Injuries take Their Toll as City & Boro reach Stalemate in Reserve
Clash

By Andrew Waldon

Last season when these two sides met in the corresponding fixture City
ran out comfortable winners 5-0, things were to be different this time
round as Middlesbrough arrived at Sports City sitting comfortably at
the top of the Barclays Premiership Reserve League.

City took the lead as early as the second minute when academy striker,
David Ball in his first full debut for the reserves opened the scoring,
Donal McDermott raced down the left wing and crossed for Ashley Grimes,
whose shot on the turn struck the foot of the post and landed nicely
for Ball.

The visitors equalised on nine minutes with a goal that looked
suspiciously off side. Thomas Craddock finishing off a cross that came
from the Boro right. The decision to give the goal was the first of
many strange judgements made by the match official, who at times
appeared to be favouring the away side allowing some ridiculous tackles
to go un punished but pulling up City players every time they looked as
they would say boo to anybody in a red shirt.

Filip Mentel, was in goals, so it looks like Richard Martin may have
left the club, and the Slovakian keeper has to be applauded for a fine
double save he made on eleven minutes to deny left winger Graeme Owens.
He then again denied the same player minutes later as Boro stepped up
the pressure.

City lost Ashley Grimes through injury on twenty three minutes and he
was replaced by James Poole. Grimes injury was the first of three to be
suffered by the side on the night.

Marc Laird brought out a good save from Ross Turnbull in the Boro goal
but after that further injuries disrupted the flow of the game.

Mentel did not appear for the second half after suffering a facial
injury in a collision between Ben Hutchinson, the scorer of Boro's
consolation goal days before at Eastland’s, City’s Javan Vidal and
Mentel himself.

Such was the force of the collision Hutchinson himself did not appear
for the second half

Five minutes into the second half and big Clayton McDonald left the
field of play with a thigh cum back injury.

So apart from the injuries there was very little else to report on in
a game that died a death after such an inspiring opening ten minutes
and probably disappointed the rather large gathering of scouts in
attendance.

Manchester City:
Mentel (Hartley), Vidal, Williamson, McDonald (Mee), Breen, Laird,
Clayton, Grimes (Poole), D Ball, Marshall, McDermott
Subs: M Daly, Weiss

Middlesbrough:
Turnbull, McMahon, Bennett, Grounds, Hines, Johnson, Franks, Goulon
(Smallwood), Craddock, Hutchinson (Porritt), Owens
Subs: Atkinson, Corker, McCardle