Haynes reflects on missed opportunity as Youth Cup run is ended

» CHELTENHAM TOWN Under-18s manager Pete Haynes says his young group felt the disappointment of not matching some of their recent levels of performance in their 3-1 FA Youth Cup defeat to Blackpool last Wednesday night.

Having impressively reached the fourth round stage of the competition and made it into the last 32, Blackpool progressed despite being reduced to 10 men following a red card in the first half.

Haynes felt it was a missed opportunity as his side struggled to find a way back into the tie having fallen behind for a second time on the night.

“The overall reaction and reflection from the players is that they are disappointed to go out maybe in the manner that we did,” he said.

“Credit to Blackpool, they did very well on the night. They were competitive.

“Ultimately I think that was mainly the players disappointment that we were maybe outfought and some of our fundementals weren’t quite as good as they have been in previous games.

“Obviously it’s a great achievement to get to the point in the competition that we have done, but I think there’s a bit of disappointment at a missed opportunity to have potentially gone further.”

It was only the second time the young Robins had reached the fourth round stage having lost out to Tranmere Rovers in 2002/03 campaign, but they never looked liked creating a little piece of history.

Jake Daniels handed the visitors an early lead, prodding in from close-range as early as the third minute but Joe Hunt levelled the match only five minutes later with an effort from the angle of the box

Dannen Francis then restored the lead midway through the first half, smashing home from 16 yards.

The young Robins rallied and Adulai Sambu, with a sumptous volley, and Will Armitage, heading a corner, drew a couple of saves.

The visitors looked in control until six minutes before the break when their task became a little harder after Tayt Trusty saw red for a poor challenge on Sambu in mifield.

But a goal by Will Squires put the game out of reach 10 minutes after the restart and Haynes’ side never really looked like getting back into the game.

Cheltenham Town (3-5-2): Parsisson; T Spencer, Armitage, Jakeways; Hunt (c), Liggett (Dashfield 46), Sambu (R Spencer 76), Simpson (Aldridge 61), Taylor; Denness-barrett, Miles. Subs not used: Jenner, Woodall, Skurek, George (Gk). Blackpool (4-4-2): Mclachlan, Moore, Littler, Trusty, Squires, Fitzgerald (c), Strawn (Donkor 76), Mariette, Daniels, Johnston (Matshazi 66), Francis (Harrison 90). Subs not used: Cunningham (Gk), Yelegon, Byron, Bjork.