Good day for Town youngsters despite RAF loss (From Swindon Advertiser)

Good day for Town youngsters despite RAF loss

6:00am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Sport By Andy Warren

A DEPLETED Swindon Town youth team went down 1-0 to an RAF Combined Services team in front of new manager Kevin MacDonald at St George’s Park yesterday.

MacDonald invited Town’s second year scholars to train with the first-team in the morning, meaning a host of trialists, including the three Samsund Win a Pro Contract finalists, joined Aaron Oakley and Louis Thompson who were gaining valuable game time.

Youth team boss Paul Bodin was pleased to see his youngsters given the chance to impress the new boss at the training ground, but was equally pleased with the way his side battled against a physical RAF team.

“The RAF were men and were used to playing with each other, and we had the three Samsung lads who had never played together and three other trialists along with some younger first-year lads,” he said.

“The second-years were invited to train with the first-team which is really great for them, and a real opportunity to go and blend in with the first-team.

“Kevin and Mark (Cooper, assistant) got in the car and drove up to Burton as well, so it was a great chance for the new duo to have a look at everyone.

“The result wasn’t great and we played well in patches, but we didn’t look like a team who had played together.”