Another quality performance in the Challenge Cup and we've lifted us to the top spot in the group stages. We did everything right in this one and was rewarded with a big win as well as great abs gained for the whole team. The opening ten minutes saw us putting pressure on the home side and we dominated the play. Our aggressive start was too much to handle for the host and after 11 minutes played we scored the opening goal. Paris Maghoma took advantage of a mistake from Logan Pye and Alfie Halliwell tried his best to stop the shot from Maghoma but he only managed to get a hand to it. A minute later we found ourselves two goals up when we scored from a corner kick. Emmanuel Airoboma placed a perfectly taken corner on Oakley Cannonier's head and Cannonier scored his fourth of the season. We continued to push the pedal to the metal and it didn't take long before we had scored the third of the evening. Jack Darius found himself space after he had sidestepped Josh Campbell and his thundering shot took a wicked deflection and went over Halliwell. Halliwell had no chance to prevent us from scoring of third and we found ourselves 3-0 up after only 16 minutes played. Jack Darius rounded off an oustanding first half when he netted his second of the game and his sixth of the season.
The game was already won by half time but our second half performance wasn't as we had hoped for. We controlled all the possession and had almost 70 % possession in the second half. However, our chances was missed and it left ourselves without a goal in the second half. This was a game we should have won by a far bigger score but at the same time we have to be satisfied with the performance. We picked up the three points and we've put ourselves with a good chance of getting through the group stages.
Perhaps our best performance all season and we did it after coming from behind. And we had to come from behind twice. Inside the first ten mintues of the game the two sides had hit the post once each. Tanner Tessmann came close to give the visitors the lead in the fifth minute but his shot from outside the box hit the outside of the post and went out. A couple of minutes later we had a great chance to score but Zack Marsh's thundering shot hit the bar and even though he got on the rebound first he couldn't get the opening goal. In the 12th minute Tanner Tessmann got the goal he was looking for. He broke lose of our defence and scored with easy to sent the visitors in front. We had to change things up after going a goal behind and after half an hour played we decided to do changes to our tactic. It had the impact we had hoped for and when Angelo Cabrera back heeled the ball to George King he was on his own with Jack Porter. King placed the ball out of reach for Porter and the game was back to level terms. Zack Marsh thought he had turned the game around for us eight minutes before the break but his great goal was ruled out after he was offside by 2-3 yards. The last ten minutes of the first half was absolute outstanding from us and we created chance after chance. But we couldn't get the leading goal and the two teams went into the dressing room at 1-1.
The game quiet down at the start of the second half and we didn't see much action in the first twenty minutes of the second half. It was two teams who didn't want to risk anything and it looked like the two teams was satisfied with sharing the points. But Ismeal Kabia had a different view to it and in the 69th minute he did everything on his own and sent the visitors 2-1 up. It left us with no other options than sending players forward looking to get something from this game. With twenty minutes left of the game Francis Jno-Baptiste replaced Caleb Redhead up front and Jno-Baptiste was going to be the big hero for us. Nine minutes after he entered the field he found himself in a good position and tried his luck from over 20 yards. His shot took a wicked deflection and Jack Porter could do nothing about it. 2-2 and all to play for. Two minutes after Baptiste had scored, he came the hero of the day when he made it 3-2 and completed a great comeback for us. Joe Sheridan played a great cross to Baptiste and he scored from a delicate header. We managed to keep the away side on distance for the last ten minutes of the game and secured our third straight win in the Challenge Cup. A wonderful start for us and a lot must go wrong if we are to fail and not qualify for the quarter finals.
Pretty impressed we even managed to take the lead, my youths are abysmal and i’m in shock that we almost won the game, how we have 6 points il never know, we have no depth, no quality and no balance so the tactics and formations must be working well for us ti even keep putting up good performances
Wolverhampton Wanderers U23 5-0 Manchester City U23
We took advantage of the manager's teamsheet going missing with a comprehensive home victory. Nishan Burkart got the ball rolling with a goal on his debut after just 15 minutes befor an own goal doubled our advantage. Ben Stevens and Ryan Trevitt both struck from their attacking midfield roles before the interval to have is sewn up by half time. The second half was a drab affair with just the one moment where Frankie Maguire scored to put the gloss on a fine win.
Whilst the goal scoring was pleasing it was the other end where I was most satisfied. We restricted them to zero shots in the entire game. That level of control doesn't happen very often!
Halfway through the group and we are top of the table and five points clear of third place with a very healthy goal difference. One more win could be enough to guarantee progression depending on other scores - and that would be nice as we'd be able to rotate the squad. Fingers crossed we can get the job done next time around.
