AFC Bournemouth
Young striker Ashley Clarke felt the family atmosphere amongst the AFC Bournemouth under-18s was one of their key attributes ahead of the visit of Millwall.
Alan Connell’s Cherries take on the Lions in the U18 Professional Development League Cup on Saturday (12pm kick-off).
The fixture follows an enthralling 2-1 victory against Forest Green Rovers which saw Michael Dacosta Gonzalez and Baylin Johnson strike late on to claim three points.
Ahead of Millwall’s visit, Clarke reflected on the trip to Gloucestershire: “It was a hard game. We knew they were going to defend well and that it was always going to be a tight fixture.
“Going 1-0 down quite early, we had to be patient to get the equaliser, so Baylin getting it with the last kick of the game was great.
“It shows a lot – the belief and the togetherness in the squad. Also, the family element that we’ve said throughout the season.
“We really saw that there, in that moment, with the celebrations and everyone running over to the corner, all the staff happy as well.”
Speaking with afcb.co.uk, the striker felt that rewards on the pitch were a result of the togetherness cultivated off it.
“It’s just how we are around the training ground with each other,” he said. “We know each other so well and we know what we’re capable of.
“We want to win everything every game because everyone sees us as the best in category three, so we need to stay close together when things are hard.
“In games like at Forest Green, we just have to get the three points and come back to Bournemouth happy.”
Having joined up with the under-18s squad in the summer, Clarke is in the first year of his scholarship.
With seven appearances across all competitions under his belt so far, taking his opportunities when given them by Connell is top of the striker’s to-do list.
“It’s been good,” he explained. “I’m not always playing but you expect that as a first year with the second years in front of you.
“When you get the minutes, you have to take the opportunity and prove yourself to Al as much as possible.
“If you prove yourself, then you could get minutes next week and that’s down to how you do in the minutes you get.”
Adding on Saturday’s cup tie: “It’ll be a tight game. We lost to Reading last time out in this cup competition, so we’ll be looking to start well.”
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