PLAYERS at New College are experiencing a big lesson in football as they progress through a season of ups and downs.

The age of the young squad range between 16 and 20 and they will come up against plenty of stern tests as they found out when they were knocked out of the Wiltshire Senior Cup losing to Highworth Town 5-0 on Saturday.

For parts of the game it looked like men against boys as the Highworth team tried to get stuck into the college side and rattle their young opponents.

However the College side are enjoying their roller-coaster ride of a season, having enjoyed the taste of success beating Fleet Spurs in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase for the first time in the clubs history.

A hat-trick from debutant Dan Drewitt and goals from TJ Bohane and Ryan King secured the win for the hosts.

Academy Director Ian Howell oversaw the defeat and admits his team have a difficult task without having the experience older players provide but that has not stopped him from demanding a certain level from his young side.

“We come into these games expecting to win from my perspective and maybe I set too many high standards to go and perform against a team from a higher level but that is the level they are aspiring to and the sooner they get up to speed the easier it is for them,” he said.

“We had a number of first years out there who are still sixteen, Ryan Morgan, I thought it was another good positive performance from him, he’s only 16 and yet again he is coping well.

“We’ve had Antonio and Alex Fenton starting for the first time so it is a big challenge for them and a big learning curve for them and it is what this programme is about, but by the same token we need to get that bit of winning mentality into them.

“We’ll get them in on Monday morning training and start a fresh and try and assemble a squad that is going to go down there and win.

“We need to start winning a few league games, I think the scoreline against Shorewood when we won 6-1 gives them a little bit of false reality around the intensity they need to perform at.

“With young players they are very inconsistent in their play and one thing we lack is experienced players in the side to settle it down when a couple of them are having a funny period.

“Our oldest player is 20 so coming and competing against a men’s team is difficult but that is the reality of it, they need to come and step up and manage the expectations that is put on their shoulders.”