Sam Tillen was proud of how his players reacted to a stern test against Bottesford Town on Saturday.
Despite losing 2-1 to Bottesford the young Imps stood up well to the opposition, and Tillen was pleased with the experience his side gained against a senior men’s side.
Tillen said: “It was a good experience for them to play against men and a good non-league outfit such as Bottesford.
“It gave us a test we don’t normally get in academy football, and the lads that played applied themselves well.”
Tillen was pleased with the performance from his side, which saw them on top for the majority of the game but they couldn’t find an equaliser after Carter Ford pulled one back late in the second half.
He continued: "We managed to get in behind them and round the sides of them a few times, we just needed a bit more quality in our final execution but getting into them areas is a positive thing and if we can build on that alongside our defensive solidity, we’ll be in good shape for the start of the season.”
City continue their pre-season preparations on Wednesday evening when they travel to Lincoln United, and Tillen is looking forward to playing in front of a crowd at Ashby Avenue.
He added: “It will be good, I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be a great opportunity to get a decent crowd down and against a team that did really well last year.
“Having a crowd makes a big difference, it gets the adrenaline going a little bit more. We hope the players go on to have careers in the game, so these experiences playing in front of a crowd only adds to their experience and understanding of the game.”