Forthcoming Fixtures

With our regular scribe away watching England in Cardiff, the author of this report came out of retirement to provide you his musings.

Well he must have wondered why he had taken up the opportunity to report on the game when City found themselves two down in the opening twelve minutes and staring down the barrel of a potential heavy defeat.

Derby's first goal came on three minutes when their number 10, Kwame Thomas, rose unchallenged to head home , a free kick awarded on the corner of the box for a push by Kieran Kennedy. Enjoying his first appearance this season Keeper Tom Halsall, in for the soon to be released James Wood, was given no chance with the second Derby goal on twelve minutes when Callum Ball, a player with first team experience cut in from the right and fired hard and low past a nervous Tom, who had this week been at Carrington training with the first team.

In between the visitors two goals Adam Drury saw a shot of his turned around by the agile Derby keeper

Just as it looked as though the side would buckle, the fight back began. A swinging free kick from Bradley Robinson found Albert Rusnak at the far post and his first time shot was again well saved by Derby keeper, James Severn.

Twenty one minutes into the game and City pulled a goal back through a Bradley Robinson shot from the edge of the box, after a strong run  by Devante Cole, making his full debut at Under 18 level, into the box which produced yet another great save by the keeper 

The next City forage saw a penalty awarded, Tom Skosgruds low cross into the box was handled by a Derby defender and Bradley Robinson duly dispatched the awarded spot kick past the finger tips of the keeper.

Bradley Robinson turned provider for the goal that put City in front slipping the ball through for Cole, who had timed his run perfectly, to stroke past the Derby keeper for his first goal at this level

The match turned into a thriller when Callum Ball, scored the goal of the game, curling a shot into Halsall's top corner to make it 3-3. The same person was then unlucky not to score again when a low shot into a crowded box shaved the foot of a post.

City were not finished though, George King forced yet another great save out of the keeper but Robinson was having none of the keepers heroics  and he and Drury combined to score Citys fourth goal of the game on 78 minutes.

Robinson , to an ovation was then  replaced  by Jordi Hiwula and for the first time this season the side had two recognised strikers on the pitch, albeit both from the under 16 side but it certainly gives the side a lot more shape and menace.

Hiwula showed his vast potential when combining with Drury which allowed Albert Rusnak to get a fifth for City,three minutes from time and then the young striker was unfortunate not to add to his sides tally when striking the post just before the final whistle , which brought the end to a very encouraging victory from a very young side.

Team:

Halsall, Coulson, T Skogsrud, Kennedy, Meppen Walter, Rusnak, Drury (Facey), Evans, Cole, Robinson (K Skogsrud), King(Hiwula)

Subs: Martin (GK)

The under 16 side containing 1 under 14,eight under 15's won 2-1 with goals from George Swann and the Newcastle United bound Fisayo Adarabioyo.