Local football - Nottingham Forest pro-hopefuls tamed - Pro Touch battlers shock Championship squad
Published: 17 March 2011
by STEVE BARNETT
A SUPER squad of wannabe pro footballers cut a Nottingham Forest youth team down to size on Sunday when they twice
battled back to earn a 3-3 draw in a friendly at the Wilford Lane training ground.
Players from the Pro Touch Soccer Academy more than held their own against the Championship side, which is coached by former Forest star and England international Steve Hodge.
Having found themselves 2-0 down, the under-15s side mounted a tremendous comeback. Striker Germaine Ofori pulled a goal back after racing on to a perfect through ball from Brandon Garner, before right-back Valentine Placide smashed home the equaliser from the penalty spot.
Forest again edged in front, but Pro Touch refused to be beaten and netted a very respectable draw when Tommy Ayodele got his head on a long-range free-kick punted up field by skipper Garner.
Manager Koyar Abul said he was happy with how the squad handled the big occasion.
“The boys did really well. None of our players looked out of place, if anything I think we played the better football.
“The boys kept working hard as a team, never gave up and in the end got their reward.”