MIDDLESBROUGH UNDER-21s' Checkatrade Trophy campaign came to an end in Staffordshire, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to League Two side Port Vale, writes Andrew Gate.

Experience showed on the night as goals in either half from Ricky Miller and Connell Rawlinson settled the match.

Boro’s best chances of the game fell to Kian Spence and Tyrone O’Neil in the second-half but goalkeeper Zach Hemming was on fine form, making multiple saves to keep his side in a game they struggled to gain a foothold in.

Manager Paul Stephenson named a youthful starting line-up with four changes from the previous game in the competition against Walsall, leaving the average age of the side at eighteen.

The deadlock was broken only six minutes into the first-half when Nathan Guru’s underweight pass was intercepted by the hosts’ Tom Conlon. He then managed to thread the ball through the Red’s defence and to Ricky Miller, who finished past Hemming.

Sam Stubbs was captaining the U21 side in their penultimate Checkatrade Trophy group game, and he had strong claims for a penalty turned away by referee Matthew Donohue on 22 minutes when Vale’s Nathan Smith tugged the central defender to the ground.

The hosts’ experience was showing and, despite some good moments of skill from the likes of Connor Malley and Djed Spence, the Boro were lucky not to go two goals behind when Theo Vassell’s free header dropped agonisingly wide of the target from a corner.

Tom Conlon was pulling the strings for the Valiants in the half, but keeper Hemming was in top form to deny him not once, but twice in quick succession towards the end of the half. Firstly, he palmed away the midfielder’s long-range shot and moments later tipped a second effort over the bar leaving the score 1-0 at the interval.

Theo Vassell was proving to be a thorn in Boro’s side from set-pieces and he came close once again just after the re-start volleying over the bar from close range after an in-swinging corner.

However, once more a set-piece was the U23’s undoing, as Vale doubled their advantage from a free-kick. Conlon floated the ball into the box and Connell Rawlinson snuck behind the defensive line to head home on 66 minutes.

Despite being 2-0 down the Middlesbrough youngsters were still pushing for a way back into the game. Kian Spence tried his luck from range, but his effort flew past the post and Tyrone O’Neill could only hit the side-netting from a tight angle after being played through by Djed Spence.

Dan Ward also went close on a minute from time, firing straight into Hornby’s hands but the scores stayed the same at the final-whistle.

Middlesbrough Under-21s: Hemming, Dodds, Guru, Stubbs, Robinson, D. Spence, K. Spence, Liddle (Watts 90’), Ward, Malley (Stephenson 77’), O’Neil.

Subs (not used): James, McGill, Hood, Wilson