Lowy pride at excellent FA Youth Cup run

The young Cherries bowed out of the competition after suffering a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Premier League 2 leaders Tottenham Hotspur at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday.

It was the third time Lowy’s team had been drawn away in the competition this season, with Spurs also being the third category one opposition the Cherries had faced.

Ash Clarke, who missed the Spurs game due to injury, scored both goals as the Cherries triumphed 2-0 against West Brom at The Hawthorns in the third round in December.

And a Jonny Stuttle hat-trick, coupled with goals from Clarke and Jack Holman, earned the Cherries a memorable 5-0 win in the fourth round against Newcastle United at St James’ Park last month.

Although the Cherries reached the semi-finals in 1968/69, the Newcastle result will go down as one of the greatest in the club’s history at under-18 level.

Lowy, whose appointment as manager of the under-18s coincided with the club earning category two academy status at the start of this season, told afcb.co.uk: “The whole journey has been fantastic.

“We have definitely had some challenging draws but I think the lads have really done themselves, the academy and the club proud with how well they have done throughout the competition.

“The great thing about the FA Youth Cup is that it provides young players with experiences that they will never forget and some of the highlights they have will probably be some of the best in their careers.

“The message we gave them at the end of the game was that they are going to experience the highest of highs, like they did at Newcastle, and the lowest of the lows, that being our night tonight.

“Now, it’s about how they pick themselves up and dust themselves off and be ready to go again for a competitive league fixture against QPR on Saturday and some of them will feature for the development squad in the coming days.

“That’s part and parcel of being a footballer. You have to show that resilience and that drive to pick yourself up when you experience the lows and be ready to go again.”

Discussing the Spurs game, he added: “It was a really tough night and we knew Tottenham would be a tough opponent.

“They are one of the best category one clubs in the country at the moment, given their results and the season they are having.

“After conceding twice early on, I was really pleased and proud that the boys showed a really good mentality to keep going and to keep being brave to get themselves on the ball right to the last minute.

“From a mentality perspective, I was really proud they kept themselves going all the way to the end and didn’t sink or cave in. The fact they showed the resilience to keep going was really pleasing.”