Just over a week ago Bristol City lost 5-0 to their counterparts from Cardiff City at u18s level.

Earlier in the season City beat that same Cardiff City U8s team 1-0 at home up at the SGS pitches in a close match, which we watched with Trevor Challiis' side defending robustly as Craig Bellamy's team were narrowly beaten. Bellamy was warned by the referee for his over-zealous barking at the officials.

While the Robins fielded a young side for the 5-0 mauling and were playing away from home, another significant reason for the heavy recent defeat was the absence of a young talented centre-back called Kasper Lopata who played for City in the win but not the bad defeat.

Lopata is Polish and moved to Bristol with his mother when he was nine years old.

After playing at youth side AFC St Vallier in Filton for a year he eventually played under Polish coach Piotr Szewczyk in Bristol, who Lopata credits a lot of his learning of the game to, according to reports in Poland.

Lopata eventually attended SGS College and played under head of male football and mentor Dave Hockaday, who still keeps in touch with the defender.

Recently on Instagram the defender was asked how good SGS was and he replied: 'it's the best college', indicating how highly the player regards his time there.

According to our information Bristol City were aware of the defender for a while, and Lopata was offered a trial and played for the Robins earlier this season in that 1-0 win over Cardiff City, as midfielder Marcus Day scored the winning goal.

Trials with Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry were also organised for the now 17-year-old by the Eyeconic Sports agency who represent him.

According to our sources, the Robins were very keen on Lopata, but were surprised to notice Brighton & Hove Albion's academy manager in attendance at that very first game against Cardiff City.

Bristol City duly offered Lopata a two-year professional deal, and the Seagulls moved quickly and also offered a two-year deal.

Lopata chose the Premier League side but we understand that it was a difficult decision, with other teams also beginning to show an interest in a player that has also spent time at Yeovil Town.

And so the upcoming talent moved on to the Amex Stadum at the end of last year and missed the Cardiff rematch held at the Bluebirds' Leckwith Stadium 10 days ago.

Now the centre-back looks set for a bright future in the game. Two weeks ago he visited La Manga as he was called up to the Poland U18 side to take on Portugal on February 8 and played 90 minutes as his country lost 1-4.

Domestically, results have gone better, however, for a player who is expected to play for the Poland U19s or even U20s soon.

After beating Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup, Manchester United became the new favourites for the prestigious domestic youth competition this year.

But it was not to be as Brighton & Hove Albion knocked out the Red Devils 1-3 with Lopata having a central role, marking the highly rated United prospect Mason Greenwood out of the game for large periods of the match.

Football recruitment remains cut-throat and especially in the lower reaches of the game.

However questions remain over Lopata's move from SGS. Why did Bristol City not move earlier to offer him a professional deal or bring him into the academy before this season?

How did the club miss out on a player who has been playing in Filton and just six miles from Ashton Gate?

And how did Brighton snatch him away when the City academy and SGS College share the facilities at the WISE Campus?

It's arguably no surprise that Lopata has chosen to join a Premier League team's academy over a Championship one, but the Robins must surely make sure they don't miss out on any further talent from the Bristol region.

We asked Bristol City for a comment but none was offered.