Ray of Hyde Opener

Hyde United FC 1 - 3 MCFC Reserves

As usual City ventured to Hyde United's Ewen Fields for their annual pre-season friendly fixture in aid of the dearly departed Ray Stanley; Hyde's former club secretary, with the winner receiving the Ray Stanley Memmorial Shield. City comfortably won the first half three nil with a goal from Paul Marshall and a brace from David Ball. Hyde's change at half time to bring on Lincoln Adams for former City youngster Nathan D'Laryea changed things for the better for them and Lincoln scored a fine header to win the second half one nil.

City fielded a a mixture of players that have been reserves for a few years and ones that have just graduated from Platt Lane and crossed over to Carrington. The team looked well balanced and it showed as the first half City created chance after chance and the three nil half time score flattered Hyde; but as we know chances do not win matches, goals do, and Robbie Mak was guilty of slashing too many shots that missed the target too often.

City's first goal came from a good run by Karl Moore down the left and he looked up well and saw David Ball in space and he cut the ball back to him; but he slightly miss hit the shot but it still evaded the defender and goalkeeper and rolled over the line into the far corner of the goal.

A few minutes later Hyde had their only real chance of the first half when a penetrating run down the right was crossed well into the box but Dan Barry could not direct the header on target.

Good work by James Poole led to City's second goal when he dispossessed the defender and again in similar circumstances to Moore; he looked up and saw the cut back was the best option as Marshall ran in and sent in a lovely disguised shot that fooled the goalkeeper and looped over him into the back of the net.

Two minutes later and City had got their third when Poole turned provider again when he sent a defence splitting pass through to Ball who beat the offside trap and he bore down on goal and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.

As I previously mentioned City continued to press the pedal down but were guilty of not doing more with the chances they created and so went into the break not being able to add to their advantage.

Kasper Schmiechel was certainly a lot busier in the second half and he was forced into a good save early on from a direct free kick. Hyde Finally got their break through in the sixty third minute when a corner from the right was drilled into the box and Adams timed his jump well as he climbed above the City defence and head firmly into the far corner of the goal to give Kasper no chance to save it.

There was a lot of plus points for City as with some key players graduating to the reserve side should make City's reserve side very difficult to beat throughout the season as the extra strength of first team means probably a consistent line up and should help create a strong team ethos.

I would just like to end with I wish Hyde United all the best in their troubled financial position and hope they can move forward from it in a positive manner. Certainly with a centre half like Lincoln Adams they have a strong presence on the football field at least.


Hyde United: Aspden(GK), Aspin, Oakes, Lynch, Bayliss, D'Laryea, George, Manship, Barry, Smith, James.

Subs: Adams, Jones, Spencer, Traynor, Kirkbride, Mooney, Rick.


City: Schmiechel(GK)(Capt), Logan, Cunningham, Kay, McDonald, Boyata, Mak, Marshall, Ball, Poole, Moore.

Subs: Nimley-Tchuimeni, T Johansen, Clayton, McDermott, Ibrahim.

Bolton Wanderers into the Summer

MCFC U18s 5 - 0 BWFC U18s

City and Bolton Wanderers finished their academy season off at Hyde United's Ewan Fields and City finished theirs off in style. Goals from Ahmad Benali, John Guidetti and a hat-trick from Jack Redshaw; who finished top goalscorer in academy and reserves with twenty eight goals; twelve academy and sixteen reserve.

Bolton did themselves no favours with an ill disciplined display that led to their substitute being given a straight red card for a really bad two footed challenge on Tom Smith after only being on the field for a few minutes.

City opened their account in the seventeenth minute when a Chris Chantler corner was not fully dealt with and there was Redshaw to force the ball over the line. City were controlling the game and so there was no surprise that City doubled their lead just after the half hour mark when Jeremy Helan showed good skill and pace on the left to cross in and there was Redshaw again to fire the ball into the far corner of the goal.

The third goal came just a few minutes before half time and effectively killed the game off in City's favour. The goal was all about Guidetti as he held the ball up on the right before having a sublime flick and turn to leave the defender looking like he was billy no mates stood all alone as John ran into space on the right of the penalty area before pulling back an inch perfect pass for Benali to slot the ball into far corner of the goal.

