The U23 team travelled to North West London for the annual fixture with Middlesex FA U23 on Wed 25 Jan 2012. The RN team were presented with a good playing surface and an extremely competent Middlesex team who played some excellent football, moving the ball quickly and causing problems for the RN midfield and defensive line.
The RN team weathered the early pressure and tested the Middlesex keeper from range with an excellently struck free kick for AB Ross Beech (Neptune) forcing the opposition keeper to palm the ball over his own cross-bar. A swiftly taken free kick from within the Middlesex defensive third stretched the RN team and a turn of pace coupled with an excellent finish form the Brazilian born Middlesex centre forward, saw the advancing RN keeper MNE Tony Baxter (FPGRM) lobbed from the edge of the 18Yd box.
The RN team managed to apply some pressure toward the end of the first half but went into the break 1-0 down. Half time score: Middlesex 1 - 0 RNU23
A couple of changes at half time saw the RN team compete ably in the second half with ET Rob Hills (Sutherland) making his presence felt in the centre of midfield and MNE Keelan Gartside (539 ASRM) troubling the opposition with his pace. A good break from the U23 team led to Gartside bearing down on goal and forcing the Middlesex keeper to handle outside his area resulting in his dismissal. The RN team now had control of the game with the one man advantage, but disciplined play and dogged defending from the opposition resulted in the game finishing 1-0 to Middlesex.
Final score: Middlesex FA U23 1 - 0 RN U23.