A 90th-minute strike from Mohammad Jatta earned Crewe Alexandra a 1-1 draw in their U18 Premier Development League opener at Watford on Saturday.
The first-year scholar popped up in the dying seconds to snatch a share of the spoils for Ryan Dicker’s side.
The U18s Manager, who takes the team alongside new assistant David Vaughan, felt his men deserved something from the fixture.
Dicker said: “We started well and had lots of control without looking like a goal threat, and it was disappointing to concede just before half-time because we switched off and didn’t deal with a ball into the box.
“The second-half followed a similar pattern – we controlled large spells but lacked cutting edge in the final third. However, credit to the lads, we kept going and Mohammad was able to get us our reward in the last minute.”
The U18s were boosted by the return of Calum Agius, who has been sidelined for 12 months due to injury.
Dicker added: “He looked sharp and lively, and will only get better as we increase his playing time.”