
FA PREMIER RESERVE LEAGUE
Tuesday 13th April 2010
Manchester City 2 Wigan Athletic 0
Ball 17min, Nimely 87 min
In their final league game of the season
City’s second string beat near-neighbours Wigan by two goals to nil. A goal each from David Ball and Alex Nimely, settled the game.
The young Blues started the game extremely brightly and could have taken the lead within a minute, from the right Alex Nimely thread the ball through for Santa Cruz whose fierce strike was well
pushed away by Nicholls in the Wigan goal. Nimely then sliced a chance from the resulting corner,
Robbie Mak, playing on the left, cut in and forced another good stop from Nicholls, and repeated the feat moments afterwards after a driving run down the flank from left-back Gregg Cunningham, this time scuffing his shot well wide after beating his man easily. With three keepers injured and one out on loan German debutant 'keeper Loris Karius didn't have too much to do,
The deadlock was broken just after the quarter-hour. Tripper powered forward down the right and had looked to be taken out. The official played on and David Ball's speculative effort appeared to have nestled in the side netting. To the surprise of most of those in attendance the restart was signalled, Trippier’s injury also meant that was his last part he played in the game and Freddie Veseli came on for his debut.
Santa Cruz was replaced on the hour and
the side settled into their natural rhythm, and Alex Nimely ought to have extended our lead in the 65th minute, racing on to a high ball but his low shot just falling wide of Nicholls' left-hand
post. At the other end McManaman again tested Karius from distance, and Serrano's left-footed free-kick dipped agonisingly wide of the upright.
Andrew Tutte's introduction saw Abdi Ibrahim push further forwards, and he began to make his mark on the game, getting into two or three good positions only for his finishing to let him down. A deep
cross from the left found him at the back post but he scuffed his attempt at goal straight into Nicholls' arms.
As we approached the last five minutes Alex Nimely but the game out of doubt, along ball out of defence by Veseli found Alex and with Nicholls coming for the same ball, it allowed Alex to prod
home.
Teams:
Manchester City
Karius,Trippier (Veseli 22 min), Cunningham, Kay, Boyata, Wabara, Ball, Ibrahim (Chantler 86 min), Santa Cruz(Tutte 62 min),Nimely, Mak
Subs: Wood (GK),Redshaw
Wigan Athletic
Nicholls, Girvan, Redmond, Buxton, Jukes, Breeze, Kupisz, Morris, Rugg, McManaman, Serrano
Subs: Williams, Willis, Phillip, Lewis
Attendance: 198
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS REPORT/GAME.PLEASE SEND YOUR THOUGHTS TO
MCFC Reserves and Academy
