Scarborough Athletic Reserves young guns sunk by late South Cave strike

​The visitors included a number of players with considerable NCEL experience, most notably former Boro Player of the Year Scott Phillips, but the young hosts pushed them all the way, and it was a terrific game, with lots of chances, but both both defences were solid, writes Steve Adamson.

Early chances saw Charlie Milner flash a shot wide, then volley narrowly over for South Cave, while a through-ball from Boro’s Riley McGinty sent Robbie Scarborough clear, but he was halted by a crunching tackle from Cave skipper Dane Mortimer.

The excellent Calum Hudson slid in to block a Will Borman shot, then McGinty deflected a Kieran McBride strike wide, before the visitors went ahead on 21 minutes, when McBride drilled a left-foot shot into the bottom right corner.

Phillips headed on to Chris Sparkes, who fired wide, then Phillips laid off to Harry Milner, who blazed over, and a Harry Milner shot was headed away by Hudson as Cave continued to press.

Boro then created openings, a ball across the goalmouth from Emilio Colangelo-Cole just evaded the outstretched leg of Charlie Colley at the back post, the hard working Colley fired wide, then sent a free-kick into the arms of keeper Luke Grimes, and Dan Simpson dinked a shot wide.

Just before the break, Hudson did well to block a fierce shot from Cave’s vastly experienced striker Sparkes.

Boro probably shaded possession in the second half, although the first chance fell to Cave, but Ross Pllu, who had a terrific game, blocked a Joel Shepard strike.

Boro then had a spell on top, Jake Reeves and Colley both fired over, and another shot from Reeves was parried by keeper Grimes, before the equaliser arrived on 64 minutes, when Colangelo-Cole flicked on into the area, and Reeves sublimely curled his shot inside the left-hand post.

The visitors fought back, Phillips teeing up Bailey Smith, whose shot was deflected wide by Simpson.

Keeper Ben Chamberlain handled confidently, and Pllu twice rescued Boro, blocking a shot from Harry Fenton, then sliding in to tackle Alex Bannister as he raced into the box, but with eight minutes to play Fenton’s ball across the area was slammed home by Bannister at the back post.

Boro searched for a late leveller, Tom Andrews tackled the pacy Saikou Sillah as he burst through, then a Sillah shot was blocked by Andrews as Cave held on for the points.

Boro boss Paul Exley said, “I thought we controlled the game for large periods, but goals win games, and us not taking our chances has cost us in the end.

"They are a good team, but other than their two goals, they didn’t trouble us too much, but we switched off briefly near the end, and that’s something we’ll have to work on,”

BORO RES - Chamberlain, Pllu, Hide, Reeves (c), Simpson, Hudson, Colley, McGinty, Scarborough, Walmsley, Colangelo-Cole, subs - Exley, Leach, Sillah, Rose, Bradbury

S CAVE - Grimes, Borman, Coulbeck, McBride, Mortimer(c), Andrews, H. Milner, C. Milner, Phillips, Sparkes, Smith, subs - Fenton, Shepard, Shirtliff, Tarbotton, Bannister

REFEREE - Elliott Sheeran

BORO GOAL - Jake Reeves 64; S CAVE GOALS - Kieran McBride 21, Alex Bannister 82

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO RES 10 (3 on target) S CAVE 13 (2 on target)

CORNERS - BORO RES 4 S CAVE 7

OFFSIDES - BORO RES 1 S CAVE 4

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Calum Hudson

ATTENDANCE - 73