COVENTRY CITY U18’S 0-3 CREWE ALEXANDRA
City: Gott, Dion Kelly-Evans, Devon Kelly Evans (Richards 35), Smith, Harries (Barnett 53), Maycock, Albini (Bromley 32), Stevenson, Sambou, Maddison, Shipley.
Crewe: R.Johnson, Pino, Ng, Jones, Moran, L.Johnson, Brown, Howell, Smith, Speed, O’Neill. Subs Mullarkey, Matthews, Allcock, Kearns, Cooper.
HT CCFC 0-3 CAFC FT CCFC 0-3 CAFC
Referee A.Giles. Asst K.Fox and P.Tapp
Goals – Liam O’Neill 8, Jamie Jones 28, Joe Howell 45+1
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Coventry City U18’s were beaten 3-0 this morning in a re-arranged PDL League 2 North fixture.
City manager Steven Pressley and all of his backroom staff including Steve Ogrizovic and Neil Macfarlane were at the Alan Higgs Centre to see the visitors go straight on the attack with free kicks and a corner before Chris Speed got through and lobbed just wide.
A second corner for Crewe came in the eighth minute and this time Liam O’Neill was on hand to scramble in and give The Railwaymen the lead.
Gott saved a Speed volley before James Maddison curled over a free kick and and Jordan Shipley fired wide.
The City keeper made two more good saves but could do nothing in the 28th minute when Jamie Jones stroked home a free kick from 25 yards for the second goal.
Things went from bad to worse for Darren Murray’s side. First, Jay Albini was forced off after a heavy challenge and in the 35th minute, there was the sight of Devon Kelly-Evans jumping with his marker and hitting the deck hard. Both physios were on hand instantly as was City’s Doctor Moss Gold and there was a lengthy delay as Kelly Evans was placed in a neck brace and very carefully put on a stretcher and taken off the pitch before being taken to hospital in an ambulance along with Albini.
In the 41st minute, City were awarded a penalty when Sambou was taken down. Ben Stevenson stepped up to take the spot kick but Robbie Johnson went the right way, diving to his left and the kick was saved.
Crewe countered with Gott having to make a good save with his legs and Jones heading wide but in the first minute of time added on, the visitors were awarded a free kick and Joe Howell was there to head into the net and give Crewe a 3-0 lead.
City lost Wales U17 international defender Cian Harries to an injury early in the second half which saw James Maddison go close from a superb ball by Kelly-Evans, Crewe head wide from a 57th minute corner and Gott then save from O’Neill a minute later.
In the 71st minute, Kelly-Evans had a curling shot brilliantly pushed over for a corner and a minute later, Ben Stevenson was denied with a twenty yarder which Johnson was able to palm over for another corner.
Late on, Bassala Sambou had a shot on goal and although City had been a lot better in the second half, the damage had already been done.