Wolves Take City to the Wire

WWFC U18s 1 - 1 MCFC U18s

City had to wait till stoppage time to equalize a Wolverhampton Wanderers penalty in the sixty third minute with a great free kick into the top corner struck by James Poole to preserve their unbeaten league record.

City due to their play-off game last night were forced to field a couple of over age players to fill the void of lack of available players as you are allowed to field three outfield over age players plus the goalkeeper.

City dominated the play in the first half and should have been in front at the break but Wolves blocked everything and what they did not block City failed to deliver any conviction in their shots. In similar style to last night Wolves also hit City on the break a couple of times and forced Eirik Johansen in to a couple of good saves.

City were allowing Wolves back into the game as they had a few chances. Unbelievably the referee awarded a drop ball in the penalty area about four yards out when Johansen clashed with the Wolves player when being brave to dive at the feet of the player for the ball. The ball ricocheted and was crossed in and the Wolves player headed wide.

Five minutes later and Igor Paldan decided to lunge at the Wolves player in the box to give the referee no choice but to award a penalty and was scored as the player sent Johansen the wrong way.

City changed their formation later in the game to put pressure on Wolves as they failed to convert chance after chance. Then in the ninety second minute Jeremy Helan was fouled near the edge of the area. James Poole stepped up to take the dead ball; I confess that I said to others watching that he would put it over the bar, but fair play to James he bent the ball into the top corner of the goal with a peach of a shot to save City's blushes.

Wolves then hit City on the break and Paldan redeemed himself as he denied England youth international Zele Ismail with a great last ditch block when bearing down on goal about five yards out.

City only have the home fixture with Bolton Wanderers to play that will either be later this week or early next week; but the fixture will be played at Bolton's academy due to the pitches being laid at Platt Lane.


City: E Johansen(GK), Smith, Morris, Carter(Capt.), Paldan, Mitchell(Grandison), Redshaw(Cieslewicz), Kay, Guidetti, Poole, Helan.

Subs: Wood(GK), Paris, Kapsalopodas.

The U16s did not fair as well as they went down 2-1 after previously coming from one nil down to level.