FA PREMIER RESERVE LEAGUE

Tuesday 6th April 2010

 

Manchester City 0 Blackburn Rovers 0

 

 

City hosted a Blackburn side at the Regional Athletics arena that was littered with first team players; indeed ten of the eleven were first teamers with seven having played at least fifteen games for Blackburn's first team this season and so City recording another nil nil draw with a less than complete elite development squad was a very fine achievement.

 

City without the injured Ben Mee who went off late last week against Everton and Boyata who is needed as cover for the first team with Lescott out and Cunningham not playing; City only had Reece Wabara and Kieran Trippier in their recognised places. However Javan Vidal played an excellent game at centre half and Blackburn's right hand side was very ineffectual and so Chris Chantler was not over worked at left back.

 

In very similar circumstances to last week's game at Everton; very few clear cut chances were created as defenders were the winners on the night, with Trippier and Chantler clearing off the line in the first and second half respectively.

 

Blackburn's best chance was probably in the eighteenth minute when a Brett Emerton cross from the left was met by Junior Hoilett but his header went agonisingly wide for the visitors.

 

City's two best chances fell in each half with the first with good work Alex Nimely Tchuimeni dispossessing Ryan Nelsen on the right and sending in a great cross that just missed the on rushing David Ball. The second chance falling in the seventy second minute when Chantler persisted to rob the ball from Emerton and back-heel the ball into the path of Robbie Mak and he drove towards the goal before unleashing a fine curling shot that appeared to nestle in the net but had rebounded of the field events cover netting and into the back side of the goal.

 

A win next week at home to Wigan in our final league game should in all honesty secure a top three league position finish; although if Blackburn win all of their remaining games they will just pip us to that place, but given their season form that is more than unlikely given that they have to travel to probably league winners Liverpool.

 

Teams:

Manchester City:

Gonzales, Trippier, Chantler, Ibrahim, Vidal, Wabara,Mak, Kay, Nimely, Tutte, Ball

Subs: Karius(GK), Redshaw, Smith, Benali, Veseli

 

Blackburn Rovers:

Bunn, Jacobsen, Chimbonda, Nelsen, Hanley, Grella (Lowe 80), Emerton, Linganzi, Di Santo (Blackman 86),Basturk (Rigters 82),Hoilett

Subs: Kean(GK), Morris

 

 

Attendance: 177