Moors Academy suffered a narrow defeat during their latest National Youth League outing as they went down by the odd goal in five at Bridlington on Wednesday.
Matty Dolan’s youngsters were more than a match for their hosts but were made to pay for some defensive lapses and fell to ninth in the Northern Division One table as a result.
Moors had started the game brightly and had early opportunities to go in front through Ethan Docherty and Leighton Hope, who both proved a real handful for the Bridlington defence.
However, the home side then forged in front against the run of play with a well-taken goal from a set-piece which was brilliantly nodded past Moors keeper James Brown.
Dolan’s side reacted positively and were back on level terms on 33 minutes thanks to a fantastic solo effort from Docherty. The front man drove with the ball from the halfway line, leaving two Bridlington defenders in his wake before slotting a great finish into the bottom corner.
Moors fell behind again at the start of the second half though when a mishap in defence allowed the Bridlington striker to run clear on goal and convert clinically.
It got worse for Dolan’s youngsters with 20 minutes to play when the luckless Owen Robertson headed into his own net to give the home side a cushion moving towards the closing stages.
Docherty restored hope on 78 minutes when he tucked home from the penalty spot after being brought down inside the area.
And Moors were unlucky not to have the chance to level late on when the referee waved away strong appeals for a second penalty and instead awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box which Archie Dodds couldn’t convert.
“The lads showed some really good glimpses of quality in the game but lapses in concentration have cost us in the end,” Dolan told us afterwards.
“I am proud of the way they have handled the setbacks they suffered, and they always tried to answer back in a positive fashion.
“You can see with every game that they are really trying to take things on board and you can never question their commitment or character as a group.”
Full Time: Bridlington 3 Moors 2
Moors: Brown, A Dodds, Blair, Stapleton, Yates, Neely (Lynch 60), Oakes (Robertson 60), Fulton, Docherty, K Dodds (Saine 72), Hope.
