Youth Team Report | Wigan Athletic 2-1 Dale
The Youth Team ended the season as runners-up in the EFL North West Youth Alliance League, despite a 2-1 defeat at Champions Wigan Athletic on the final day.
Second spot had already been confirmed a number of weeks ago, and Dale took the opportunity to hand Youth Team debuts to four Under-15 Academy players.
Mikey Caldwell, Peter Thomas, Kacper Mialkowski and Ethan Brierley all appeared as second-half substitutes for their Youth Team debuts.
The hosts raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening ten minutes, finishing a cut back from 12-yards for the first and rounding Dale goalkeeper Morgan Piper for the second, after latching onto a perfectly weighted through ball.
Dale carved out a couple of opportunities on the break before the half hour mark, as Morgan Moreland’s square ball found Fabio Tavares at the back post, who saw an effort turned around the near post.
Moreland was then found by Lewis Bradley down the left, but his cut back on to his right foot and shot flew over the crossbar.
Either side of the break, Florent Hoti had a free-kick straight at the goalkeeper held, before Bradley fired over from distance.
Dale pulled a goal back in the 65th minute, when Tavares showed great skill to get past his full-back before squaring for Moreland, who finished clinically at the back post.
Piper held on well to two Wigan efforts as Dale pushed in search for an equaliser, which didn’t come, despite the young Under-15 contingent, along with Under-16 Adam Cullen, causing problems.