City scored their fourth in the fifty seventh minute when Redshaw slipped in Adrian Cieslewicz who crossed in and Guidetti saw Helan in space on the left but Jeremy could not get his shot away and passed back to John who made space for himself before curling a twenty five yard shot into the far corner of the goal.

A minute later and Bolton were down to ten men when their substitute launched himself at Tom Smith when he was deep in City's half and under no pressure and so the referee was left with no choice but to send the player off.

Redshaw had a really good chance to score his third goal mid way through the second half but he lashed at the shot that went well wide. He made up for the miss when Cieslewicz laid the ball on a plate when he pressurised the defender into a mistake before running into space into the penalty box before sending a low hard cross to the feet of jack to tap into the goal from two or three yards.

That result means that City finish top of the national academy statistics by being the only side to remain unbeaten in the normal league season, highest points gained; seventy two from twenty eight games. The best goal difference of plus fifty five; nearly a plus two per game and only being pipped by Leicester by two goals; eighty eight against ninety in terms of goals scored.


City: Clegg(GK), Smith, Chantler(Grandison 54), Carter(Capt.), Paldan, Mitchell, Cieslewicz, Benali(Kapsalopodas 59), Guidetti(Paris 72), Redshaw, Helan.

Subs: Dean(GK).

Wolves Take City to the Wire

WWFC U18s 1 - 1 MCFC U18s

City had to wait till stoppage time to equalize a Wolverhampton Wanderers penalty in the sixty third minute with a great free kick into the top corner struck by James Poole to preserve their unbeaten league record.

City due to their play-off game last night were forced to field a couple of over age players to fill the void of lack of available players as you are allowed to field three outfield over age players plus the goalkeeper.

City dominated the play in the first half and should have been in front at the break but Wolves blocked everything and what they did not block City failed to deliver any conviction in their shots. In similar style to last night Wolves also hit City on the break a couple of times and forced Eirik Johansen in to a couple of good saves.

City were allowing Wolves back into the game as they had a few chances. Unbelievably the referee awarded a drop ball in the penalty area about four yards out when Johansen clashed with the Wolves player when being brave to dive at the feet of the player for the ball. The ball ricocheted and was crossed in and the Wolves player headed wide.

Five minutes later and Igor Paldan decided to lunge at the Wolves player in the box to give the referee no choice but to award a penalty and was scored as the player sent Johansen the wrong way.

City changed their formation later in the game to put pressure on Wolves as they failed to convert chance after chance. Then in the ninety second minute Jeremy Helan was fouled near the edge of the area. James Poole stepped up to take the dead ball; I confess that I said to others watching that he would put it over the bar, but fair play to James he bent the ball into the top corner of the goal with a peach of a shot to save City's blushes.

Wolves then hit City on the break and Paldan redeemed himself as he denied England youth international Zele Ismail with a great last ditch block when bearing down on goal about five yards out.

City only have the home fixture with Bolton Wanderers to play that will either be later this week or early next week; but the fixture will be played at Bolton's academy due to the pitches being laid at Platt Lane.


City: E Johansen(GK), Smith, Morris, Carter(Capt.), Paldan, Mitchell(Grandison), Redshaw(Cieslewicz), Kay, Guidetti, Poole, Helan.

Subs: Wood(GK), Paris, Kapsalopodas.

The U16s did not fair as well as they went down 2-1 after previously coming from one nil down to level.

Arsenal Prove City's Nemesis Again

MCFC U18s 1 - 2 AFC U18s

City have suffered just three defeats all season at academy level and all three defeats have come at the hands of Arsenal. City dominated the play but lacked that incisiveness that Arsenal came with as both of their goals came from swift counter attacking play and gave the ability to finish in a more open goalmouth. A big mention also has to go to Arsenal's imposing nineteen year old Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who in the space of six minutes in the first half went on from producing a great save to one I would describe as world class to deny City.

This result shows that having won the youth cup last season I still think City are playing catch up to the likes of Arsenal who clearly having the ability to select from a larger demographic of the population in London and the south east; also have been a top flight team for the twelve years that academy have been in force in football. That has allowed them to create a youth policy with much larger resources both financial and humanitarian.

That is not to say that City are not a great academy because they are; but clearly because of these differences City's youngsters have only been able to develop through the academy and have not been given the chance at league or reserve team football against older professionals.

