HULL CITY U18 1 LINCOLN CITY U18 4

Report by Tom Spall, Head of Youth:

We took a young team to league leaders Hull with a handful of under 16 players in the starting eleven. Gary King started up front on his own with Nathan Adams playing just behind him in a five-man midfield. We started brightly with a good tempo but they soon came into the game and scored after about 20 minutes when we failed to clear our lines from a set-piece. They took confidence from the goal and for the next 10 minutes we were chasing shadows trying to keep up with play.

Connor Fitzpatrick was a rock during the first 45 minutes and we were quite lucky to go into the break just a goal behind after they had created a couple of decent chances. I had a few words at half time and made a Winston Churchill speech to rally the lads, along with our coaches Andy McGill and Simon Clark. After the inspiring talk the lads completely dominated the second half, from start to finish. We were as good as we've been all season and we had a purple patch for about 20 minutes where we were simply unstoppable.

Kingy got the first goal after some good play, putting it low and hard into the left hand corner of the goal. Within two minutes we were 2-1 up. Some good movement and play down the left from James Cooper resulted in Tom Garrick getting on the end of a cross to finish coolly. Just a few minutes later and Gary King finished for his 21st goal of the season after some good build up play around the box.

Our wingers, Tom Garrick and James Cooper, were totally dominating their full backs and were delivering some great balls into the box. But the best goal came via an unlikely source in centre back Greg Enstone. Gary King back heeled a low driven corner and Greg, who we've just offered a scholarship to, swivelled and volleyed into the stanchion. It was a great strike - a World Cup goal - and if he ever scores a goal like that again I'll bare my behind in Asda!

They changed their formation and we responded by reverting to a 4-4-2, and we kept dominating affairs. It was nice speaking to their coaches after the game, Billy Russell and Neil Mann, who were both very complimentary of the lads. To go to Hull with a young side and come from behind to win 4-1 is a great achievement and it didn't surprise me when their coaches said that we were by far the best side they have come up against all season.

Connor Fitzpatrick, Tom Garrick, James Cooper, Gary King, Jamie McCormack all put in fantastic performances and it is a great credit to the side and everyone connected with the youth set-up.

Greg Enstone, who was recently released by Colchester United, and left back Luca Coleman-Carr from the Yeovil area have both been offered scholarships for next season and we're looking forward to working with them. We're steadily filling the places but we're taking our time over our decisions and I thought that Greg had a decent game when he came on at half time against a very strong Hull side. He scored a great goal but, more importantly, we kept a clean sheet in the second half and his main job is to defend.

U18's v Hull City: Ross Cherry, Jamie McCormack, Liam Hutchinson, Liam Bull, Kern Miller, Connor Fitzpatrick, Tom Garrick, Jack Roberts, Gary King, Nathan Adams, James Cooper. Subs: Richard Simpson, Luke Baxter, Greg Enstone, Adam Hewitt, Chris Bond.