Three Points in City’s First Home Game.

MCFC Reserves 2 - 1 Middlesbrough Reserves

Last year’s reserve league top scorer, Bradley Wright-Phillips, opened his scoring account this season with a late winner against a Middlesbrough side who played a high tempo game throughout with established premiership players in key areas of their team. City had taken the lead just before half time with a fine strike from man of the match, Stephen Ireland. Middlesbrough came out strong after the break and equalized seven minutes after the re-start, but it was City who came away with all three points after a cool finish by Wright-Phillips in the dying minutes.

City started the game brightly with a fine strike on target by Antoine Sibierski that was well saved by Middlesbrough’s Brad Jones who spent a large part of last season on loan at Blackpool. After that quick opening the game seemed to drift as each side played cat and mouse as most of the play was condensed in the midfield area with neither teams’ centre halves’ being troubled.

Middlesbrough’s number eleven, Adam Johnson was looking like their most dangerous player as he drove in a fine twenty five yard strike from the left that went just wide. That livened things up as City went close with a cross cum shot from Ishmael Miller coming in from the left.

Johnson again came close when his shot went just over when he had drifted over from the right. Within the same minute Micah Richards made a great timely tackle to deny £8.15m former Empoli striker, Massimo Maccarone, a great scoring opportunity in the City box.

Chances were being created by both teams and the pace of the game failed to diminish in the warm August sunshine that was glaring behind the main spectators. City were the first team to convert one of their chances when a nothing cross from Lee Croft resulted in a loose ball from a poor clearance by the defender which fell kindly to Ireland who struck the ball sweetly into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

City nearly doubled their lead in the final minute of the half when David Wheater headed a Sibierski cross against his own goal post and out for a corner. The resulting deep corner was headed back across goal and Miller nipped in and turned and shot, but Jones was able to save with his feet and put the ball behind for another corner.

Middlesbrough came out after the break with real purpose to their play and Kasper Schmeichel had to save from Thomas Craddock within the first minute of the re-start. Then the inevitable happened, the equalizer. A good run down the right by Lee Cattermole who put a cross into the box, but it took a deflection and wrong footed Nedum Onuoha and fell kindly to Maccarone who only just put the ball over the line as Micah Richards tried in vain to clear the chance.

Miller then had two chances within three minutes just after the hour mark. Ireland had run from midfield and sent a good through ball for Miller to run onto, but Jones spread himself wide and saved with his legs. Miller then saw his powerful strike deflected over for a corner.

City then made a double substitution with Marc Laird and Kelvin Etuhu coming on for Sibierski and Miller respectively. That upset the balance slightly for City as Middlesbrough were able to come forward more, but their efforts on goal all fell wide.

Middlesbrough then made a double substitution of their own as they searched for a winner. It was City who would dominate the remainder of the game as Ireland pulled all the right strings in midfield. Richards was unlucky not to get a better connection from a loose lobbed back pass, but Jones was able to get to the attempt.

As City continued to probe the Middlesbrough defence it was looking increasingly likely that the draw would be the final outcome. That was until Middlesbrough’s vastly experienced captain Colin Cooper decided to clear the ball straight back to Ireland who intelligently played the ball straight through the defence for Bradley to run onto and finish coolly past Jones.

This may not have been a deserved win, but after we were robbed by the referee at the Hawthorns against West Brom. We will take the three points with open arms. The next game for the reserves sees City take their first step to defend the Manchester Senior as they face their local rivals United at home next Monday in their first group game of the competition.


City: Schmeichel(GK), Warrender(capt.), Collins, J D’Laryea, Onuoha, Richards, Croft, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Sibierski(Laird 64), Miller(Etuhu 64).

Subs: Matthewson(GK), Bennett.


Middlesbrough: Jones(GK), Liddle, Hines, Doriva, Wheater, Cooper(capt.), Cattermole, Kennerdy(Walker 76), Maccarone, Craddock(Watling 76), Johnson.

Subs: Pennock(GK), Clough, Burgess.

Att: 1001.