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PREVIEW: Sky Blues U23s take on Sheffield United U23s

City's youngsters face the Blades ...

5 October 2021

The Sky Blues U23s travel to South Yorkshire today to face Sheffield United U23s at Bramall Lane this afternoon in the Professional Development League, with kick off scheduled for 1:00pm. Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents.

Last Time Out…

The U23s continued their unbeaten start to the Professional Development League with a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at the Coventry Building Society Arena last week.

City had a shot blocked in the opening minute when Fankaty Dabo picked out Josh Reid.

Then the lively Fabio Tavares was narrowly flagged offside when one on one with the Wednesday ‘keeper Jack Hall before he played a teasing ball across the six-yard box that Jordan Shipley couldn’t quite get on the end of.

However, the Owls took the lead when a heavy deflection fell kindly to Basille Zottos, whose tidy finish beat Ben Wilson in the 19^th minute.

The Sky Blues came out after the break on the front foot with Jordan Shipley’s corner causing the Wednesday defence trouble with Hall’s punch away falling straight to Reid but his effort deflected wide.

Alex Bonnington then had a couple of chances for the visitors before Wilson denied Will Trueman before setting the Sky Blues on the attack with Owls skipper David Agbontohoma doing enough to deny Tavares getting a shot away.

The home side kept up the momentum however with Jonny Ngandu getting close, but in the last minute the in form Tavares levelled with his shot going in off the bar to earn a well deserved point!

The Opposition

Sheffield United had a positive 2020/21 Professional Development League, finishing top of the Northern Section before triumphing 4-0 over Ipswich Town in the semi finals only to lose 2-0 in the final, to the side that finished eight points behind them in the table, Birmingham City.

This season the Blades have started well with three wins seeing them third in the table after victory at Barnsley last week.

Both sides had chances to take the lead early on in the South Yorkshire derby but it was Sheffield United that took lead when Leo Gaxha’s cross picked out Angelo Cappello to fire home in the 19^th minute.

The hosts responded only three minutes later when the ball fell to a trialist inside the box to the level the game.

In a frantic four minute spell Capello instantly put the Blades back ahead when he met Andre Brooks’ cross, turned his man and smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Five minutes into the second half United extended their lead when Marcus Dewhurst’s long punt up field was headed past his opposite number by Barnsley defender Jason Sraha.

The Tykes kept at it but the closest they came to finding a second was when Isaac Christie-Davies free kick hit the bar with Sheffield United running out 3-1 winners.

Last Six Games

Won – Barnsley U23s 1-3 Sheffield United U23s (Professional Development League)

Lost – Cardiff City U23s 2-0 Sheffield United U23s (Professional Development League)

Won – Everton U23s 1-3 Sheffield United U23s (Premier League Cup)

Lost – Sheffield United U23s 2-4 Bristol City U23s (Professional Development League)

Won – Charlton Athletic U23s 0-3 Sheffield United U23s (Professional Development League

Won – Watford U23s 0-4 Sheffield United U23s (Professional Development League)

Last Time We Met

The two sides last met in was in March 2021 when the Sky Blues went down 3-2 to the hosts at Bramall Lane

In the early exchanges the home side had the best chances when Iliman Ndiaye’s pull back found Nicksoen Gomis but he could only fire over.

However, the Sky Blues arguably created the best chance of the game so far when Joe Newton ran down the wing before his cross picked out David Bremang but the striker’s effort went over the bar.

But just as City were growing into the game, they suffered a major set-back when Morgan Williams was shown a straight red card and then minutes later the hosts took the lead when Ndiaye converted Frankie Maguire’s cross.

On the stroke of half time Wesley Jobello beat his man out wide and found Jonny Ngandu on the edge of the box, with the Sky Blue captain drawing his side level.

The Blades retook the lead four minutes into the second half as Kyron Gordon headed in Harry Boyes’ corner.

Antwoine Hackford and Daniel Jebbison wasted chances to extend the hosts lead with Bremang bringing City back level on the hour mark from Jordan Young’s cross.

Unfortunately the ten men in Sky Blues couldn’t hold on for a point with Jebbison slotting home Femi Seriki’s cross to give the Blades the points.

Sky Blues Xl: Tom Billson (GK), Jack Burroughs, Blaine Rowe, Morgan Williams, Joe Newton, Josh Eccles, Jonny Ngandu (C), Will Bapaga, Wesley Jobello, Jordan Young (Dan Bartlett 81’), David Bremang.

Unused Subs: Cian Tyler (GK), Dan Lafferty, George Burroughs, Trialist.

