Youth Boss Eric Kinder spoke to us about the pre-season opener against Everton:

"I'd like to start by saying that this is an absolutely fantastic facility that Everton have, and I can't thank them enough for hosting us here. Apparently it's a £16 million facility, and it is absolutely unreal. The Academies have really started to come on in their design over the last ten years, but this has been better than anything I have ever seen. It has been good for the lads to see something like this - if you can imagine spending that amount of money on a building then you will appreciate what kind of facility it is.

The one that we had built at Blackburn ten years ago seemed to be streets ahead, but this one has surpassed even that. To be invited there and to play there is probably a credit to the way that the Youth side of the club conducted itself last season. It's superb for us that clubs the size of Everton actually want us to go and play them.

As for the game itself, we lost it by 2-1, but we were a goal up at half time and I think we played our part in what was a tight game.

Ryan Bowman scored our goal when he got himself clear of the defenders and clipped the ball over the keeper. It was a terrific finish to be fair to the lad. I told him afterwards that I have seen him play better, but he has this knack of being in the right place and of being able to score a goal. That's not a bad habit to have in this game.

For an hour we gave them as good as what we got. We ran out of a little bit of steam after that, which was to be expected, and it became very scrappy. We struggled to match their pace towards the end and we lost the extra yard that we'd seen in the first 60 minutes. There were also a string of substitutions in the last half hour or so, for both sides, and that totally disrupted the pattern of play.

Everton had some good chances after we scored, and we were probably lucky to be in front at the break. They pulled things level very shortly after half time with what can only be described as a wonder goal. If you think back to the David Beckham goal against Wimbledon, then that's what this lad did to us. He had only just got to the half way line, and I could see him look up and have a look at where Mark Gillespie was. As soon as he spotted that he was off his line, he let one go and it sailed in to the back of the net. Sometimes you just have to stand back and applaud what you have just seen, and this was one of those occasions. We're talking about 55 or 60 yards here, and our keeper has had no chance. It was an absolutely incredible goal for a young lad to score.

We seemed to get a little bit tired after that, and they took the lead when a shot from the edge of the box took a deflection off James Wood. That sent Mark Gillespie the wrong way, and he could only watch as it went past him.

Overall I think this has been a fantastic start for us. I asked them, before they went out there, to give it their all for an hour. They did that for me, and I think they come away with heads held high. I'm more than happy, and it definitely gives us things to talk about and to work on.

The first years were obviously very nervous, as many of them will have approached this as if it was their first day. Yes they have had a few training sessions, but this was the first time for them to be asked to get out there and do a job. They all acquitted themselves fine, although I think they will admit that there is more to come from each of them.

The fact that we lost Connor Tinnion to the first team has meant that I have brought a young left winger in on trial with us, from Glasgow, called Mark Beg. He was recommended to me and I was happy to invite him along to fill the gap. I rung him on Saturday and the lad dropped everything and made sure that he was there, at 7am this morning, to meet us and to get on the coach. That in itself told me a lot about the lad. He has been thrown in at the deep end, but he played really well and I'm pleased that he is here.

It's fantastic for the Youth side of the club that Connor has been included for the first team trip this week. Of course it means that I am a player down, but I'll happily accept that if it means that my players are making that step up. I've said before, that's what it's all about, and I hope Connor isn't the last to do it. I am sure that Connor will do himself justice because he has come back from his summer break a completely different person. There seems to be a confidence and a self belief there with him, so I'm delighted that he has been given this chance. It's a real shot in the arm for all of us, and it backs up what I keep telling these lads - if they go and show the manager what they can do, then he will want to see more.

Liam Davison had a good game, although he started to struggle with the pace, and Tom Aldred played a real captain's role out there for me, guiding Adam Jukes through and making sure that the first years knew what they were supposed to be doing. James Wood did ok at right back in the second half, and Ryan Bowman got his goal, which should settle him down a bit.

I can't really complain about anything that any of the lads have done today, to be honest. The focus is getting them ready for the season kick off, so anything we do leading up to that is a bonus.

What I have seen has been very encouraging, it really has, and I'm looking forward to working with this group as we move forward. There's still work to do, of course there is, but we look in good shape. Both teams tried to do things properly, watched by David Moyes and just about everyone connected with Everton that was available, so it's been a good education for us.

I know David personally, having worked with him at Preston, and he came across and congratulated the lads on how they tried to play. Sometimes I complain that we overplay it, and we can come unstuck because of that, but I would rather they were trying to keep it on the floor than hit it long, and play the percentage game. That way may win you a few matches, but there is no long term benefit in it.

It's worth mentioning that I have brought two of our U16s with us on this trip. Steve Swinglehurst is here, and I have also brought a midfielder called Mark Sloan. I played him at wide right, and he held his own, so he'll have enjoyed himself. Steve picked up a bit of a tight calf after 25 minutes or so, but I think we can put that down to nervous energy. This was a big day for these lads, and we shouldn't really forget that.

I think the whole reason for us being invited here today was because people wanted to have a look at what we have. Teams like this tend to like to play foreign opponents during pre-season, so we have to be pleased with ourselves that Everton feel they can trust us enough to bring us along. That's great for us, and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year already."

United first half: 

	Mitchell
Lakeland	Aldred	Jukes	Duffy
Seaton	Blake		Law
		Davison
	Cook	Bowman

United second half:

	Gillespie
Wood	Aldred	Duffy	Swinglehurst
Sloan	Davison	Blake	Beg
	Cook	Bowman

Note - Rolling substitutions were used by both teams throughout the second half.