Match Report: Stoke City U21s 1 Boro U21s 2

Boro Under-21s kept our Premier League 2 play-off hunt alive courtesy of a 2-1 win at Stoke City.

A captain’s contribution from Jack Stott claimed the points in Staffordshire after Law McCabe’s thunderous drive fired us level.

U21s boss Mark Tinkler made a solitary change to the side that took on West Bromwich Albion last time out with Fenton John replacing Sam Collins as the left winger.

Besting The Potters 4-1 in the reverse fixture, Boro U21s instantly took a firm grip on proceedings and won a corner in the opening 60 seconds at Clayton Wood.

Setting the ball down in the quadrant was to be a theme of the half for Tinkler’s young side, who enjoyed seven first-half corner kicks.

Boro’s dead balls caused City all sorts of problems but it was the hosts who hit the front in the 11th minute.

Moments after Max Metcalfe had denied Matt Lusakueno, via smart save at his near post, Sonny Singh arrived late in the area to slot Stoke into the lead.

Boro battled to find a route back into the contest and Sonny Finch was desperately unlucky to see a fierce effort palmed behind by Tommy Simkin.

The persistence soon paid off for Tinkler’s chargers as the resulting corner found Law McCabe outside the area and he slammed a powerful drive into the back of the net.

Another corner almost saw Boro turn the game around but George Gitau’s header went narrowly past the left post.

In the half’s closing stages, Championship veteran Sam Clucas had a shot charged down for The Potters while John went close at the other end.

Boro burst out of the traps brilliantly in the second period and were ahead just two minutes after the restart, Stott arrowing a right-footed effort into the far corner.

Like in the first half, our youngsters continued to rack up the corners and Luke Woolston saw a header flash just over the bar on 54 minutes.

Minutes later, Metcalfe was on hand to stop Jacob Holland-Wilkinson before Finch blasted a shot narrowly wide.

Tinkler then looked to freshen things up from the bench as Alfie Doherty and Jeremy Sivi replaced Luke Woolston and Nathan Simpson.

Sivi was immediately thrust straight into the action, firing wide from outside the area while Stott also powered an effort past the post.

The victory maintains our late push for a play-off place in PL2 ahead of a trip to fourth-placed Norwich City on Friday 24 January.