Forthcoming Fixtures

City who were facing high flying Blackburn Rovers, who have just booked their place in the FA Youth cup semi finals, came up against a City side who seemed to have found their mojo back as they completely dominated the first half to race into a three goal lead and take control of the game. City goals came from Big John Guidetti and a brace from Juan Olle before a second for Guidetti in the second half and Olle completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Blackburn were awarded a consolation penalty of their own to stop City keeping a clean sheet.

City started their scoring in the ninth minute when a deep Bradley Robinson corner was only half cleared and Olle controlled the ball well and fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner of the goal.

City should have doubled their lead ten minutes later when great work by Reece Wabara down the left flank as he was playing in an unfamiliar role of left back whipped in a great cross and Omar El Abdellaoui was left with an empty net on the far post just four yards out; but amazingly he put his shot wide.

Just a minute later however City had doubled their lead when again great work by Reece and an inch perfect cross allowed Guidetti just to tap the ball into the back of the goal.

City virtually killed the game off just two minutes after that when Omar was strong to hold of the defender while the ball was in the air and bouncing and when he brought it under control he found Olle who pushed the ball forward before letting fly with a great twenty five yard strike into the top corner of the goal.

City made a half time substitution with Tom Skogsrud coming on for Sean Tse who got a knock in the first half and was really looking imperious at centre half after only recently coming back from a long injury.

City really did wrap the game up in the second minute after the break when a poor back pass to the fifteen year old Blackburn goalkeeper was not cleared as Guidetti stormed in to dispossess him and tap the ball into an empty goal.

City were then dealt a blow as Blackburn's left back made a very crude challenge on Andrew Mitchell from behind and the early diagnosis is that it was a broken leg. If that is the case it is very unlikely we will see Andrew again in a City shirt as he has been able to earn himself a three year contract with a big Glasgow club; so it will be very sad to see if he has broken his leg to end a fine City career this way, and I hope he makes a quick recovery. As for the tackle the referee awarded the free kick to Blackburn and did not book the player, so make of it what you will. Mitchell after a long delay with the stretcher was replaced by Emeryck Hippias and the team shuffled about to accommodate him.

City could have scored their fifth goal in sixty seventh minute when Guidetti shot was saved by the goalkeeper but the ball came out on the right and found its way to Robinson who drove into the box and fired a great shot into the top corner that the goalkeeper did really well to save and put behind for a corner.

Within ten minutes of that incident and City had scored their fifth as Hippias was tripped inside the area. With Olle and Guidetti being both on hat-tricks there was a bit of a squabble as to who was going to take it; but with John scoring a hat-trick for the reserves earlier this week it was only fair that Juan have the opportunity which he duly despatched into the bottom corner of the goal.

City allowed Blackburn to gain a consolation goal when their player was tripped inside the area and despite Loris Karius getting a good hand to the ball in the bottom corner the pace of the strike took the ball into the back of the goal.

City now restart playing their out of group games when they are away to Derby County as well as finding time to fulfill the postponed fixtures from earlier in the season.

Team:

Karius, Mitchell (Hippias 53), Wabara, Veseli, Tse (T Skogsrud 46), Kapsalopodas, Elabdellaoui, Benali, Robinson, Guidetti, Olle

Subs: E Johansen(GK), Paris

The under 16s won again 2-1,taking a two goal lead, Blackburn managed to pull one back, with all goals coming in the second half.