FA Youth Cup Report: Leeds United vs Manchester City | OneFootball

FA Youth Cup Fifth Round

Leeds United U18 1 (Boast 45’)

Manchester City U18 6 (Warhurst 4’, 42’; Heskey 20’, McAidoo 57’, Gorman 65’, Fletcher 87’)

Leeds: Kenyon (GK), Firth, Bird, Cresswell (Whitehead 83’), Hamilton, Howard, Lane, Pickles (Vincent 64’), Boast (Render 68’), Chadwick (C) (White 83’), McDonald. Subs not used: Wood (GK), Billett, Morris.

Man City: Whatmuff (GK), Henderson-Hall, Parker (Braithwaite 41’), Noble, Mfuni, Thomas (C) (Miles 39’), McAidoo (Fletcher 63’), Gorman (Headley 73’), Warhurst, Mukasa, Heskey (Dunbar-McDonald 46’). Subs not used: Grigg (GK), Midwood.

Venue: LNER Community Stadium

Referee: Liam Smith

Booked: Parker, Dunbar-McDonald, Mukasa (Man City)

Sent off: Firth (Leeds)

Leeds United Under-18s bowed out of the FA Youth Cup after falling to defeat against a very strong Manchester City Under-18s side in the Fifth Round of the competition.

On a blustery evening in York, it was the reigning champions who started strongly, opening the scoring inside four minutes when forward Matthew Warhurst was well placed to bundle Ryan McAidoo’s low cross into the back of the net.

Looking for a quickfire response, a fine piece of skill in the middle of the park saw Alfie Cresswell create space and find Rhys Chadwick, who in turn found Freddie Lane, with the winger seeing a dangerous cross cannon behind for a corner kick.

From the resulting set piece, a half-cleared ball fell the way of Lane on the edge of the area to strike, though his fierce effort was charged down well by a City shirt.

A great weaving run from defender Coban Bird then saw the left-back fizz a pass into Lane inside the area, but a good recovering challenge from Rhys Thomas helped the visitors clear.

Rob Etherington’s young side were beginning to look dangerous on the break, and striker Oliver Boast was almost played through by an intricate, threaded pass from Oliver Pickles, only for another Oliver, City’s keeper Whatmuff, to race out and collect.

The game’s trajectory changed just before the 20th minute, when full-back Will Firth was shown two yellow cards in quick succession and the Whites were reduced to 10.

From the free kick that followed, Reigan Heskey doubled Oliver Reiss’ side lead with an emphatic strike that arrowed into the top corner.

City would have had a third if not for a stunning save from George Kenyon, acrobatically tipping Warhurst’s point-blank volley over the crossbar, before smothering a Stephen Mfuni effort at the back post moments later.

Last season's champions did extend their lead shortly afterwards, when Warhurst grabbed his second, and his side’s third, yards from goal.

Not to be deterred by the scoreline, however, the Whites pulled one back on the stroke of half time when Boast finished off an electric attacking move!

Josh McDonald initially did superbly well, twisting and turning his way to the edge of the area before finding Chadwick on the right, who slid a dangerous ball across the face of goal which the striker swept home.

HALF TIME: Leeds United U18 1-3 Manchester City U18

The Whites emerged for the second 45 minutes unchanged, pressing intently as they looked to build on the lifeline handed to them by Boast.

A teasing Chadwick delivery was swung in as Leeds started brightly, with Cresswell glancing a header narrowly wide. The skipper had rose highest to meet the cross and flicked an effort towards the far post, but the ball bounced agonisingly past the upright.

Approaching the hour mark, City added another when McAidoo profited on a loose clearance and scored his team’s fourth of the evening.

Finlay Gorman was next to get in the act for the visitors, firing into the corner from distance beyond the dive on Kenyon.

The young Whites were still keen to get on the front foot despite the scoreline. Substitute Harvey Vincent drove down the right flank and crossed looking for Jacob Render, but a fine recovery from Kian Noble allowed the visitors to clear their lines.

Forward Luca Fletcher also found the back of the net in the dying stages, as City booked their spot in the quarter-finals in the defence of their trophy.

FULL TIME: Leeds United U18 1-6 Manchester City U18