MCFC Reserves and Academy

City Shake Bury to the Nines

MCFC Reserves 9 – 0 BFC Reserves

Manchester City nearly made it to double figures with a rampant scoring display at the Regional Athletics Arena against the South Lancashire minnows. Two goals from Robbie Fowler, returning after a back injury; Bradley Wright Phillips scored in his first game back from a knee injury. Daniel Sturridge scored his first reserve goal in a brace, Ishmael Miller got in on the act with a brace of his own. The other two goals came from Lee Croft and a rare goal from Paul Collins.

With that score line you might have thought that the game had provided good entertainment for the full ninety minutes. Far from it as City seemed to be all at sea for the first twenty minutes and the game petered out in the final fifteen minutes as most of the legs had obviously become a little weary after surging forward on wave upon wave of attacks.

Fowler was one of the worst culprits of not appearing to be in the game in the opening exchanges, but he soon found his feet and he was a constant bane to the Bury defence for the remainder of the half when he was substituted at half time for young Daniel Sturridge who had scored a good goal at Wolves for the academy U18s.

Miller as always proved a constant threat to the Bury defence and Craig Dootson in the Bury goal after being sent of yesterday evening against Halifax in the LDV vans trophy; did well to keep Miller out on a few occasions

Both Croft and Collins goals were hit with power and pace, Collins hitting his goal at the near post where Croft hit his goal from over twenty yards across the face of the goal and into the far corner.

Wright-Phillips’ goal was his typical poachers goal, when he converted a good pull back from Miller. Before his injury though, Bradley had rightly come under criticism for his all round game, this thank god did not arise as he had a hand in at least four of the nine goals and put himself about and lasted the full ninety minutes with their still some running left in his legs.

There was also good news in the fact that we saw Mikkel Bischoff complete ninety minutes after suffering from numerous injuries that just seem to plague the talented defender.

With this extra goal difference now in hand it will be a bonus should we need to rely on these goals. But given the performance of the team this evening they should not be needed as we travel to Stockport next Wednesday for our third of four Senior Cup games.


City: Weaver(GK), Warrender(capt.), Collins, Bischoff, Richards, Laird, Croft(Etuhu 46), Fowler(Sturridge 46), Wright-Phillips, Miller, Hussein(Bennett 55).

Subs: Schmeichel(GK), Logan.


Bury: Dootson(GK)(capt.), Barrow, Wedge, Theophanous(Stephens 61), Hitchen, Clarkson, Worrall(Bentley 68), Quigley, Stepian, Burke, Mainwaring(Williams 64).

Subs: Smith(GK), Pauls.

Att: 418

MoM: Miller – scared the living daylight out of the Bury defence at times