COVENTRY CITY U18'S 2-1 CHELSEA U18'S BY KEV MONKS
Team
Quirke, Wynter, Gudger, Grogan, Cameron, Greenway (Christie 75), Joel Grandison, Thomas (Blackwell 75), Wilson, Ogleby (Bottomer 90), Lellu
Chelsea
Walker, Sampayo (Conteh 46), Strickland, Mills, Hayden, McCreach, Clifford, Dialo (Sent off 45), Mitrovic (Prosenik 65), Rogers, Knott (Devine 60)
HT CCFC 1-1 CFC FT CCFC 2-1 CFC
Goals Joel Grandison (30), Mario Mitrovic (37), Robert Ogleby (77)
Referee Mike Bingham
Booked Dialo X 2, Conteh, Lellu,
A superb Coventry City U18's beat Chelsea 2-1 this morning in an highly entertaining game at the Alan Higgs Centre.
Greg Rioch's side went into the game unbeaten and were straight onto the attack in front of a good crowd.
Fit again Curtis Wynter played at right back and had the first chance of the match in the opening minute. He played in a City team that was full of passion and commitment and one that knew how to pass.
Some of their movement early on was sublime as Connor Grogan, Conor Thomas and a terrific move in the 17th minute involving the industrious Callum Wilson and Robert Ogleby to set up Joel Grandison for a shot.
On the half hour mark, Coventry deservedly took the lead when a back heel by Wilson, played in Gudger on the over lap. A deep cross was dispatched to the far side of the penalty area where Joel Grandison was waiting to fire City ahead.
City may have had all the play up to this point but Chelsea had the remainder of the half and were level in the 37th minute when a stunning left footed drive from 25 yards was volleyed into the net by Marco Mitrovic.
In the 43rd minute, Michael Quirke was quick to react when Connor Clifford attacked. The City keeper got his feet to deflect the ball. It fell twenty five yards out for Mitrovic but with an open goal at his mercy, the striker's shot hit the right hand post.
In stoppage time, Chelsea were down to ten men when Dialio clattered Curtis Wynter and was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
City stuck to their guns in the second half against a Chelsea side now playing one up front. Ogleby was making some long surging runs to set up chances for his strike partner Callum Wilson and the striker tapped wide in the 56th minute before Thomas was denied by the feet of Sam Walker.
Grandison had a 62nd minute effort hacked off the line, Ogleby fired wide in the 70th minute whilst Clifford curled a free kick over at the other.
Then it came in the 76th minute, Robert Ogleby made a surging run from just past the halfway line and as he got to the edge of the area, he thumped a stunning low drive into the net.
There was a scare late on when Quirke just managed to clear an audacious lob from Clifford off his line but City went up the other end and Walker pushed an Ogleby flick header onto the post as City ran out deserved winners in a highly entertaining match.