City finish the season unbeaten in their last five games as a special goal form Vladimir Gadzhev secures a point for the Sky Blues…
Coventry City U-21s drew with Huddersfield Town U-21s in the last game of their season, on Monday afternoon at the Ricoh Arena.Vladimir Gadzhev opened the scoring with a spectacular effort, firing into the top corner from 40 yards. Jack Boyle equalised as his shot from the edge of the area, deflected in off Dion Kelly-Evans.
Jordan Willis kept his place in the side after playing for 60 minutes against Hull last week. Ben Stevenson and Vladimir Gadzhev anchored the midfield, as George Thomas lead the line, having scored five goals in his last four U-21 games.
Huddersfield Town were in the ascendancy for the first 10 minutes, breaking forward with real attacking intent. However, in the 12th minute, the young Sky Blues had their first chance of the game. Vladimir Gadzhev broke from midfield and slid the ball to Kyle Spence down the right of the area, but before he could shoot, the defender nicked in to divert the ball out for a corner.
However, in the 15th minute, Gadzhev got on the scoresheet with a spectacular finish. The midfielder found himself in space, 40 yards out in the centre of the park. With no one opposing him, he decided to riffle the ball towards goal, finding the top left corner of the net, as the ball dipped in over Huddersfield’s George Dorrington.
City were now on top in the game, and were almost two to the good in the 26th minute. Bilal Sayoud, broke into the area from midfield, and managed to fire a left-footed shot from the left of the area, but Dorrington managed to palm the ball away to his right for a corner. Four minutes later George Thomas was in on goal. The ball was played over the top of the defence and the forward managed to control and shoot, but he dragged his shot wide.
The Terriers were still dangerous on the counter and they managed to equalise in the 36th minute. A short corner was played into Jack Boyle on the edge of the area, and his shot took a wild deflection on Di. Kelly-Evans, pass Corey Addai into the goal. Just before half-time, the Terriers came close to sneaking into the lead. Rekeil Pyke broke down the right-wing and crossed in, putting it on a plate for Jake Charles. But Charles placed his shot wide of the bottom left.
It was a slow start to the second half with neither team creating clear-cut chances, until the 57th minute, when Addai made a great save. Pyke went through on goal and was one-on-one. But Addai managed to make himself big and deflect his shot out for a corner. In the 65th minute City almost took the lead. Ben Stevenson manage to hustle his way into the centre of the area, with only the keeper to beat, but his shot was straight at Darrington.
The intensity of the game had died out a little, but there were still chances to be had. The Terriers came close in the 85th minute. Boyle worked himself into the box and fired in a shot towards the right corner, but Addai was once again equal to it, making a fine save. Into injury time, Huddersfield had another chance to win the game. Terriers’ skipper Regan Booth whipped in a corner from the right, and the ball travelled through to Cedwyn Scott at the far post, but he poked his effort wide of the bottom left.
back five games.stretchingThe Sky Blues continued to defend valiantly keeping the game level. The final whistle did eventually go and the game ended 1-1. Therefore City end the season on a high, with an unbeaten streak
Teams
Coventry City U21s: Addai (GK), Di. Kelly-Evans (C), Harries, Finch, Willis (Whitmore 80), Stevenson, Gadzhev (Maycock 46), Sayoud, Dev. Kelly-Evans, Spence (68 Shipley), Thomas.
Subs: Scuza (GK), Whitmore, Finn.
Huddersfield U21s: Dorrington (GK), Williams, Senior, Booth (C), Boyle, Kane, Colville, Charles, Pyke, O'Brien.
Subs: Spencer, Brooke, Scott, Edwards-Green, Horsfall.