By Total Tranmere
December 11 2014

Despite building a comfortable 2-0 first half lead, Tranmere’s youth side exit the FA Youth Cup on penalties at Mansfield after a 2-2 draw....

For the few that travelled, it was meant to be a recovery from the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy fiasco suffered by the first team just 24 hours earlier but in the end Tranmere’s Youth side suffered exactly the same fate as their more senior teammates as they blew an early 2-0 lead and lost on penalties at Mansfield Town’s Onecall Stadium on Wednesday evening.

After defeating Oldham Athletic away and Shrewsbury Town at home in rounds one and two of the competition respectively, Rovers fielded the same starting line-up that defeated the Shrews in the last round and they got off to a decent start with Sam Illesanmi shooting low into the corner from distance midway through the half to give Rovers a lead that their domination deserved.

With Mansfield struggling to get into the game it wasn’t long before it was 2-0 when Darren Askew found himself free in front of goal at an angle and slotted the ball home to make it 2-0.   Only a lack of concentration in the Rovers defence allowed Mansfield a way back in with a goal against the run of play just before half-time which went between goalkeeper Luke Pilling and the near post.  2-1 at half time was the least Rovers deserved.

Rovers continued their domination of the game in the second half with Sam Illesanmi hitting the post and at least three other decent chances falling Tranmere’s way including two for Tolani Omotola and a great free kick from distance by Ben Jago.  However the travelling Tranmere contingent began to fear that that their team would pay for their missed chances and in the 92^nd minute out of 93 it proved to be the case with hesitancy in the Rovers defence leading to an unlikely and somewhat undeserved equaliser.

The game moved into extra time with Mitch Duggan’s curling and dipping strike being brilliantly saved by the Mansfield goalkeeper who had a good night all round before Luke Pilling had to make an equally good one-handed stop in a one on one situation with the Mansfield striker.  As penalties approached, the game descended into farce when the referee who had already had a terrible game, sent off Darren Askew after a Mansfield player dived to the floor during a fracas which started after a player from each side went in for a header and collided accidentally with neither playing being at fault.

In the end the ten men of Tranmere held out and although Duggan, Hunter, Cringle and Omotola all scored for Rovers in the shootout, misses by Ben Jago and Lewis Moynes and one miss for Mansfield saw the home side go through 5-4 on penalties.

It was definitely a case of the best team losing but good luck to Mansfield in Round 4 and despite the defeat there is much promise in this current crop of Tranmere youngsters.

Tranmere Youth:  Pilling, Duggan, Gumbs (c), Smith, Hunter, Moynes, Jago, Cringle, Askew, Omotola, Illesanmi (Akpan)

Subs Not Used: Rutter, Hulley, Williams, Lucy

Youth Team Bow Out of FA Youth Cup

Discussion started by Total Tranmere (IP Logged), 11/12/2014 00:23

Total Tranmere
11/12/2014 00:23

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