Director of Youth Mike Dove was full of pride for his young Dons after they bowed out of the FA Youth Cup with a spirited display away at Nottingham Forest.
Dove’s Under-18s, playing in the third round of the FA Youth Cup for the first time since the 2009/10 season, fought back from a goal down to lead Forest at the City Ground, before eventually losing the contest 3-2 in extra-time.
“I’m very proud of them,” Dove told MK Dons Player. “I thought their energy and commitment in dealing with quite a direct opponent was excellent.
“Something we’ve not usually been able to do is deal with the ugly side of the game and I thought our defending and commitment was brilliant, in particular Andy (McCorkell) in goal, he made some really important saves.
“I don’t think we really got into our rhythm or momentum, and we were our own worst enemy because of that. We gave the ball away too many times and we didn’t get hold of the game like we can do.
“I thought our football would step up and we’d gain some momentum, but fair play to Forest they work really hard and did what they needed to do to come away with the victory. I’m really proud of our boys, though.”
It’s been a terrific start to 2014/15 for the Under-18s, who have not only enjoyed success in the FA Youth Cup, but also in the Youth Alliance League Cup and the league itself – where they currently sit second in the table.
“My talk at the end of the game was, ‘look where you are in the league, you’ve reached the semi-final of the league cup and you got to the third round of the FA Youth Cup'.
“It has been a great season, already, with where we are in the league, how we've done in the cups and with some of the boys getting their pros early.”
There isn’t much time for the Dove and his side to reminisce on their achievements so far, however, with a difficult trip down to Leyton Orient awaiting them this weekend.
“We’re at Leyton Orient on Saturday, so they need to do the right things – be disappointed, learn from it and pick themselves up ahead of the game.”
“I’m very proud of them,” Dove told MK Dons Player. “I thought their energy and commitment in dealing with quite a direct opponent was excellent.
“Something we’ve not usually been able to do is deal with the ugly side of the game and I thought our defending and commitment was brilliant, in particular Andy (McCorkell) in goal, he made some really important saves.
“I don’t think we really got into our rhythm or momentum, and we were our own worst enemy because of that. We gave the ball away too many times and we didn’t get hold of the game like we can do.
“I thought our football would step up and we’d gain some momentum, but fair play to Forest they work really hard and did what they needed to do to come away with the victory. I’m really proud of our boys, though.”
It’s been a terrific start to 2014/15 for the Under-18s, who have not only enjoyed success in the FA Youth Cup, but also in the Youth Alliance League Cup and the league itself – where they currently sit second in the table.
“My talk at the end of the game was, ‘look where you are in the league, you’ve reached the semi-final of the league cup and you got to the third round of the FA Youth Cup'.
“It has been a great season, already, with where we are in the league, how we've done in the cups and with some of the boys getting their pros early.”
There isn’t much time for the Dove and his side to reminisce on their achievements so far, however, with a difficult trip down to Leyton Orient awaiting them this weekend.
“We’re at Leyton Orient on Saturday, so they need to do the right things – be disappointed, learn from it and pick themselves up ahead of the game.”
