Two late injuries and losing Brad Woolridge to the first team meant that the Youth team travelled to Nuneaton with a single substitute. Heath Hayes only took 5 minutes to open the scoring with a shot from Jon Austin misjudged by Richard Stead. After a collision of bodies James Taylor had to leave the field with a suspected fractured collar bone and Hayes were down to the bare minimum. Hayes started passing quickly and accurately and it proved a tough first half for Nuneaton as they struggled to keep possession with Daniel Scragg controlling the midfield for Heath Hayes.
Nuneaton did what they had to do to remain in the first half and were rewarded with an equaliser. A sharp turn in the box and a curling shot into the corner by Brad Griffith. HT:1-1
Nuneaton, buoyed by the goal played much better in the second half and went 2-1 up when Griffith chased his own flick on, pressured goal keeper Ryan Bills into a mistake and tapped into an empty net. Heath Hayes responded with a great curling shot from Luke Farley tipped over by James Higgs, on for the injured Stead. Nuneaton should have gone further ahead when a great supporting run from Dave Evans culminated in a cross shot just wide and also just a head of Brad Griffith who was after his hat-trick.
Hayes remained a threat though with Scragg firing just wide on two occasions. Nuneaton thought they had broken the back of Heath Hayes until 5 minutes to go. A long free kick was flicked on and Josh Proud finished well for the equaliser. At this point both managers would have settled for a draw. That wasn't the end though. Complete confusion after a knock and a quick substitution left open space down Nuneaton's left; the ball was whipped in and finished by Jon Austin with a minute to go. In the dying seconds Pa Njie for Nuneaton had a one on one with the keeper after an unselfish pass from Ross Proudlock but Ryan Bills blocked and Joe Hagen fired the ball just wide from the rebound.
FT 2-3.