Swindon Town

2-0

Middlesbrough

Joyce 2, 17

 

 

The FA Youth Cup Sponsored by E.ON
Fourth Round Proper 
Tuesday 29 January 2008 
County Ground, Swindon Town FC
Click here for results

Swindon Town upset Premiership side Middlesbrough to book a place in the Fifth Round of The FA Youth Cup.

Middlesbrough have spent a lot of effort developing their Academy set-up, so Swindon Youth Coach Paul Bodin was delighted to see his exciting side unsettle their illustrious opponents early on. 

The home team got off to a dream start when Ben Joyce capitalised on an error by 'Boro keeper Jason Steele to head home after two minutes.

The home side's bright start got even better when Joyce bagged another on 17 minutes and Bodin was shocked to see such a confident start.

"I had told the lads to keep it tight in the opening period!", he said after the game. 

"They were fairly confident before the match but I think we needed that first goal to settle us down."

Joyce stole the show for Swindon and an audacious back-heel almost completed his treble after 22 minutes. The young forward was in menacing form and is now gunning for Charlton Athletic in the Fifth Round.

"I definitely believe we can beat Charlton - there is no team in the country that we can't beat," he said.

Joyce will take the plaudits but the form of goalkeeper Mark Scott and defender Sean Morrison also caught the eye. Swindon winger Lloyd Macklin bewildered the visitors with his pace, but Bodin was impressed with the team performance as a whole.

"It was a great all-round team effort; every single player gave their all and worked their socks off. Our substitutes were excellent and everyone should be proud of themselves," he added.