Ash Foyle wants his young players to learn intensity and aggression after they were edged out in a seven-goal thriller at Hartlepool United on Tuesday afternoon.
With a number of players going out on youth or work experience loans to experience men’s football, City are looking for players from younger age groups to step up to the U18s for the rest of the season.
Russell Berko fired City into an early lead in the North-East after an intelligent square pass from Bailey Adamson, but Pools struck twice to lead at the interval.
City were punished for a slow start to the second half as the home side scored twice more to build a commanding 4-1 lead.
Julian Donnery and Zane Okoro - a member of City’s U16 squad - pulled a goal back apiece, but Foyle’s side were unable to rescue a point.
Foyle said: “We were hoping for a positive reaction at half time, but it took two more goals conceded before we actually found our footing and started to press ahead with a good goal by Julian and an excellent strike by Zane. We could have snatched a draw towards the end, but it wouldn’t have been deserved.
“We must ensure we match the opposition’s intensity and aggression in order for our quality to shine through. We will be a young group from now until the end of the season so we must learn on the job.”
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