City Clinch North Academy League Title
Barclays U18s Premier League
Saturday 26th April 2014
City: O’Brien(GK), Maffeo, Oseni, Adarabioyo, Smith-Brown, Byrne, Intima, Bryan, Ambrose, Boadu, Barker
Goals: Ambrose, Maffeo, Bryan(2,1p)
Unused: Albinson(GK), Oliver, Horsfield, Holland, Nemane
Evertons draw at Tottenham earlier in the day, meant City's academy side only needed to register a point from their two remaining games to clinch the Northern section of the the Premier Academy League and they did it in style racing into a three goal first half lead at the home sides Cobham training ground.,
It must be pointed out though that Chelsea fielded a very young side, due to FA Youth cup action on Monday and their side contained ten schoolboys, five of which were under 15 players, but still City had a job to do and they went about it in a professional manner.
They even could afford the luxury of missing a penalty in the opening five minutes, when Brady fouled Denzeil Boadu in the box but the resultant penalty from Brandon Barker was saved by the Chelsea keeper. Brady turned offender again minutes later when fouling Ambrose in the box ,however this time Kean Bryan stepped upto convert and give City the lead. Thierry Ambrose made it two on 23 minutes spinning in the box before firing home. A neat one/two between Ambrose and Pablo Maffeo, saw City score a third of the half as the young Spaniard burst through and finish into the bottom corner.
Chelsea were giving up two to three years in terms of physical and tactical development and it began to show, so it was no real surprise when City scored a fourth on the hour mark.Kean Bryan getting his second of the game firing home a free kick from the edge of the box, low and hard, that was enough for City to secure top spot in the league and ensure they get home advantage in the play-offs.
Posted in Academy Match Reports by Gavin Cooper/Andrew Waldon.