Young have showcased their Pascoe Cup finals credentials after holding Lake Albert to a scoreless draw on Saturday night.
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Coming off the back of a horror 4-0 loss to Leeton last weekend, the Lions put on a defensive masterclass to shut down the ladder-leading Sharks.
Alex Mitchell and Jake Burns were instrumental for Young while goalkeeper Mitch Cameron impressed with the gloves under lights.
Young coach Mark Mellish was thrilled with his side’s tenacious defence and hailed an improved on-field attitude.
“I really didn’t think we showed up last weekend against Leeton, so I’m really pleased with how the boys bounced back,” Mellish said.
“We went out there with a gameplan and took the game to Lake Albert on their own patch.
“Mitch Cameron had a really strong game playing out of position and it was great to keep a clean sheet.”
The result marked Lake Albert’s first draw of the season and partially avenged Young’s earlier 1-0 loss at home.
“I think it’s great that we’re the first team to take points off the Sharks and really restrict their key players,” Mellish said.
“There’s no denying they had control for most of the game and we’re under no illusions as to how good a team they are, but there’s plenty of positives for us to take away.”
Lake Albert coach Mitch Tinnock conceded Young’s game plan was effective and rued his side’s inability to capitilise on scoring opportunities.
“Young defended very well and kept a good structure but we did have plenty of chances, particularly in the first half,” Tinnock said.
“We weren’t patient enough out there and I think we panicked a tiny bit.”
Tinnock refused to lay blame on player absences and a new-look back line, instead heaping praise on the youthful Lions.
“I think Young is a really good up-and-coming side,” Tinnock said.
“They’ve got a pretty young bunch of boys but there’s big things in their future.”
The Sharks remain undefeated and sit clear atop the Pascoe Cup table while Young could climb as high as second, pending the results of Tolland’s clash with Tumut on Sunday.
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