BIRMINGHAM CITY U18'S 0-2 COVENTRY CITY U18'S BY KEV MONKS
TEAM
Quirke, Clarke, Greenway (Goodyer 82), Grogan, Cameron, Wynter, Cain (Bottomer 82), Thomas, Wilson , Lellu (Blackwell 68), Jeffers SNU Burge
HT: BCFC 0-1 CCFC FT: BCFC 0-2 CCFC
GOALS Ashley Cain (pen 16 & 76
Coventry City put in a superb team performance to win 2-0 at Birmingham City in a FA Academy League game this afternoon.
Greg Rioch's side travelled to Wast Hills for this game after the initial fixture was postponed forty minutes before kick off back in January and from the first whistle, took the game to a side which was beaten last week by Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup Semi-Finals.
Coventry should have been ahead in the 13th minute when Sulliman Lellu's shot was blocked by the Birmingham keeper's foot. The danger was cleared but the Sky Blues hard working midfield soon had the ball back, allowing Ashley Cain to make a surging run into the area, only to be stopped by a well timed tackle.
In the 16th minute, Coventry were awarded a penalty. Under pressure from Callum Wilson, the Birmingham number six twice handled the ball in front of where the City support which included former Sky Blue Cyrille Regis were stood.
As well as the City support spotting it, the referee did and a penalty was awarded. Ashley Cain stepped up and duly dispatched the ball into the back of the net.
Birmingham were not allowed to find any way back in the match. Every time, they tried to go forwards, City's strong back four of Jordan Clarke, Nathan Cameron, Curtis Wynter and Jamie Greenway were there to stop them
Again, youngsters Connor Thomas and Connor Grogan bossed the centre of midfield whilst Jeffers and Cain always looked to play in Lellu and Wilson.
Such was the frustration that in the 27th minute, a reckless tackle on Jordan Clarke by the Birmingham number six saw him yellow carded and then replaced by his manager after the red mist had desecended.
The Sky Blues did not have too many clear cut chances in the opening forty five minutes but in the second half, they more than made up for it.
With Ashley Cain, a real thorn in Birmingham's side, raids on the home side's goal started to come thick and fast.
Twice in the 52nd minute, the Blues keeper used his feet to firstly deny Jeffers after a good ball from Wilson and then a great block to deflect the ball for a corner as Cain crept in from the right.
Three minutes later and a City corner produced some pinball inside the box before Jeffers fired wide.
Another Cain cross saw Lellu have a shot blocked before the move of the match came in the 62nd minute when Ashley Cain, deep in his own half, firstly beat the full back and then nutmegged him before sending Jordan Clarke on the overlap down the right. A wonderful cross from the 17 year old was unfortunately sent over the bar by Jeffers first time shot.
Michael Quirke in the City goal had a quiet afternoon and watched as a 65th minute shot flew a couple of yards past his right hand post.
Wilson and Cain both had chances as did a Birmingham substitute before City, were awarded a second penalty in the 76th minute after Jeffers had been sent crashing. Again, Ashley Cain stepped up and made no mistake to put Coventry two goals up.
Cain, who will receive the Covsupport News Service Coventry City U18's Player Of The Season Award on Saturday, was replaced six minutes later having done a good job along with the rest of his team-mates to lift City up to third in the FA Academy League Group table, three points behind leaders Spurs.