes when Porritt let go from distance again but the Boro keeper saved well.

HALF TIME – Whitby 0 Middlesbrough 2

Curtis Edwards had a chance early in the second half to extend Middlesbrough’s lead, he burst through on the right side and found himself ahead of the defence but chose to square the ball instead of shooting and it was cleared to safety. Wilson Kneeshaw was next to have a chance in front of goal and a hat trick chance, he broke the Whitby offside trap and bore down on the Whitby keeper, he opened his body and struck the ball but it went agonisingly wide of the upright.

Boro Sub – Kneeshaw off Warnett on (55mins)[b]

It was all Middlesbrough in the second half as Whitby tired, sub Jimmy Warnett broke the offside trap and picked the ball up near the corner flag, as he cut inside his cross shot was saved well by the keeper.

[b]Boro Subs – Brobbel off, Jones on, Fowler off, Sirrell on, Pilatos off, Okosieme on. (70th Min)

Young sub Jordan Jones instantly became a thorn in the side of Whitby, his ability to glide past opposition players started the break for the goal of the game. Jones skipped past one player before lofting the ball forward to Warnett who played it out wide right to Curtis Edwards, his cross was perfectly flighted for Warnett to volley the ball right footed into the top right corner of the net.

GOAL BORO – 3-0 Warnett

Jones himself came close to scoring when he pounced on a defensive error but struck his shot just wide of the right hand post. A fantastic passing move from right to left and back inside ended with Kyle Oliver striking the ball high over the goal.

Boro Sub – Weldon off, Pilatos on. (85th min)

The last 5 minutes saw chances for both sides, Coddington tipped a strike over the bar to ensure he kept a clean sheet and at the other end a Bryn Morris header needed clearing off the line and just on full time the ball was squared to Oliver who sliced wide from 12 yards.

FULL TIME – Whitby 0 Middlesbrough 3

Man of the Match
Curtis Edwards

Curtis has blown hot and cold this pre season, there have been spells where he has been unplayable and ran the show and moments where everything has gone wrong. But against Whitby it was more of the former rather than the latter. He has a 15 minute spell where no one could get near to him and nearly capped his game off with a goal in the second half.

Images of the game can be found in the whitby folder of https://www.facebook.com/#!/BoroYouths

[star spotter]

(30-07-2012 01:13 PM)Powlay Wrote:  Middlesbrough: Coddington, Pilatos (Okosieme 70), Weldon (Pilatos 85), Dolan (Oliver 33), Jackson, Burgess, Brobbel (Jones 70), Morris, Edwards, Kneeshaw (Warnett 55), Fowler (Sirrell 70).
Unused: Montgomery (GK)

Whitby was the venue for the latest development squad pre season friendly on a warm and bright summer’s afternoon. The seasiders had recently beaten Sunderland development and held a strong Hartlepool side to a draw so it was to be a solid test for a young Middlesbrough side which included 1st year scholar Bryn Morris.

There was no sign of recent trialist Walid Abeid, but playing for the opposition were former Middlesbrough players Nathan Porritt (who recently had been on trial at West Ham), Nathan Mulligan (who scored a hat trick vs. Sunderland), Kevin Burgess and one time Boro U16 Callum Wilson.

Middlesbrough started the game kicking into a slight breeze and quickly got the ball down and started moving it around well but Whitby were doing all they could to disrupt the Boro style of play closing down quickly and pressing the ball. Young Pro Wilson Kneeshaw had a strike blocked as Boro tried to find the opening goal. A Boro corner saw the ball rebound off a Whitby player and the goal bound ball was cleared off the line.

Whitby were so close to taking the lead themselves though when from a corner the ball was thumped off the crossbar and the rebound cleared by Christian Burgess. Nathan Porritt had Luke Coddington stretching to his right to cover a curling free kick as the seasiders pressed.

But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock, good work by Brobbel to beat his man on the right before sending a dangerous low cross across the box, Kneeshaw was unable to get a touch and it fell to Curtis Edwards who’s strike from a narrow angle was cleared off the line but Kneeshaw was there to tap the ball into the net and give Middlesbrough the lead.

GOAL BORO – 1-0 Kneeshaw

1-0 could very quickly have become 2-0 when right back Bruno Pilatos bombed into space and sent across a teasing cross. Kneeshaw got up well and unfortunately glanced his header just wide of the post.
Matty Dolan who had been inspirational during the pre season seemed to take a knock to the face and was substituted by Kyle Oliver.

Boro Sub – Dolan off, Oliver on (33rd Min)

It was from the right side that Boro doubled their advantage, Ryan Brobbel came in from the right and cut the ball inside to Kneeshaw who kept cool with the keeper advancing and slipped the ball through his legs to make it 2-0.

GOAL BORO – 2-0 Kneeshaw

Luke Coddington again did well to stop a Porritt shot from distance getting down well to his right to parry the ball wide for a corner to Whitby. And Coddington again had to be on his toes when Porritt let go from distance again but the Boro keeper saved well.

