MANCHESTER CIY U18 2, BLACKBURN ROVERS U18 0
City comfortably won this game with two goals by Jadon Sancho but the visitors had goalkeeper Ben Ashcroft to thank for preventing a heavier defeat as the home side bounced back from FA Youth Cup disappointment with three points in the Barclays U18 Premier League.
Victory meant City held on to top spot ahead of a trip to second placed Everton on Tuesday who needed to beat West Ham to stay in the title race.
City’s U18 side had to make do without Brahim Diaz after their 3-1 FA Youth Cup defeat at Chelsea in midweek as boss Jason Wilcox made a host of changes.
The Blues weathered early pressure by Blackburn Rovers to take the lead in the 18th minute after neat footwork left by Jadon Sancho left Ben Ashcroft wrong-footed, allowing the winger to tuck away the opening goal.
City could have doubled the lead soon after Jacob Davenport’s free kick was headed into the arms of the Rovers keeper by Isaac Buckley-Ricketts.
Blackburn regrouped, however, and put City under pressure as the rain started to lash down at the City Football Academy Stadium and Davenport made some important interceptions to break up attacks while Daniel Grimshaw also made a couple of good saves as Rovers consistently threatened an equaliser.
City did some good work on the break, however, and Rodney Kongolo’s shot was palmed away by Ashcroft while Lukas Nmecha’s shot from point blank range was deflected onto the bar by Ashcroft and the home side finished the first half strongly with further chances for Buckley-Ricketts, Sancho and Dele-Bashiru.
City continued their second half push and had a trio of chances to extend their lead soon after the restart as Ashcroft saved from Nmecha, Charlie Oliver’s header was cleared off the line and Cameron Humphreys-Grant was denied by Ashcroft from the two corners that followed.
Buckley-Ricketts forced another save from Ashcroft as City took control of the second half after the rain had let up.
With Rovers flagging, Sancho showed plenty of skill as he went past two defenders before testing Ashcroft again with another shot in the 59th minute.
Blackburn found it hard to mount any kind of attack as City moved the ball quickly, and recovered it well before the visitors could build anything of note.
City could even afford to miss a sitter after a great cross by Dele-Bashiru was blasted wide by Nmecha midway through the second period.
There was a brief furry of excitement towards the end when City ‘keeper Daniel Grimshaw failed to get the ball after coming off his line to attack a high ball meant for Matthew Makinson but predictably Humphreys-Grant was there to clear the loose ball before Rovers could take advantage.
And Grimshaw finally had something to do when he dived low to save a late shot from Stefan Mols after Rovers had a rare break from midfield.
City finished strongly as Davenport had a free kick from 20 yards saved by Ashcroft after substitute Aaron Nemane had been fouled.
Sancho’s second in added time made sure of a deserved victory after finally beating Ashcroft again after he was put through by Kongolo.