Young Linnets progress in FA Youth Cup

A goal in either half saw King’s Lynn Town under-18s progress through to the next stage of the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night.Blake Foster headed home a Callum Pratt delivery for Lynn’s opener at the Walks before substitute Tom Beattie stepped off the bench to set up Isaac Joblin to double the advantage going into injury time.Academy manager James Price said: “I thought the boys prepared really well and went out and stuck to their game plan.”We worked the press very well and got a goal from putting into practice what we do in training.”We forced the opposition to go long but stayed organised and compact as a team and a unit.”We talked about big moments, important moments and stepping up to the challenge before the game.”Blake scored in the first half with his head, we stayed compact and after a clearance from Tom (Beattie), Isaac went through and scored his goal in the 90th minute.” Lynn’s Academy boss felt his side stood up to the physical test well against a Leiston side still smarting from a penalty defeat against their hosts last season. “This came from the rivalry of last year when we played them and it went to penalties,” admitted Price.”They came to try to prove a point this year and we had to stand up to that. The players stayed mature and composed.”Reflecting on the two goals, Price added: “Blake took on board the information we told him before the game and was in the right place at the right time. “Tom went onto the pitch, stepped up, held his shape, won the ball and played it into a perfect area for Isaac, who showed his fitness and intensity all night, to take an amazing touch and score with an amazing finish.”Academy director Alex Cross believes the club’s young guns have benefited greatly from having two sides in the U19 National League Alliance set-up this term. Cross said: There’s nothing better than a night under the lights and the players were excellent from minute one.”As a collective, they have done the club proud last night, Leiston have some good players but they weren’t able to pose much of a threat which is down to our boys’ preparations and professionalism.”Having two teams at U19 playing in National League Alliance this year enables our games programme to be much better than it has been previously for both first and second years, that certainly helped last night.”Thank you to the people who came out to watch and hopefully we see you all again soon.”