Wilkinson proud of his team’s performance in wake of EFL Trophy clash with Grimsby | OneFootball

Ben Wilkinson expressed his pride in his Elite Development Squad on Tuesday evening following our penalty shootout win over League Two outfit Grimsby Town.

After 88 minutes of tense, end-to-end football, the match seemed destined to end goalless.

But substitutes from both sides would add late drama.

At just 16 years old, Reigan Heskey scored his first EFL Trophy goal in the 89th minute to fire City ahead.

His thunderous right-footed strike whipped into the top-right corner and almost saw the young boys in blue snatch three points.

But Danny Rose’s headed effort squeezed in at the near post in injury time to see the clash go to a penalty shoot-out.

City were on the ropes after Charlie Gray saw his penalty saved. But spot kicks scored by Oliver Whatmuff and Jaden Heskey before Grimsby’s Cameron Garnder rattled against the crossbar meant City earned another vital point in Group G.

And it means Wilkinson’s side are still in with a chance of progressing to the knockout stage of the competition with it all to play for in our final group game which will see us travel to Lincoln next month.

“My overriding feeling is I’m really pleased with the players and really proud of them,” said Wilkinson after the tense shoot-out win.

“This competition gives us something different I think in terms of the challenge it gives the players and I think the biggest challenge that we take out of it is to look at them physically and mentally.

“And I think in the two games we've played we've really stood up on that front in terms of the physicality we've given the game, our approach to winning duels, being compact and being aggressive with the way we press.

“Taking on the game with a young team I think we finished it with four or five 16-year-olds on the pitch which is really really pleasing for the Academy moving forward.

“Our thinking tonight based on the players we had available was to start with the older players because I think it's a big ask for the younger players to go 90 to 95 minutes with that physicality but I knew they could have an impact if we needed them later in the game,” continued Wilkinson.

“Especially the wingers, they're [Ryan McAidoo and Reigan Heskey] both really talented one-on-one, they can win the game for you out of nothing and for Reigan to do it tonight can only boost his confidence.

“But for all of them a great experience and hopefully the first of many.”