MCFC Reserves 3 - 1 MFC Reserves
Manchester City recorded their third straight win with a victory over Middlesbrough to move to within a point of Sunderland after they were held to a goalless draw tonight away to Everton. Goals from David Ball, a direct free kick from Paul Marshall and a fine strike from Adam Clayton were enough to seal victory with Ben Mee scoring an own goal for Middlesbrough.
City started brightly by scoring the opening goal in the third minute when David Ball forced his way down the left before cutting inside and then unleashing a shot that cannoned off Jason Steele in the Middlesbrough goal but somehow the ball went past him and over the line.
Within thirty seconds of the restart Middlesbrough were very nearly level had we not just witnesses a catastrophic miss by Middlesbrough's Josh Walker when he skied a James Cronesberry cross from three yards out at the far post.
Adam Clayton was forcing the City team forward at every opportunity and one strong run on the break from the edge of the City area very nearly ended in a great chance; but despite having a player either side of him he took the option to shoot and the defender was able to get the block in in the eighteenth minute.
Middlesbrough again nearly equalized in the thirty first minute when the ball was able to get forward on the right and Graeme Owens was given a little bit of space to allow him to get a decent curling shot that Tobias Johansen could only parry into the danger area that was only just cleared.
City doubled their lead a minute before the break when Clayton's midfield partner Paul Marshall also made a penetrating run straight through the centre of the pitch but was brought down five yards outside the area. The confident Paul stepped up with only one stride to thrust the ball into the top corner of the goal past a diving Steele to give a good climax to the end of the first half.
Five minutes after the break City made it three and probably sealed the result of the match with it. Vladimir Weiss had broke down the right and sent in a deep cross that Ball was able to head downwards onto the edge of the area where Clayton ran in and fired past Steele into the far corner of the goal.
That third goal however led to City kind of switching off which enabled Middlesbrough to get back into the game much more. So it was not much of a surprise when they pulled a goal back in the fifty eighth minute. Cronesberry was allowed too much space down the left and he sent an out swinging cross into the far post that Mee lost his composure with and miss-hit or sliced the ball past Johansen into the far corner of the goal.
City could have restored that three goal advantage within a minute when Steele made a poor clearance that cannoned of their own defender and fell to the path of Ball; but he redeemed himself with a fine save from Ball's shot.
Weiss who had improved in the second half slightly; was able to make good progress down the right as he tormented the defenders with his movement and persistence as he regained possession twice and on that second time fired in a fine cross straight across the goal that Ball could not quite connect with.
City now face a break until the beginning of January when they face Everton at home. But despite not looking too convincing at the start of the season there have been some real improvements from a few players that have seen us win seven of the ten games played and go into the second half of the season with a realistic chance at challenging for the title if they keep this form up.
City: T Johansen(GK), Mee, McGivern, Onuoha(Vidal 61), McDonald(Capt.), Clayton, Weiss, Marshall, D Ball, Daly, Morris.
Subs: Hartley(GK), Obeng, Ramsey.
Boro: Steele(GK), McMahon, Grounds(Corker 80), Walker, Hines, Bates, Owens, Smallwood, Martin, Porritt(Furness 66), Cronesberry.
Subs: Knight(GK), Robinson, Otte.
