The RN U23 team went into the first game of the 2010 Inter-Services competition immediately after a successful training camp in Gibraltar on Tuesday 23 Feb 2010. The opportunity to prepare fully for the Inter-Services was invaluable and included competitive games against a Gibraltar National U21 team and a Gibraltar Combined Services team with a defeat in the first game and a 3-0 victory in the second.
The RN team travelled to RAF Cosford to meet a buoyant RAF team who had comprehensively beaten the ARMY 5-1 in the previous week. The RN lined up in its favoured formation looking to build on the work completed during the training camp and welcomed 2 new players into the starting 11 having picked up a couple of knocks the previous week. Sticking to the game plan the Navy team looked to get the ball on the ground and play through midfield and were very quickly rewarded with LPT McEvoy (Caledonia) finding himself in space and driving a ball from 35 yards into the top right hand corner leaving the opposition keeper stranded and the Navy 1-0 up after 6 minutes. The RAF team responded and attempted to stretch the game with balls from distance to their centre forward to hold, inviting support from midfield. The RN central defensive pairing of AET Buckler (RNAS Culdrose) and Mne Sampson (42 Cdo) coped admirably and cancelled out any threat. A change was forced on the RN line up when ETME Stockton (Daring) received a serious injury resulting in a trip to A&E but the team stuck to their game plan and were rewarded with a fantastic strike from the left boot of AB McLoughlin (Vanguard) direct from a free kick in the 35th minute and the RN were 2-0 to the good. The continued hard work was further rewarded with a third goal in the 42nd minute from AET Musumeci (RNAS Yeovilton) and the Navy were firmly in the driving seat. A momentary lapse of concentration from the RN keeper allowed the RAF to claw a goal back immediately prior to half time, giving the opposition encouragement that the game was not yet over. Half time score: 3-1 (RN).
The second half started brightly once again with AET Brookes (820 Sqn) and LPT McEvoy bossing things in central midfield ably supported by McLoughlin and LAET Philp (RNAS Culdrose) supporting in the wide midfield positions. The RAF game plan continued with good service from their flank players to their target man but with the RN defensive centre half pairing remaining strong and excellent pressure from the Navy full backs, LPT Kerr (Neptune) and NA Devlin (Ark Royal) the Navy soaked up the RAF pressure. The Air Force were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes to go and managed to take a second goal from a corner the RN failed to clear, but the RN held on for a well. Final score 3-2 (RN).
The RN U23 now face the ARMY at Burnaby Road on Tue 2 Mar 2010.