Maybe in a few years when the investment that has been needed at this level for many years will come from City's new owners and we will start to see this gap being breached as the ability to attract potential top class youngsters to the club grows. Providing the jealous UEFA delegates do not get their way in enforcing limited movement of players around Europe.

Arsenal's first goal of the game came when Gilles Sunu burst into the box on the right and fired a great shot that Joe Clegg could only parry and there was Cedric Evina on the left to fire into the ungarded goal.

City equalized from a free kick; five minutes before half time when captain Kieran Trippier was fouled on the right of the Arsenal half. Chris Chantler took the in-swinging free kick and Abdi Ibrahim headed the ball as it was deflected past Szczesny into the right corner of the goal.

With just over half an hour of the second half of the game gone; Arsenal got the winner when again Sunu made a strong run on the left before pulling the ball back for substitute and England youth international Rhys Murphy to side foot into the right corner of the goal.

Certainly Arsenal showed that little bit extra quality to win; but their unsportsmanlike behaviour of kicking the ball away and decent and then to harass the referee at half time when clearly throughout the game they were getting the lion's share of decisions was perhaps an understanding as to why many opposing fans have a dislike for Arsenal and maybe given that they are quality footballers should rise above these antics.


City: Clegg(GK), Trippier(Capt.), Cunningham, Ibrahim, Boyata, Tutte, Elabdellaoui(Guidetti 82), Benali(Helan 89), Ball, Mak, Chantler(Redshaw 80)

Subs: E Johansen(GK), Mitchell.


Arsenal: Szczesny(GK), Eastmond, Cruise(Henderson 46), Frimpong, Bartyley, Ayling, Evina, Coquelin, Sunu, Watt(Murphy 62),Thomas(Capt.).

Subs: Shea(GK), Boateng, Deacon.

City Win at Burnley to Claim Second

BFC Resrves 0 - 1 MCFC Reserves

With Burnley comfortably winning the reserve league title they too took the opportunity to field a young side along with City. However City fielded a slightly more experienced team than they usually do with the inclusion of Tobias Johansen Clayton McDonald, Chris Ramsey, Karl Moore and the match winner Vladimir Weiss with a first half solo goal.

The game was not the greatest spectacle but it was not helped by a referee that made some poor decisions for both sides which started in the fifth minute with a blatant back pass being waved away. City were forced into an early change after Craig Frater was injured in a tackle in the tenth minute and Jeremy Helan came on to replace him.

City lined up in a four five one formation which led to a lot of midfield possession and James Poole leading the line quite well up front but on most occasions lack the support of a Stephen Ireland character running from deep to support.

Burnley should have taken the lead in the twenty eighth minute when they took a quick free kick and Burnley's James Craggs beat the offside trap but failed to be Tobias in the goal.

A minute later and James Poole made a strong run onto the edge of the penalty area but was cynically hauled back by the Burnley defender when he would have had a clear shot on goal and yet the referee failed to book the player.

Five minutes later and City did take the lead when Weiss picked the ball up on the half way line and continued to run at the Burnley defence and and side stepped challenges before moving into the area and changing direction and rounding Daniel MacDonald in the Burnley goal as he made an attempted dive for the ball but Weiss stayed steady and moved around him to fire into the goal.

City created many half chances in the second half but they came to nothing. Their best chances of the second half fell to James Poole when he received a great pass from Weiss but his finish was poor as it was well wide; is other chance he created himself but he shot straight at MacDonald.

Burnley themselves had two very fine strikes just after the half way point of the second half; the first forcing a great save from Tobias from Alex-Ray Harvey from twenty five yards and the other one from Oliver Devenney curling again from about twenty five yards but this time its direction took it straight into the arms of Tobias.

That win meant City climbed from fourth above Carlisle United and Morecambe to finish runners up in the league for the second season running. But with a lesser record this season has meant that Huddersfield has claimed the best runner up in the three divisions to claim that last play-off place.

With a very young under sixteen side playing in the academy this season it might be up in the air whether City have enough players who will benefit from playing in this league next season; but there is still time to draft more players in at the under seventeen age group to provide a squad to perform in this league.


Burnley: D MacDonald(GK), Devenney, McEneaney, Kay, Brown, C Lynch(Capt.), A MacDonald, Harvey, Craggs, Knowles, Wilson(Jackson 58)

Subs: Ritchie, Williams, D Lynch.


