Nancekivell and Green are content
EXETER City’s Under-23 coach Dan Green was delighted to witness his team qualify for the group stages of this season’s Premier League Under-23 Cup thanks to Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium.
The Grecians have earned a place in Group D of the competition and will now play home and away fixtures against Under-23 sides from Aston Villa, Doncaster Rovers and Portsmouth.
It is a tournament that City are used to doing well in, but they know they will have to raise their game to have another good campaign. Green told the club’s official website yesterday: “We’re delighted with the sixgame minimum of opportunities that the players are going to get, because yesterday showed us that there’s a lot of work to do.
“To be fair to boys, last season, in four out of the six games, they just improved and improved and improved. They got themselves into a good position to qualify.
“We’re going to need to improve on yesterday’s performance, but it’s a good opportunity and it is a competition that the manager, and the club, have a lot of respect for and see a lot of value in.”
The Grecians prevailed at Cambridge thanks to goals in each half from Alex Fisher and Ben Seymour.
Plymouth Argyle will have their chance to secure a slot in the group stages of this season’s Premier League Under-23 Cup when they entertain Yeovil Town at Home Park tonight (7pm). Up for grabs is a berth in Group B alongside Everton, Fulham and Watford.
It has been a busy week of nonfirst XI fixtures for the Pilgrims, who launched their Central League campaign with a 0-0 draw at Milton Keynes Dons on Tuesday.
The Argyle team was captained by midfielder Adam Randell and also included former Bury central defender Will Aimson, who is coming back from a pelvic injury, and
experienced midfielder Antoni Sarcevic, who has now served a three-match suspension.
First-team coach Kevin Nancekivell was in charge of the Pilgrims’ side in Buckinghamshire, and he told the club’s official website: “I was delighted with everybody. Milton Keynes had some big-hitters out and we finished with six apprentices against a very strong team.
“Michael Cooper saved a penalty early in the game and, after that, I thought we were the better side. We put the ball into the right areas and played the way the first team do – we passed the ball, looked comfortable in possession, and dug in when we had to.”
Nancekivell added: “We gave 60 minutes to Sarce [Sarcevic] and Will [Aimson], which can only be a benefit to them and the first team. Along with Adam Randell, they were our stand-outs, but everyone did really well.”
The Pilgrims are next in Central League action on October 15, when they entertain Southend United at Home Park. Before that, they host Bristol Rovers in the Central League Cup on October 1.