Head of youth Mick Leonard was pleased with the squad despite a 2-0 loss at the weekend...
Head of youth Mick Leonard believes patience is the key to success for his new crop of players as they were beaten by Sheffield United 2-0 on Saturday morning.
It was the sides third game already this pre-season, as they started with a victory over Ilkeston and a defeat to a highly promising Charlton Athletic side.
Without two of their second-year players Kameron Campbell and Mitchell Clarke, who played for the Development Squad against Ilkeston, the team started well.
Leonard said: "The results at this stage aren't the most important. We are looking for the players to be confident on the ball and that will take time.
"We have the same philosophy throughout the academy in the style of play, but the pace certainly quickens quite dramatically once you are in the youth team."
The team experimented with the formation throughout the 90-minutes to try and utilise the strengths the squad possesses and Leonard was pleased overall with the showing of his youngsters.
He told the Official Site: "I thought we started okay, maybe not quite as sharp as we have been previously in the two matches.
"We managed to hold them up until just before half-time, but we then conceded twice in a space of a minute, the first was a cracking effort.
"Heads could have quite easily have dropped, but I thought we were more comfortable in the second half where we again, like the Charlton match, had our chances.
"We have to start to be more ruthless infront of goal and this is one area where we are lacking at the moment. We will continue to work on this.
"Overall the game was a good fitness exercise and we also managed to get three under 16s involved, which can only help them in the long run."
The Youth Team now face another level two academy side Birmingham City, under the guidance of former Notts coach Steve Spooner on Saturday and then Peterborough United the following weekend.
A full fixture list can be found here.