HALF TIME – Whitby 0 Middlesbrough 2

Curtis Edwards had a chance early in the second half to extend Middlesbrough’s lead, he burst through on the right side and found himself ahead of the defence but chose to square the ball instead of shooting and it was cleared to safety. Wilson Kneeshaw was next to have a chance in front of goal and a hat trick chance, he broke the Whitby offside trap and bore down on the Whitby keeper, he opened his body and struck the ball but it went agonisingly wide of the upright.

Boro Sub – Kneeshaw off Warnett on (55mins)[b]

It was all Middlesbrough in the second half as Whitby tired, sub Jimmy Warnett broke the offside trap and picked the ball up near the corner flag, as he cut inside his cross shot was saved well by the keeper.

[b]Boro Subs – Brobbel off, Jones on, Fowler off, Sirrell on, Pilatos off, Okosieme on. (70th Min)

Young sub Jordan Jones instantly became a thrown in the sides of Whitby, his ability to glide past opposition players started the break for the goal of the game. Jones skipped past one player before lofting the ball forward to Warnett who played it out wide right to Curtis Edwards, his cross was perfectly flighted for Warnett to volley the ball right footed into the top right corner of the net.

GOAL BORO – 3-0 Warnett

Jones himself came close to scoring when he pounced on a defensive error but struck his shot just wide of the right hand post. A fantastic passing move from right to left and back inside ended with Kyle Oliver striking the ball high over the goal.

Boro Sub – Weldon off, Pilatos on. (85th min)

The last 5 minutes saw chances for both sides, Coddington tipped a strike over the bar to ensure he kept a clean sheet and at the other end a Bryn Morris header needed clearing off the line and just on full time the ball was squared to Oliver who sliced wide from 12 yards.

FULL TIME – Whitby 0 Middlesbrough 3

Man of the Match
Curtis Edwards

Curtis has blown hot and cold this pre season, there have been spells where he has been unplayable and ran the show and moments where everything has gone wrong. But against Whitby it was more of the former rather than the latter. He has a 15 minute spell where no one could get near to him and nearly capped his game off with a goal in the second half.

Images of the game can be found in the whitby folder of https://www.facebook.com/#!/BoroYouths

ITS BECOME VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE WHO READS YOUR REPORTS
THAT YOU LIKE THIS JORDAN JONES.
SEEMS HE CAN NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG IN YOUR EYES ?????????.
DO YOU JUST LOOK AT HIM ALL THE TIME EVERY MATCH (MORE THAN OTHER PLAYERS).
I ALSO THINK HE HAS SOME TALENT ,BUT DO NOT THINK HE IS AS GOOD AS YOU DESCRIBE, LOSES THE BALL MORE TIMES THAN HE DOES ANYTHING GOOD WITH IT.MUCH BETTER PLAYERS THAN HIM IN THE 1ST YEAR SCHOLLERS AND 2ND YEARS FOR THAT MATTER.
IM NOT SLATEING THE LAD (IM HAVING AGO AT YOU).

[ERG1008]

Someones bitter ^
Great report and pics as usual Powlay.

[Powlay]

Clearly i just look at him, thats why i mention no one but him in my match reports.

Feel free to actually name names and share your opinion on which 2nd years and 1st years are better? Im all for sharing opinions.

Do i like Jones? Yes i do, i think he is a fantastic talent. He is different to just about all the other players probably bar Fowler. He can take a man on and beat him. He can use the ball and keep it moving along with that man beating ability.

I dont point out things players do wrong in match reports, so why would i share negatives on Jones? I dont share them on other players apart from when i did the Pilatos profile. And i was being brutally honest then at the time. I dont talk nagatives about players. Its not my place to, who cares what an overweight long haired camera happy know it all thinks? Would it be of any benefit for me to say such things? No.

Feel free to have a go at my bias. Unfortunatly there are next to no other reports out there regarding these players in the academy. I'd welcome someone else putting the time or effort in and sharing their opinions.

[richmfc]

jones only got mentioned twice !!! or have i misread.

what about morris powlay how did he stand up to playing adults

[Powlay]

He did ok, he wasn't dominant like both Dolan and Edwards have been this pre season. Sure that will come over time. Moved the ball well and was unlucky not to score late on when his header was cleared off the line.

He sat rather deep with Oliver breaking things up allowing fowler, brobbel and Edwards to support kneeshaw till late on then came forward with more freedom.

[garymarz]

Thanks for that Powlay. Went to the match and it's the first time I've seen a lot of these lads. Edwards was man of the match for me, completely skinned two players at one point near the touch line and set up an attack, really liked the look of him.

Fowler showed a lot of confidence in beating his man, and the 3rd goal was an absolute peach. Think I saw you with your camera but didn't want to introduce myself in case it wasn't you haha.

[Powlay]

haha im around at most of these games with the camera, long haired tubster. Feel free to say hello next time i dont mind.

[garymarz]

Without causing offence you did match that description haha and I can see why you continue to follow the youth team around, they play some good football.