Merry Christmas

While the Reserves and Academy take a festive break from playing, the 1st Team will be all go. So if you are travelling to these games; Lets hope they brighten our Christmas time Even further. I'd like to send my warm Christmas wishes to each and every City fan out there throughout the world and that 2006 gets even better than 2005 has got for us blues.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Gavin Cooper - Your Dedicated Independent Reserve & Academy Reporter.

City are First Team into 5th Round

WHUFC Youth 2 – 4 MCFC Youth

I wasn’t looking forward to the long trip down to the East End of London so near to Christmas and three long delays on my journey down confirmed my fears. But City lifted my spirits immediately with a wonderful first half display. With West Ham United flying high in their academy league the pressure was really on the City boys to gain a result under the floodlights of the Boleyn Ground. A brace of goals from our prolific Kelvin Etuhu and a goal from winger Karl Moore was capped of with a fourth goal by our own young “ Goal Machine” , Daniel Sturridge; all this within the first half hour as well.

Stuart Pearce and Steve Wigley looking on must have thought they were watching a BBC2 repeat from last Saturday’s first team game as City came out of the blocks with all cylinders firing.

City struck the first blow in the sixth minute when Man of the Match Shaleum Logan broke up a West Ham attack, ran into space and passed to Michael Johnson in midfield, and he played a well weighted ball for Kelvin to run onto. He ran from just inside their half and had a first time shot from just inside the area which was blocked, but Kelvin quickly composed his shape and drilled the ball hard and low into the far bottom corner of the net.

Within three minutes, City had doubled their lead. This time a free kick on the left from just inside their half was well played into the melee of players on the edge of the box where Micah Richards flicked the ball on and Kelvin held of the defender and turned and shot a good half volley across Eren Kemal in goal into the opposing side of the net.

The third goal came yet again within a five minute period of the last goal and really silenced the East End faithful, whose chants of “Iron” did little to uplift their wilting players. This time it came from good work down the right by Ashley Williams who deceived two defenders with his run and put a good cross in that Sturridge flicked on, and Moore chested down and volleyed from 10 yards past Kemal.

West Ham nearly pulled a goal back on eighteen minutes when Hogan Ephraim was given space from about twenty five yards to volley at goal, but the ball failed to dip sufficiently and it hit the crossbar. Zavon Hines ran in to convert the rebound, but he found the woodwork again and was ruled off-side before hand.

With a minute to go before the half hour mark, City won another free kick near the edge of the area on the left. Johnson played yet another good ball in, and there was Richards again to flick on. Sturridge managed to wriggle free of the defender and hit his shot that managed to bounce of the underside of the diving Kemal and into the net.

With just over five minutes of the half remaining, City nearly made it five nil with a great free kick by Paul Marshall that hit the post and even though City were queuing up to get the ball in, every shot managed to be blocked by the defenders.

The second half was much less frenetic with West Ham being more organised and forcing the play more. But it was City again who nearly scored when a good cross from Logan was only half cleared away from Kelvin’s head by Kemal, but he got up well to prevent Moore from volleying in the rebound.

City were forced into making a change up front when Sturridge took a knock. Ched Evans offered more aerial threat up front, but lacks that zip that Sturridge offers. So West Ham were able to play further up the pitch and compress the midfield. This pushed City’s midfield further back, but they held their shape well and West Ham struggled to create any clear cut openings.

West Ham got their breakthrough with just over five minutes to go when the referee harshly adjudged that Curtis Obeng had impeded Ephraim by pulling his shirt. Ephraim coolly stepped up and scored the penalty kick with a good strike.

The referee then decided to play as much injury time as was deemed. Had it been a league game, he would have been justified but being a cup game; goal difference does not count towards the result. And so in the ninety third minute, West Ham scored a pointless goal from twenty five yards that took a wicked deflection and gave Laurence Matthewson no chance of saving.

So City march on to the fifth round; hoping for an easier tie, on paper at least; either at home or a short journey away. Although playing so soon before Christmas seems quite strange, it was quite a shrewd move by West Ham and City as academy and youth sides always seem to look a bit lethargic the first couple of weeks back after Christmas and so both teams were able to play to a high tempo which made for a very good match.