City: T Johansen(GK), Smith, Morris, Tsiaklis, McDonald(Capt.), Ramsey, Weiss, Carter, Poole(Grandison 88), Moore, Frater(Helan 11).

Subs: Wood(GK), Kapsalopodas, Paldan.

Young City Out Class Dirty Leeds

MCFC U18s 3 - 1 LUFC U18s

A mainly U17 City side as only four player were above seventeen and one sixteen year old showed there class to a Leeds side that frequently left their foot in after the ball had gone; but were made to pay with the quality of good football by City. A brace of goals from Robbie Mak and a goal from Jack Redshaw as City's U18s remained unbeaten in their division and move eighteen points clear of second placed Manchester United.

It shows the real lack of quality in the other divisions when a team can lose fourteen times in a season and still be no lower than fifth in the respective division. A three minute spell midway through the first half killed the game off for Leeds as City raced into a two nil lead.

City's first goal game in the twenty sixth minute when City were camped inside the Leeds half Omar Elabdellaoui slipped a ball to Ahmad Benali who played a well weighted through ball for Mak to run on to as he rounded the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the far side of the goal from a reasonably tight angle.

Just over two minutes later and City scored their second when the ball came out to Jeremy Helan on the edge of the area and he picked out Chris Chantler making a run to his left into the box where he played the ball into his feet and Chris sent a low cross in that Jack Redshaw slid in and knocked the ball into the far corner of the goal.

City wrapped the game up in the fifty third minute when a completely solo and stunning effort from Robbie when he picked the ball up on the half way line and drove at the Leeds defence before unleashing an unstoppable looping shot over the Leeds goalkeeper and into the back of the goal.

Leeds grabbed a late consolation in stoppage time when they were able to bundle the ball over the line from a corner.

City have two league games remaining against Wolves(a) and Bolton(h) but with the Platt Lane pitches being dug up and City playing the league play-off game with Arsenal this Friday at Eastlands who knows if they will get both games in.


City: Clegg(GK), Smith, Chantler, Wabara, Carter(Capt.), Mitchell(Cieslewicz 19), Elabdellaoui, Benali, Redshaw, Mak(Grandison 70), Helan.

Subs: E Johansen, Frater, Kapsalopodas.

An U16s team filled with fourteen year olds drew one all on the other pitch at Platt Lane today.

Too Much

Nowing what I do about youth players playing this tour in the americas is something that should be done at the end of august at the time of the beggining of the season . These extra games at the middle of the season have cost City dearly and Garry Cook and his co-horts should look at the big picture rather than short term gain. Without Jim Cassell and his team City would be at least a championship team; to ignore their knowledge is cherlish and will cost the club greatly. His great academy has meant that city are a great force in football and should not be overlooked so cheaply.

Apologies for Burnley and Blackpool

Having returned from Accrington Stanley I got Blackpool and Burnley mixed up as I was in a rush to get a report out as I had my supporters club meeting to organise and after having being beaten by Blackpool last week that is who I wrote are about to win the totesport league title. Apologies to Burnley who were clearly the best team in the division that played a reserve team a lot older than City's.

City Reliquish Title at Accrington Stanley

ACFC Reserves 1 - 0 MCFC Reserves

Burnley have been gifted the Totesport league reserve title as City were beaten today by bottom of the table Accrington Stanley. City were forced to play a similar side that has played three times in a week and without the likes of Jack Redshaw and John Guidetti to play up front City lacked any real cutting edge. So it was no real surprise that the Stanley striker took the lead in the fifty first minute.

City's only real chance came in the eighty seventh minute when a short corner between Karl Moore and Kinglsey Grandison was floated into the far post where three city players were and Aaron Carter got his head to the ball but he could not keep it down and the ball cannoned of the top side of the crossbar.

The Accrington goal came about when the ball was played up the left and came over into the box and was fired in and James Wood in goal just managed to punch the ball away but there was the number nine to fire into the goal.

(Other Details unavailable due to lack of teamsheets)

City: Wood(GK), Smith, Morris, Mitchell, Paldan, Varga, Grandison, Carter(Capt.), Frater(Kapsalopodas 66), Moore, Helan.

Subs: E Johansen(GK), Paris, Vessalli, Hippais.