COVENTRY CITY U18'S 4-2 CARDIFF CITY U18'S BY KEV MONKS
Steve Ogrizovic's side got 2005 off to a winning start with a 4-2 victory over Cardiff City at the Alan Higgs Centre.
In blustery conditions, City trailed to a third minute goal from Michael Collorcan who pounced after Coventry keeper Jonny Tuffey had made a superb reaction save to get down to his left and push away a corner.
Playing 3-4-3 with Andy Gooding and Kevin Thornton complimenting the good work by City's defence, the Sky Blues were level in the 23rd minute when Ben Mackey got to a corner and deflected the ball for Vijay Sidhu to knock into the net from four yards.
Despite Andy Hall being booked,City continued to press and were ahead in the 59th minute when Kevin Thornton jinked his way into the penalty area before being brought down.
Thornton recovered his composure and coolly converted the resulting penalty kick.
With two ex youth team managers Richard Money and Colin Dobson in the crowd, City made the most of a tiring Cardiff defence by hitting two goals in the space of a minute.
A superb forty yard run by Thornton in the 77th minute saw the young Irishman find Ben Mackey on the edge of the area. the City striker took one touch before beating Cardiff keeper Craig Attard with a shot that the keeper could only help push into the net.
Straight from the restart, City attacked winning a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Andy Gooding took the kick and delivered a ball which centre half Ben Turner headed firmly into the net.
Cardiff pulled one back through Ryan Morgan three minutes from time but it was not enough to prevent a well deserved Sky Blue victory.
HT CCFC 1-1 CCAFC FT CCFC 4-2 CCAFC
GOALS Michael Collorcan (3)
Vijay Sidhu (23)
Kevin Thornton (59 pen)
Ben Mackey (77)
Ben Turner (78)
Ryan Morgan (87)
Booked Andy Hall (34), Kyle Morris (65)
Man Of The Match - Kevin Thornton
TEAM
Tuffey,Hall,Lynch,McCrink,Turner,Wall,Gooding, Sidhu,Mackey, Thornton,Davis (Cander)