Brave Young Bulls bow out to Millwall Lions

After taking an impressive three goal first half lead HUFC Youth team eventually found their higher graded opponents superior fitness too much to contain as they fell to a 3-5 defeat this evening at Edgar Street.

During the first period our youngsters forged ahead showing a greater desire and no small amount of skill. With thick fog engulfing the ground Craig Jones tested the visiting keeper early on as he fired goalwards from 20 yards. Shortly afterwards, Steve Smith was unlucky with a fine effort that was just inched wide of the target but there was a close call when Millwall's Gary Bowes clipped the crossbar with a neat header on ten minutes. Fullback, Tom Cartwright, found his way into the referee's notebook for an enthusiastic challenge on Ryan James and Smith again warmed the keepers hands with a rasping shot before Adam Bendall opened the Bulls account with a 35 yards pile driver that took a slight deflection as it scorched passed 'keeper Edwards. The Lions' Ryan Jones was next into the book for a cynical revenge tackle on Cartwright. The Bulls then doubled their lead when Craig Jones volleyed home from the edge of the box following good work down the left by Bobby Terrett and Tyler Weir and as the half drew to a close Sam Harrison was on hand to shoot home giving a deserved three goal interval lead.

Millwall started the second half looking more purposeful but were being well contained by some resolute defending. With just twenty minutes remaining, the clearly tiring Bulls suffered two untimely problems as the hard working Bobby Terrett took a knock which hampered his movement and central defender Gareth Thomas, until then a rock in the middle, went down with cramp. Without doubt, Millwall's free weekend and Hereford Youths game on Saturday was starting to have an effect. The Lions had introduced young schoolboy Ikenna Ofoche at half time and his silky skills and close control began to take it's toll on the failing legs of the Bulls back division. Gary Noel's deflected goal reduced the arrears with less than fifteen minutes to go then a Darren Ebsworth penalty brought the match to a knife-edge before substitute Billy Jeffreys poked home a late equaliser to take the game into extra time.

Charlie Read headed home to give Millwall a 3-4 lead before Gary Noel notched his second and put the tie beyond doubt as the Lions progressed to a third round trip to Manchester City.

Overall, the HUFC youngsters can be proud of their vastly improved showing and will reflect that the hard endeavours of the weekend eventually proved their downfall while maybe an earlier replacement of Terrett and Thomas may have prevented the late Millwall recovery. The game was watched by 164 appreciative spectators.

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