Tranmere Rovers U18s manager Andy Parkinson has reflected on his side’s progress as the EFL North West Youth Alliance season heads towards its halfway point.
Rovers’ youngsters currently find themselves sitting in a mid-table position, with a trip to Fleetwood Town next up to end 2019.
The first month of the New Year will see Tranmere welcome Salford City to The Campus before travelling to Oldham Athletic.
Parkinson said: “We are coming towards the halfway point of the season. It has been a mixed bag, but we are pleased with the individual and collective, and they are learning the game.
“It took us five or six games to turn the corner, and results have improved, so the lads deserve credit for that.
“Results are not important, and it is about the development of the players, which we have been pleased about.
“As we speak, we are in a mid-table position. I feel that we are capable of a top four finish, and our players will develop over the course of a season, how we win games of football are they key priorities for the group.”
Parkinson also gave his thoughts on the youth team’s last outing, which was a 2-1 defeat at home to Carlisle United on Friday afternoon.
Jake Burton was on target for Tranmere as they narrowly lost to their Cumbrian counterparts in torrential weather conditions on the Wirral.
Parkinson added: “On Friday, we were confident after coming back off a good result at Shrewsbury, where we scored three goals in ten minutes.
“Conditions were horrendous, it was windy and chucking it down. It was a scrappy game for both teams.
“Jake Burton scored a really good headed goal for us, which is his 14th of the season, but we had chances to put the game to bed after that and we didn’t take them.
“We conceded a penalty in the second half which levelled the game, and then Carlisle scored another to win it.
“On the whole, we feel that we didn’t deserve to get beat with the performance that we put in, but it is about learning from it.”
To view Rovers’ upcoming youth team fixtures, please CLICK HERE.