Forthcoming Fixtures

Hull City Reserves 0 Manchester City Reserves 1

Wednesday 26th August 2009

@North Ferriby United

Full match to follow when Gavin gets home from the game, but here are the highlights of the opening 45 minutes

A quiet opening 18 minutes, until City force first corner of the game

21 Mins..Scott Kay has a shot on target

25 Mins..Shot from David Ball well saved by Hull keeper

30 Mins..Alex Nimely and David Ball combine, well, Nimely's final shot sails over the bar

32 Mins **GOAL** Gregg Cunningham is fouled on the edge of box, referee awards penalty.David Ball converts..1-0

46 Mins..Nimely shot saved by keeper

Full Time 1-0

Not Quite the City Gents for Hull

HCAFC Reserves  0  -  1   MCFC Reserves

As the updates showed on the website and twitter this was pretty much a one sided affair between two teams that fielded former youth players. However it was only a goal from David Ball that separated the two teams at full time at North Ferriby United's Grange Lane ground.

City really showed some good understanding between each other after the first quarter of an hour where neither team had shown any adventure of really progressing forward up the field of play. That understanding was most prevalent with Alex Nimley-Tchuimeni and Ball.

City's goal came however when the ever impressive Greg Cunningham made one of his bursts forward down the left flank in the thirty second minute and Scott Kay released him with the ball but he was gaining close attention from the defender and he did his best to stay on his feet but as they came to the edge of the area the defender tried once too hard and he clipped the heels of Greg who was not full recovered in his balance and so he fell into the penalty area and the referee awarded City a penalty which Ball confidently stepped up and sent Hull's goalkeeper, Matt Duke, the wrong way.

The second half was much the same as the first half except that Hull's second half substitute Mark Cullen was put clean through twice but Gunnar Nielsen spread himself wide for the first effort to force Cullen to shoot wide and Nielsen came out to save the second.

As much as I think Nielsen prevented Hull getting on the score sheet against the run of play; the same can be said for Duke in the Hull goal as he kept the City score down by saving and handling well from a few opportunities. The energetic movement and passing led to shots being saved or deflected from Ball, Robbie Mak, James Poole and Cunningham.

One nil certainly flattered Hull; but as the pre-season reserve games have shown this group of young players will be very hard to beat as they have grown up together and really play as a team and work hard for each other which we have not seen in the reserves for many seasons. So credit has to go to Glyn Hodges who I see working the lads hard in training when I watch the first team train as the reserves start earlier; but they are still there training when the first team have finished.

Att: 322.

Team:

Nielsen, Vidal, Cunningham,Mee, McDonald, Kay(Clayton 60),Mak, Marshall, Ball, Nimely(Ibrahim 80), Poole

Subs: T Johansen(GK), Boyata,Tutte

See Hull Citys view on the game

http://www.hullcityafc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~1770070,00.html