Coaches praise for young players
Tony Philliskirk believes his young players will be a lot wiser after the reserve team's 3-0 defeat against Bolton Wanderers tonight at Leyland in the Manchester Senior Cup.The stand-in reserve-team manager pointed out that eight of the 16 players involved were trainees who were up against a team wholly comprising professionals.
Indeed, Wanderers' side included United States international Stuart Holden who continued his comeback after a lengthy injury lay-off.
Philliskirk said: "Tom Eaves' late goal made it 3-0 and look like a drubbing which was not the case.
"It was a great effort from ourselves and I was proud of my players.
"When you look at the experience in their side, it was men against boys, but a few of our boys became men."
Philliskirk was especially pleased with central defenders Jack Truelove (pictured) and Tomos Clarke.
"They are both 16-year-old first-year scholars and they were up against two professionals, but they acquitted themselves well," he said.
Philliskirk added that he experimented with several different tactical formations which the players were unfamiliar with.
Overall, though, he was satisfied with the night's work saying the young players will have learned a lot from the experience.