COVENTRY CITY U18'S 0-2 CRYSTAL PALACE U18'S BY KEV MONKS
TEAM
Quirke, Clarke, Greenway, Thomas (Fraser 58), Jermaine Grandison, Cameron, Cain (Blackwell 73), Walker, Jeffers, Wilson, Joel Grandison (Lellu 58) SNU Collett, Ogleby
Palace
Thorp, Abnett, Adelcleun, Holness,Holland, Nnmani, Cardigan Randall 89), Comley, Pinney, N'Daiye, Roberts (Kendlock 80)
SNU Sekaja, Tebbett, Goldsmith
HT CCFC 0-0 CPFC FT CCFC 0-2 CPFC
GOALS James Comley (48), Nathaniel Pinney (63)
MAN OF THE MATCH - Jermaine Grandison and Callum Wilson took the votes)
Coventry City U18's were beaten by a strong Crystal Palace side, this morning at the Alan Higgs Centre.
Greg Rioch's side had gone into this inter-league game having won 3-0 at Charlton Athletic last Saturday whilst Gary Issott's side demolished Birmingham City 6-1 and Palace who are likely to finish as runners up behind Arsenal in their Academy League division looked the stronger team in the opening half.
City did however, have chances and in the 18th minute, a ten yard flick by Callum Wilson came off Thorp's left hand post and saw the ball go for a corner which eventually was headed over by Ashley Cain.
Wilson did have the ball in the net three minutes later but used his hand to do so and was lucky to get away with a ticking off by referee Mr Mellor who handled the game very well.
Palace went up the other end through N'Daiye who sent his left footed shot just past the far post much to the relief of the City defence who had been caught ball watching.
Unusually for City whose defence is normally rock solid, Palace were today, too easy able to find a way through and in the 31st minute, Comley was only stopped from scoring by City keeper Michael Quirke using his feet to deflect the ball away for a corner.
A good piece of skill by Callum Wilson in the 37th minute to twist and turn his way past his marker played in Shaun Jeffers who blasted wide from twelve yards and four minutes before the break and after the supporters at the Alan Higgs Centre on a chilly morning had enjoyed a surging run forwards ala Mo Konjic from Jermaine Grandison, a shot on the turn from Ashley Cain flew just over the bar.
The break was not what the Sky Blues needed as within three minutes of the restart, Palace took the lead thanks to Pinney missing with a header and the ball falling for James Comley to stab past Quirke from six yards.
Greg Rioch's response was to make a double substitution with Connor Thomas, who had played reasonably well, joining Joel Grandison in making way for Sean Fraser and Sulliman Lellu.
But in the 63rd minute, it was game over when the visitors doubled their tally. Taurean Roberts cross from the left was knocked down to Comley and there was Nathaniel Pinney left alone some six yards out to sweep the ball into the net.
This was a performance, which lacked energy from the Sky Blues and although Jordan Clarke had a header hacked off the line seven minutes from time, Coventry City were comprehensively beaten by a better team.