Hull City Under-21s suffered their first defeat of pre-season, losing 5-1 away at Scarborough Athletic. Despite Jake Leake scoring for City, finishes from Luca Colville, Richie Bennett, Will Thornton, Cam Wilson and Frank Mulhern saw the Seadogs win the Jeff Barmby Memorial Trophy. Conor Sellars made seven changes to his starting XI that won the Billy Bly Trophy against North Ferriby FC last time out. A host of trialists featured in the game, with Pharrell Brown making his first start for the club since his move from Fleetwood Town. First-team winger Harry Vaughan also started. Within the opening two minutes, Scarborough opened the scoring as the hosts regained possession high up the pitch before Colville rifled a stunning finish from distance into the top corner. The Seadogs looked for a second as Colville cut the ball back for the run of Lewis Maloney on the edge of the penalty area, but his first-time placed finish went narrowly wide past Callum Yam’s right-hand post. At the other end, Rocco Coyle’s free-kick was floated towards the back post for Stan Ashbee, but his finish at the back post was easily saved by Ryan Whitley. Pharrell Brown then played a lovely through ball for Trialist B to run through on goal. The winger raced towards the penalty area but lost his footing at the wrong time as Scarborough dealt with the immediate danger, with both Sincere Hall and Brown seeing rebounds blocked. Maloney then tested Yam from range with a free-kick before a later set-piece saw Scarborough double their lead on 27 minutes as the delivery found Richie Bennett, who poked home from close range at the second attempt. City then pulled a goal back just two minutes later as Yam’s long pass caused panic in the Scarborough backline, with Whitley missing the ball for Leake to fire home into an empty net. The Tigers’ goalscorer then produced a vital block at the other end to deny Alex Wiles, before ether Scarborough midfielder later saw a cross evade a crowd of bodies across the six yard area as the ball harmlessly drifted away. The Tigers made nine changes to the second half, with only Trialist A and Callum Yam staying on the field. Three minutes into the second half, Scarborough had a third as Will Thornton converted at the back post as he got ahead of Ed Devine to finish. Wiles looked to add a fourth as he weaved into the City penalty area, but his finish was high, along with Kieran Glynn’s separate attempt. Harry Green almost capitalised on a mistake from Trialist E for City with a backwards header, but the midfielder’s finish flew over George Wilson’s crossbar. On 75 minutes, Scarborough got a fourth as Wilson evaded the challenge of Trialist E and Paul Iggulden before rounding the onrushing George Wilson to convert into an empty net. The Tigers continued to search for a goal as Sam Opoku found Jaedyn Chibanga, who in-turn cut the ball back for Lucas Dawson, but the midfielder’s shot was blocked by Bailey Gooda. In the latter stages of the game, a quick short free-kick caught out the Tigers’ defence for Mulhern to race through and net the hosts a fifth. He almost got a Seadogs’ sixth in the final minute of the game, but could not convert Michael Duckworth’s cross from close range. Scarborough Athletic: Whitley; Duckworth, Weledji (Thornton 46’), Gooda (C), Brown (Glynn 46’); Purver (C. Wilson 46’), Maloney (Purver 82’), Wiles; Colville (Green 46’), Bennett (Mulhern 46’), Tear. Sub Not Used: Bancroft. Hull City U21s: (First Half): Yam; Wadsworth, Trialist A, Ashbee, Leake; R. Coyle (C), Tinsdale; Trialist B, Hall, Vaughan, Brown. Hull City U21s (Second Half): Yam (G. Wilson 62’); Fanning, Trialist A (Iggulden 62’), Trialist E, Devine; Gray, Trialist D; Chibanga, Dawson, Opoku, Trialist C.
Did you make it to the game Chazz? Scarborough are a good side so no shame really, apparently our young lads were very Rosenior esque though
No I didn’t go and just text my Scarborough mate and he didn’t go either ! Scarb aren’t a physical team so really we should be doing better than that
Question, are we having too many trialists? Might sound an odd question I know. Whilst it's of course good that we are clearly scouring for talent and investing in the academy lads, there does seem to have been for some time now a pretty big influx of trialists, and it's not only continuing but maybe even accelerating. - is it / how is it affecting the existing lads? Does that matter? - are we being too scatter gun? - is it a good or bad thing?
I think this just emphasizes the gulf between men's football and youths. We saw it at Donny and also here, the physicality is just too much to overcome for the most part.
It’s pretty normal at this stage really. Most of them would sign to make up the numbers anyway really
