FA PREMIER ACADEMY LEAGUE

 

Tuesday 27th April 2010

 

Manchester City 2 Manchester United 3

Benali

Bunn

 

 

City's pretty much season long story of letting a decent lead slip continued today at Platt Lane against Manchester United with Ahmad Benali's and Harry Bunn's goals not sufficient to seal a victory against our local rivals and allow them to do the double over us for the first time in many seasons.
 

City took the lead in the twenty fourth minute when a Chris Chantler free kick from the right was not fully cleared and came back to Tom Smith who layed the ball to Ahmad who's sublime close control beat four defenders before firing into the far corner of the goal.

Just four minutes later and City had doubled their lead when a corner was not cleared properly and Ahmad and Reece Wabara passed between each other before Reece flicked the ball into Harry Bunn who held of the defender and shot into the far corner of the goal in a similar place to Ahmad's goal.

City were in complete control and United looked a shadow of the team that beat City at Carrington in early autumn last year. That was until they emerged for the second half.

 

United pulled a goal back in the sixty first minute when their big midfielder (Paul Pogba)who played a part in the Senior Cup game last week weaved his way into the box before shooting a powerful shot past Wood in the City goal.

City then decided to change formation bringing Emmanuel Siaw on for Bunn and playing Benali further up field where he had less influence on the game which was clearly a mistake. Freddie Veseli was also struggling with a knock and cramp and so the defence had lost some shape.

 

So when United's number seven (Joshua King)on the left was allowed to have a go at Andrew Mitchell; there was no real cover and he was given enough space on the edge of the area to crack in a great shot of the crossbar and past Wood.

Veseli was eventually taken off; but it was City that nearly regained the lead in the eighty ninth minute when Benali in a forward position played in substitute Kingsley Grandison and he returned the compliment as Benali dummied the defender before firing goal wards that drew a fine save from the goalkeeper(Connor Devlin).

A minute later saw the number seven make progression down the left and he fired in a cross that saw the number nine climb highest and loop a powerful header over Wood to seal the double victory.


City: Wood(GK), Smith, Mitchell, Veseli(Grandison 79), Wabara, Kapsalopodas, Elabdellaoui, Benali(Capt.), Hippias, Bunn(Siaw 64), Chantler.
 

Subs: Dean(GK), Morrissey, Robinson.