WHUFC: Kemal(GK), Andrews, Widdowson, White, Tomkins, Hales (Harvey 82), Welsh, Cowley (Collison 54), Hines, Ephraim, Reid (Jeffery 67). Subs unused: Blackmore (GK), Spence


Man City: Matthewson; Obeng, Logan, Williamson, Richards (McDonald 72), Marshall, Williams, Johnson, Etuhu, Sturridge (C Evans 65), Moore. Subs unused: Vadon (GK), S Evans, Breen


Att: 933.

MoM: Logan; there were many outstanding first half displays, but Shaleum was very good for all of the ninety minutes despite his needless booking by the referee.

City Dire Display in North East

MFC Reserves  2  -  0  MCFC Reserves

With at least two places up for grabs in the first team due to suspension, you might have thought that the team would be up for it. That was sadly not the case as the team travelled to a chilly Billingham Synthonia, the home of Middlesbrough FC during the winter months. Also very strange is playing players out of position that they are clearly not comfortable to play. The worst aspect of the game is that Middlesbrough had nothing up front to really threaten us and both goals came from set plays that had taken them towards our penalty areas on those rare occasions. The only player to come out of this game with a glowing report was the sprightly Shaleum Logan, playing right back and later switching to left back after a late defensive substitution and re-shuffle.

I admit to never being a fan of Lee Croft, but in recent months, given our only option at the time was to play Sibierski or Croft in the first team, I would plump for Lee every time to see how he could grow into the team. He has failed to do that and now he is looking even worse in the reserves. Time and again he was in space down the right and time and again he failed to deliver a good ball.

Steve Wigley again baffles you with a strange formation. He had decided on a 4-4-1-1, with Karl Bermingham just behind Wright-Phillips; a role which he was clueless to achieve. This formation also has Ishmael Miller on the left wing; a position he clearly dislikes as he always has his head down. His natural role is very akin to Thierry Henry who natural drifts out to the left to give himself more space. With playing Bermingham just of Wright-Phillips, it meant there was always a spare defender covering Miller’s left wing. This stifled his play with what little good service he got.

The sooner the midfield in the reserves is bolstered by the return of Jonathan D’Laryea or the introduction of Haapala the better, because Marc Laird has yet to learn that a midfielder is not just about running around a lot. Just look at Tugay against us for Blackburn, he hardly broke sweat – yet he constantly had the ball and very rarely gave it away.

One of the annoying things about the first goal was that it came from a free kick that never was as Shaleum had cleanly nipped in front of the defender and taken the ball. But you can have no excuses for not defending the cross. Things might have been different had Micah Richards played, but he was forced to sit the match out as he had pulled up during the warm up and Michael Ward was forced in as a late replacement. For the record, Middlesbrough's first goal, was scored by their captain, Lee Cattermole, right at the end of the first half. The second goal came from a corner where David Wheater rose unchallenged at the far post to loop the ball into the far corner over a despairing dive by Kasper Schmeichel on seventy nine minutes.

Another more pleasing stat from the game saw Curtis Obeng make a brief debut appearance for the reserves. So that is yet another academy production line prospect move up to the next grade, be it very brief. This substitution was the reason for the late re-shuffle at the back.

I must say how disappointed I was to find that the official club reporter had not travelled up to the game, and so as we can see from the report posted, holds numerous inaccuracies.

MFC: Knight(GK), Porritt, Grounds, Cattermole(capt.), Wheater, Cooper, Fisher(Franks 65), Langthorne(Thompson 80), Craddock, Burgess, Owens.

Subs:  McCardle.


MCFC: Schmeichel(GK), Logan, Jordan(Obeng 88), Onuoha(capt.), Ward, Laird, Croft, Ireland, Wright-Phillips(Johnson 71), Miller(Grimes 85), Bermingham.

Subs: Matthewson, Marshall.


MoM: Logan; was at the heart of most of city’s attacks and got back well with some great timely challenges. It’s just a shame his slight of frame means he’s not quite ready for the first team as right back is where we will need if Sommeil plays at centre half on Saturday.

Youth Cup Date Announced

City's tricky away tie at West Ham's Boleyn Ground has been scheduled for a week today, Monday 19th for a 7pm kick off. City should be in good spirits after signing off 2005's league campaign with a great 6-1 victory at Blackburn on saturday with Kelvin Etuhu scoring a hat-trick.

The U16s won yet again with a 4-2 victory to sign off with a tremendous last 6 games.

