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[Steve Russell]

Team: Loades, Putman, Adjetey-Brew, Street, Balogun, Tarbotton,
Kennedy, Neill, Hassan, Neziri, Coomes...
Subs: Jones, Keita-Turay, Radojevic, Sanyaolu, Strachan

Chris Hewitt's excellent report follows...

What a great day. Of course everyone is relieved to see the first team record their first home win this season. But this
morning the under 18 academy team also recorded their first home win of the season against Charlton Athletic.

Looking at the results this season so far doesn’t look good on paper, but a lot of supporters wouldn’t be aware that quite
a few of our under 18 players have stepped up to play for the development squad giving opportunities for under 16 players
to step up to under 18 level and play against boys who are in some cases two years older.

However, this morning we selected what is on paper our strongest starting XI in preparation for the forthcoming FA Youth Cup
tie vs Swindon Town at Loftus Road on Thursday. From the first minute to the last we controlled the game at both ends of the
pitch with an outstanding performance by the whole team.

In extremely wet and windy conditions , we played some decent football all considering which were hampering our passing
game in that some passes/shots were affected by the stormy conditions.

Time and time again balls into the box would end being held up by the vicious winds. But the boys kept to the task at hand
and on 33 minutes took a deserved lead through some great work on the left by winger Jake Coomes.

Found in space wide left , he advanced into the box and threaded a shot through a defenders legs forcing the Charlton keeper
into a good save which saw the ball deflect off a defender into the net.

Slightly fortunate perhaps but thoroughly deserved, it was our sixth effort on goal. On 44 minutes we doubled the lead when
Rico Kennedy cut in from wide right and sent a curling left footed cross to the far post where the keeper appeared to let it go
thinking it was going wide but the ball crept in the bottom corner, perhaps wind assisted. HT 2-0.

We continued our dominance into the second half and on the hour midfielder Fraser Neill started a move with a ball out
wide and when it was returned to the edge of the box he smashed it into the bottom right hand corner. Even though 3-0 up
Rangers didn’t take their foot off the gas and created many more chances in the last half hour.

On 80 minutes our keeper made his first save of the game, he made his second on 90 minutes.

Meanwhile we scored our fourth goal on 86 minutes when substitute Philip Sanyaolu wrestled with a defender for a high
bouncing ball and found space to bury his shot into the top left corner. It’s been a while for a home win admittedly but it
was great preparation for the game at Loftus Road on Thursday.

The boys will go into the game full of confidence on the back of a great performance against a decent Charlton side.
And having seen what Rayan Kolli achieved today for the first team, they have seen what the future could lead to.

So why not visit Loftus Road on Thursday and support our under 18 Academy Boys.
Tickets are £5 /£3 season ticket holders I believe.