Match Review: Boro U21s 4 Stoke City U21s 1

Boro Under-21s continued their march up the Premier League 2 table with a dominant display against Stoke City.

Just four days on from the 3-1 win at Leicester City, much of the same side remained for the contest at Heritage Park, first-teamers Anfernee Dijksteel and Hayden Coulson replacing Nathan Simpson and Jack Hannah in the starting XI.

To say it was a bright start from the young Teessiders would be a considerable understatement. Tinkler’s side were two goals to the good in the blink of an eye as they carved open the Potters twice inside two minutes.

Keen to keep a hold of possession, Boro’s patience to find the right opening proved fruitful when Terrell Agyemang’s low cross found Bryant Bilongo inside the six-yard box and the left-back was left with the simplest of finishes to bag his first of the season.

Less than 60 seconds later, a looped ball over the Stoke backline caused all sorts of confusion and only a smart save from Blondy Nna Noukeu kept Isaac Fletcher at bay – though, with the City ‘keeper on the floor, Max Howells was not to be denied from the follow-up.

Slicing through the City backline like a knife through butter, Calum Kavanagh’s low strike could have made it three moments later, if not for another top save by Nna Noukeu.

Boro boasted 72 per-cent of the ball inside the opening 20 minutes and continued to pen back the Potters, some stellar work down the left freeing up Howells to strike at goal.

Fletcher was next to bare down on the Stoke area and only Ian Kamga’s shanked clearance, from underneath his own crossbar, prevented Kavanagh from applying the finishing touch.

However, the Irishman would soon have the goal his performance deserved when a corner kick ricocheted into his path, tucking home for the fourth successive match.

The game resumed with a change in personnel for Tinkler’s charges, Anfernee Dijksteel replacing Frankie Whelan at right-back.

The visitors responded within six minutes of the restart, Jack Griffiths somehow sneaking in the ball at the near post but the altered scoreline did little to halt Boro’s momentum as the one-way traffic continued in DL14.

Kavanagh was inches away from connecting to restore the three-goal cushion, Nna Noukeu snuffed out Fletcher’s attempted lob and Coulson saw a powerful drive blocked before it reached the goalmouth.

The Teessiders continued to pile on the pressure, Coulson the instigator in committing Nna Noukeu off his goalline before turning the resulting corner narrowly wide.

It therefore came as little surprise when the advantage did return to three. Fletcher led a three-on-one into the penalty box, shimmied around the City shot-stopper and rolled the ball into an empty net.

The front-footed U21s were clearly enjoying themselves. Vicious shots came and went from substitute Nathan Simpson and Kavanagh, Sam Collins saw his strike saved by the feet of Nna Noukeu and, from a corner, Clarke rose highest to thunder the ball beyond the upright.

Despite Boro’s relentlessness a fifth goal proved elusive, a full-stretch Nna Noukeu prevented Kavanagh’s curling effort before Bridge flashed past the post, which proved to be the final chance of the contest.

The win extends the U21s' unbeaten league start to six matches, lifting Tinkler's side up to third in the Premier League 2 standings.

Boro U21s now turn their attention towards the Premier League Cup with Ipswich Town the visitors to Heritage Park on Friday 6^th October.