FA Youth Cup 4th Round Draw

City have been given the tricky away tie to West Ham. West Ham are currently 2nd in Academy group A with 28 points from 14 games. The last time we met West Ham in the youth cup was 3 seasons ago in the 1/4 finals where we came out on top in that tie - but we were at home then.

Tie to be played by Saturday 21st January 06

City Win Through in Youth Cup

MCFC U18s  3 – 2  CCFC U18s

City made heavy weather of getting through their first competitive round of the youth cup and onto the fourth round. A brace of goals from the academy’s prolific striker, Daniel Sturridge and one from Captain Micah Richards was eventually enough to see of Coventry City. The referee also contrived to try to eliminate City from the competition by awarding Coventry two very dubious penalties, but fortunately for City, Laurence Matthewson had the game of his life for City in goal and saved the first penalty and tipped it round the post.

City may have to re-asses their right back and left wing positions as neither player seemed comfortable in their natural positions and added nothing much to the team.

City’s first goal came in the seventh minute when Coventry’s goalkeeper, Cameron Belford mis-kicked his clearance straight to Kelvin Etuhu and it rebounded into the path of the on rushing Sturridge who shot straight into an empty net.

On twenty nine minutes Matthewson pulled off the save of his life with his out stretched right arm to deny Coventry a goal from a bullet header from six yards out.

City went two nil up in the fifty sixth after a minute earlier Paul Marshall had seen his shot cleared of the line. The goal came from a Michael Johnson corner that Richards met perfectly with a spectacular over-head bicycle kick.

Within two minutes City had conceded their first goal. No real blame attached as it was a thirty yard screamer by Vijay Sidhu into the far corner that Matthewson had no chance of saving.

City took their lead back to two goals on sixty seven minutes. Again a Johnson corner was played in and big centre half Clayton McDonald flicked the ball on towards goal, the ball appeared to be behind the line when it was cleared, it was only partially cleared and Sturridge hit a deflected shot that went into the back of the net.

With just over half an hour gone, in the second half, the referee gives the first of their dubious penalties; when McDonald had clearly won the ball in a fair tackle. Matthewson pulled of his second heroics of the evening to deny Coventry the chance to claw their way back into the game.

Right on the eighty ninth minute, the referee decides he wants to help Coventry further by adjudging that Matthewson was not first to a loose ball when their were players in front of him to obstruct his view, but from our angle at the side of the pitch, we clearly saw Laurence get to the ball first. This time Adam Layfield was able to convert the penalty and set up a grandstand finish; that fortunately for City, never materialised.

City should know by this time next week who are fourth round opponents should be.

City: Matthewson(GK), Obeng, Logan, McDonald, Richards(Capt.)(Williamson 73), Marshall, Williams, Johnson, Etuhu, Sturridge, Moore.

Subs: Hartley(GK), C Evans, S Evans, Breen.


Coventry: Belford(GK), Duggan(McCrink 59), Layfield, Hildreth(Obadeyi 82), Turner(Capt), Bains, Gooding, Stringfellow, Sidhu, Lorougnon, Kelly.

Subs: Collett(GK), Burftoft, Jones.

Att:  336.

MoM: Matthewson – two stunning saves made it his best display for City ever.

Academy Put to the Test

City's Youth team will enter into the 3rd round of the illustrious FA Youth Cup this evening against Coventry City knowing that no matter how well the Academy has nurturred its young talent to produce a crop of players capable of playing for the first team; they have failed to win the major trophies that their hard work has warranted.

So come down and cheer the young lads on.

Kick-off is 7pm.

Entry for the match at "mini CoMS" will cost £3 for Adults and £1 for Concessions.

City Slip Up

MCFC U18s 1 - 1 WBA U18s

City had to come from a goal behind from lowly West Bromich Albion to salvage a point. City played their youth team squad in readiness for Tuesday's Youth Cup 3rd round tie at mini-COMS against Coventry City. City's goal came from the spot after a hand-ball incident in the box. Michael Johnson only just managed to score the penalty after the keeper managed to get a hand to the ball. Worrying news saw Daniel Sturridge go after about twenty minutes with what looked like a groin injury. City travel to table topping Blackburn next Saturday where they will need to win to keep their title aspirations alive.


The U16s again had another fine performance winning 5-1 whilst playing some great football. I really do enjoy watching this free flowing attractive football that Frankie Bunn's team produce.