Forthcoming Fixtures

Kasper Marshalled City Win

MCFC Reserves  2 – 1  SUFC Reserves

City were inspired by 17 year old second half substitute, Paul Marshall; having been kept in the game brilliantly with some great saves by loan returnee, Kasper Schmeichel .
Two goals within three minutes ensured that City got their first back to back wins of the season and pushed the blues temporarily up to second in the table behind Manchester United.
City started the brighter of the two sides but failed to create any clear openings and so probably against the run of play Sheffield United took the lead through a Chris Lucketti downward header at the back post from a corner. Kasper and Ashley Williams were both there to cover the attempt but both seemed to get in each other’s way and the ball sneaked past the inside of the post.
City carried on playing neat football but offering very little in the final third of the pitch allowing Sheffield to come back at us and it was they that created the opening, but Kasper covered his goalmouth superbly with some fine saves.
It was no surprise to see Marc Laird only last the first forty five minutes, perhaps if he had shown more to his game he may have played sixty minutes but as it was for the last twenty minutes of the first half he showed the usual Laird traits of being knocked of the ball with ease and chasing the ball around midfield without any product.
Fortunately his replacement, Marshall showed the better side to his game as he has been quite eratic with his performances so far this season, the better ones have come in the reserves mainly. So it was no surprise to see Paul get on the scoresheet in the sixth minute of the re-start with a fine twenty yard plus strike that beat experienced goalkeeper Paul Gerrard into the corner of the net.
Three minutes later City took the lead when some indecision by David Unsworth allowed Kelvin Etuhu to snatch the ball and race clear, his initial shot was saved but Gerrard was forced to parry the ball and Kelvin fired in the rebound.
Sheffield continued to put City on the back foot, but they kept playing the football that the reserve crowd has been lacking of late and had some chances themselves. Non least when Ched Evans’ looping headed was headed of the line by Ade Akinbiyi who was very fortunate still to be on the pitch after only being booked for throwing a punch at Matthew Mills immediately after Sheffield had scored in the first half.
How often have we seen this though where a team puts out a squad of experienced players against a young team and ours had an average age of the low 19s as no player was over 20 years old beaten by that young team. The best example of this was probably when we beat Liverpool 6-0 at Hyde some years ago with New Zealander Chris Killen scoring a fine hat-trick.

City’s next game is a week on Tuesday(31st – Halloween!) against Everton where they have reverted back to playing at the Widness Vikings stadium from Southport where they had been for a few seasons.

City: Schmeichel(GK), Williams, Williamson, D’Laryea(Capt), M Mills, Johnson, Etuhu(Clayton 90), Laird(Marshall 46), C Evans, Grimes, Moore.

Subs: Matthewson(GK), Mee, McDermott.


Att: 339


Motm: Schmeichel & Marshall – Kasper kept us in it and Marshall drove the team forward at all opportunities to win it for the blues.