Sutton United Under-18s began November with a 0-0 draw in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup against Leyton Orient.
Playing just three days after hosting AFC Wimbledon in the FA Youth Cup, a young U’s side battled hard to earn a valuable point and clean sheet in East London.
“Both teams had moments within the game, but couldn’t find the quality that was needed in the final third,” PDP lead coach Rob Tuvey told Sutton United FCtv after the match.
“We probably edged it throughout the 90 minutes in terms of final third entries, but overall, a point is a fair result.”
The hosts had the biggest chance of the first half, when Dan Carter was guilty of blazing a shot over the crossbar from just outside the six-yard box.
In the second period, the U’s were unlucky not to go ahead when Liam Moore’s driven effort flew through a crowd of players and past Orient keeper Ethan Pike, only for the ball to be cleared off the goal line by a covering defender.
George Vorster beat his marker to reach Edouard-Morrison’s cross but was denied by a strong reflex save from Pike.
Orient had one more effort on goal with the final kick of the game, but Kai Morgan got down well to his left to hold onto the ball, before the referee blew for full-time.
“We’ve got to ask more questions in the final third in terms of getting better deliveries into the box,” Tuvey continued his assessment of the match.
“We’ve had chances today, but I think we’ve got to stack the odds in our favour a little bit better by putting more numbers into the box.”
Sutton United U18s: Morgan (GK), Lee, Reeves, Urpens, Brian, Moore, Sheargold (Frost 88’), Edwards (Milchev-Szczepaniak 66’), Bello (Ruiz 60’) , Hepburn (Vorster 60’), Fennelow (Edouard-Morrison 66’)
The Under-18s return to action on Saturday, November 9 with a league fixture against MK Dons.
