The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Sutekh]

Great result, especially with Evans getting a couple - putting a bit of a run together now.

Disappointing to see Ahmed's gone off injured though.

Only downer really is that Burnley are 27th!

Brighton currently in 16th, 4 points better off (16) from the same number of games (12)

If Reading finished 17-24 though doesn’t that just mean that they’ll get a play off game to determine whether they’ll join those finishing 1-16?

11th placed Stoke City at Bearwood on Wednesday (4 Feb, noon) next.

Think you have 2 matches rolled into one - see my post above yours.

25th placed Sunderland away (Feb 16) then 17th placed Arsenal at home (Feb 23) after the 2 Stoke games.

[Royals and Racers]

Burnley 0 Reading 1 18 mins Ahmed
0-2 43 mins Evans
H-T 0-2
Ahmed off injured
0-3 59 mins Evans
1-3 70 mins
F-T 1-3 really good team performance and a comfortable win. Up to 23rd now- with top 16 the aim.

Great result, especially with Evans getting a couple - putting a bit of a run together now.

Disappointing to see Ahmed's gone off injured though.

Only downer really is that Burnley are 27th!

Brighton currently in 16th, 4 points better off (16) from the same number of games (12)

If Reading finished 17-24 though doesn’t that just mean that they’ll get a play off game to determine whether they’ll join those finishing 1-16?

11th placed Stoke City at Bearwood on Wednesday (4 Feb, noon) next.

Top 16 very much the goal as it get’s you into the PL 2 play- offs and into the following seasons PL International cup.
You are correct about a new end of season comp for the teams finishing 17th to 24th where they will meet the top 8 from the PDL( CAT 2) league in a straight knock-out format.

[morganb]

Patton straight into the Aldershot starting 11 (see ex-Royals Academy product Boyce Clarke is in goal, Josh Barrett missing though)

[Sutekh]

Patton straight into the Aldershot starting 11 (see ex-Royals Academy product Boyce Clarke is in goal, Josh Barrett missing though)

And scoring deep into 1st half injury time.

[Crusader Royal]

Carter Bowdray, on loan at Hungerford, scored his first senior goal today and was MOTM. Playing in a struggling team and a difficult pitch he’s looked quality in his games so far.

[Clyde1998]

Some others from today:

1. Abraham Kanu played sixty-two minutes in Forest Green's 3-0 FA Trophy defeat to Wealdstone; Shay Spencer came on after sixty-eight minutes for the victors.
2. Basil Tuma scored for Slough in their 5-0 win over Chelmsford; Jacob Borgnis also played the full match.
3. Jay Williams played the whole game for Dorchester in their 4-1 loss to Hanwell Town.
4. Miles Obodo started for Chichester against Aveley, who lost 1-0.
5. Joseph Barough played sixty-one minutes for Basingstoke in their 1-1 draw with Uxbridge.

[Royals and Racers]

U 21’s being kept busy with 2 matches next week, unusually both against the same opposition Stoke City.
1st up on Wednesday 4th February is the PL Cup last 16 match KO 7pm. The match is being played at Farnborough FC’s Saunders transport stadium GU14 8UD
Then on Saturday 7th February is a PL 2 match at Bearwood KO 12pm. Tickets can be purchased by phoning the ticket office before close of play on Friday.

Farnborough’s home match tonight postponed due to waterlogged pitch, so our match there on Wednesday could be in jeopardy.

[morganb]

U 21’s being kept busy with 2 matches next week, unusually both against the same opposition Stoke City.
1st up on Wednesday 4th February is the PL Cup last 16 match KO 7pm. The match is being played at Farnborough FC’s Saunders transport stadium GU14 8UD
Then on Saturday 7th February is a PL 2 match at Bearwood KO 12pm. Tickets can be purchased by phoning the ticket office before close of play on Friday.

Farnborough’s home match tonight postponed due to waterlogged pitch, so our match there on Wednesday could be in jeopardy.

Expect there will be an early pitch inspection tomorrow morning - it's rained a lot over this way today so doubtful it will go ahead especially as the Farnborough pitch sounds poor -

https://x.com/i/status/2018262271948947769

[Royals and Racers]

Farnborough have posted that tonight is ON

[Royals and Racers]

Rhone
Ahmed
Abrefa
Sackey
Stickland
Duah
Coke-Miles-Smith
Hicks
Evans
Camara
Osho
SUBS
Welland
Beacroft
Spencer
Jones
Okine-Peters

[Royals and Racers]

Reading 1 Stoke 0 2 mins Camara

[morganb]

Camara - 1-nil - 2nd minute

[Royals and Racers]

2-0 19 mins Osho
3-0 32 mins Coke-Miles-Smith
H-T 3-0

[Clyde1998]

Looks like a strong side out and a great half-time scoreline.

Winners go into the quarter-finals, with Bournemouth (2-1 away at Sheff Utd) and Colchester (1-0 at home to Swansea) already qualified.

The remaining ties are:

1. 9 Feb - Burnley vs Brentford
2. 9 Feb - Watford vs Charlton
3. 11 Feb - West Brom vs QPR
4. 11 Feb - Nottm Forest vs Sunderland
5. 17 Feb - Ipswich vs Blackburn

[Royals and Racers]

4-0 71 mins OG
5-0 80 mins Duah
F-T 5-0
Into the QF’s

[morganb]

Overall movement is very good at this level

[morganb]

207 in attendance, sounds more than we normally get at Aldershot

[Clyde1998]

207 in attendance, sounds more than we normally get at Aldershot

It does, perhaps being a bit easier to get to helped - as well as the club actually mentioning the game before it happened.

Was there any specific reason as to why the game was at Farnborough instead of Aldershot tonight? I don't believe Aldershot were playing.

[morganb]

207 in attendance, sounds more than we normally get at Aldershot

It does, perhaps being a bit easier to get to helped - as well as the club actually mentioning the game before it happened.

Was there any specific reason as to why the game was at Farnborough instead of Aldershot tonight? I don't believe Aldershot were playing.

No Idea - I wondered the same.

The Farnborough ground is nicer that The Rec. We've also played games at Woking several years ago (remember seeing Popa and Southwood playing there)

[Clyde1998]

207 in attendance, sounds more than we normally get at Aldershot

It does, perhaps being a bit easier to get to helped - as well as the club actually mentioning the game before it happened.

Was there any specific reason as to why the game was at Farnborough instead of Aldershot tonight? I don't believe Aldershot were playing.

No Idea - I wondered the same.

The Farnborough ground is nicer that The Rec. We've also played games at Woking several years ago (remember seeing Popa and Southwood playing there)

Doesn't appear The Rec has had much investment in decades - perhaps nothing serious since the club was reformed. I know they have something in the works though.

Farnborough were building a new stand when they went into administration in the early 2010s and it appears the ground has been much better maintained than The Rec. Woking's better than Aldershot too; probably say it's Farnborough > Woking > Aldershot in terms of facilities atm.

Would rather we played U21 games there than Aldershot, although would rather they were all played at the Mad Stad. I understand why that's likely not practical though.