U18s Lose Premier League Cup Opener
Tuesday, 25th Aug 2026 15:49 by Brian Waller
Town’s U18s were beaten 1-0 by Stoke City in their opening U18 Premier League Cup group game at Playford Road this morning.
The first serious action was on 10 minutes when Blues defender Josh Hammond first blocked a shot by Potters midfielder Thomas Midwood, then headed the next effort clear and finally nodded the third over the bar for a corner.
Thirteen minutes later, after a foul on Ayomide Ajiboye by Town forward Freddie Ambrose, the free-kick in by left-back Rocco Bardsley was headed powerfully goalwards by Israel Kelly but he was denied by a superb save by trialist keeper Calum Barnes, who is with Stevenage’s youth set-up.
A minute later, after Blues defender Praise Adebayo had lost the ball, Max Harrison pulled his shot just wide of the target
For Town, their closest effort came on 37 minutes when Roman Burton-Yurevich fed Reuben Carr on his left and his deflected shot hit the bar, the keeper catching the rebound.
A minute later, a melee developed after a Stoke foul and it was a booking apiece for Carr and Anas Dauda. Moments later, Stoke’s Max Harrison was booked for a late challenge on Archie Brown.
Early in the second half, Harrison's shot took a big deflection and looped over the bar but in truth it was to be a game of very few chances.
Town keeper Barnes saved well from Midwood but Harrison put the rebound wide. The Blues then went close as Ibrahim Msabah set up Ben Buskell and the City keeper nearly let the shot slip under his body.
The goal that settled the game came on 73 minutes when a cross from the right was put away on the far side by Ayomide Ajiboye despite the best efforts of the keeper and defender trying to keep it out.
There was one late Town chance but a 25-yard free-kick by Indiana Pedder was wide of the far post.
Elsewhere in the group, Brighton & Hove Albion won 2-1 away at Liverpool to take top spot.
U18s: Barnes, Ness, Adebayo (Ologho 60), Hammond (Brown 28), Olawole, Conneely (Pedder 78), Ambrose (Olakazim 60), Brentnall, Burton-Yurevich, Msabah, Carr (Buskell 46). Unused: Barry, Wreford.
_Photo: TWTD_