The Middlesex U16 Boys’ squad traveled to Surrey on the back of a narrow defeat to Hertfordshire, hoping to turn the great attitude and performance displayed against Hertfordshire into a positive result against a very strong Surrey side.
Middlesex were without five of the squad which took part in their previous match but the players that came in were more than capable. The Seaxes started the game on the back foot; Surrey were very well organised and moved the football well, but for all their good passing they could not break the visiting squad, thanks in large part to Middlesex’s back four, which was superbly marshalled by Barsa Mitahmasebi and Lorcan Barnett.
Despite the initial fortitude shown by Middlesex, midway through the first half Surrey made a breakthrough and scored. The visitors kept working hard and there were no further goals before half-tie.
During the interval, the Middlesex coaches expressed their pride in the squad for the way they were working against a talented group and the view that with a bit more belief the Seaxes could get back into the game.
However, Surrey scored within two minutes of the restart, which seemed to knock the wind out the Middlesex sails. The team kept going, only to concede again midway through the second half and at three nil down it was an uphill task against a clinical Surrey team. In the final moments, Surrey turned defence into attacking, breaking from a Middlesex corner to score a fourth goal.
Middlesex coach Angus Douglas commented: “I am proud of the boys for their endeavour and hard work. We will continue to work hard as I am sure the results will come to match the performances that we have seen in the last two games.”
Man of the Match for Middlesex: Eric Negraru
Squad: Eric Negraru, Ibrahim Elhaouarj, Barsa Mitahmasebi, Lorcan Barnett, Dan Boswell, Raheim Robinson, Avishek Luchman, Pyerre Clarke, Negus Malcom, Brandonne Folly, Amir Hadi, Sean Alexander