Northern Section Table:

Team	Played	F	A	GD	Points
Coventry City	5	12	3	+9	13
Peterborough United	6	15	6	+9	11
Sheffield United	5	12	7	+5	9
Hull City	6	11	15	-4	7
Wigan Athletic	5	5	9	-4	6
Crewe Alexandra	6	8	16	-8	3
Barnsley	5	4	19	-15	3
Sheffield Wednesday	6	2	12	-10	2

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Match Reports

REPORT: Sheffield United U23s 2-1 Sky Blues U23s

City's youngsters go down 2-1 at Bramall Lane...

5 October 2021

Coventry City's U23s slid to defeat in South Yorkshire this afternoon to end their unbeaten start to their Professional Development League campaign.

City started their trip to the Steel City on the front foot with Fabio Tavares shot from the edge of the box springing Blades ‘keeper Jordan Amissah into action to earn the visitors a corner which Tyler Walker headed wide.

The home side’s first effort saw Zak Brunt have a shot blocked with Kyron Gordon’s follow up deflected wide for a corner that was cleared.

Jonny Ngandu then collected possession on the halfway line and played Blaine Rowe in over the top with his shot under pressure forcing Amissah to get down low.

George Burroughs blocked the ball for a corner and from the set piece Cian Tyler was called into action for the first time this afternoon when Gordon headed goal bound but Tyler confidently claimed the ball.

However, a minute later the Sky Blues took the lead when Marco Rus found Blaine Rowe out wide who put a ball across the box that found Tavares for the in form striker to fire into the back of the net!

Bright Enobakhare played in Josh Reid but his cross deflected kindly to Oliver Arblaster to clear the danger before the Blades midfielder found himself in the City box and forced Tyler into a great save, getting down low to deny the shot from 10 yards out.

The home side were pushing for an equaliser but the Sky Blues defence were reducing the Blades to shots from distance with Tyler denying Brunt again after he was set up by United captain Frankie Maguire just outside the D.

City almost doubled the lead when Tavares got in behind and beat Amissah to the ball with the cut back picking out Walker but the forward’s shot went just the wrong side of he post.

Undeterred, Walker then went close on the stroke of half time when he almost caught Amissah out from 25 yards out with a powerful strike that was dipping under the bar.

HALF TIME: Sheffield United U23s 0-1 Sky Blues U23s

The half began with the hosts being awarded a penalty when Rowe was adjudged to have brought down Arblaster with Brunt dispatching the spot kick to equalise.

The Blades almost doubled their lead when Michael Rose intercepted a cross to concede a corner which was glanced wide by the unmarked Kamarl Grant.

City went on the attack through Rus who passed to Enobakhare on the edge of the box with the winger picking out Jordan Shipley with his cross to the back post, but his effort was straight at Amissah.

However, the Blades took the lead when Angello Cappello shot was well saved by the feet of Tyler, but the rebound was headed over him by Regan Slater into the net.

Shipley went close again with Amissah denying him at the near post before Tavares won a corner that was fired goal bound by Ngandu that stung the palms of the Blades’ shot stopper.

The Sky Blues continued to build momentum when a break away earned a corner kick as Enobakhare fired a shot goal bound that was blocked by Grant.

The lively Enobakhare then held off his man to get a cross into the box with Tavares firing towards the bottom corner with Amissah did well to stop.

The Blades broke through Brunt with the midfielder playing in Leo Gaxha whose shot beat Tyler but an acrobatic clearance off the line from Reid kept City in the game.

Slater than almost got his second, after a one two with Cappello, with his chip hitting the bar before Tyler denied Gaxha at the near post.

Reid then tried a long range effort which won a corner, with the set piece taken quickly by Enobakhare that caught the Blades’ defense out with his chip to the back post went just over the head of the inrushing Walker with it not to be City’s day.

FULL TIME: Sheffield United U23s 2-1 Sky Blues U23s

SCORERS: Zak Brunt (47’ p), Regan Slater (54’); Fabio Tavares (21’)

Sky Blues U23s Xl: Cian Tyler (GK), Blaine Rowe, George Burroughs, Michael Rose (C), Josh Reid, Jonny Ngandu, Marco Rus, Jordan Shipley, Bright Enobakhare, Fabio Tavares (Aaron Evans-Harriott 78’), Tyler Walker.

Unused Subs: Luke Bell, Fionn O’Brien, Harrison Nee, Oliver Berry.

Sheffield United U23s XI: Jordan Amissah (GK), Joe Starbuck, Kyron Gordon, Kamarl Grant, Nicksden Gomis, Zak Brunt, Oliver Arblaster, Frankie Maguire (C), Leo Gaxha (Andre Brooks 84’), Regan Slater, Angelo Cappello (Will Lankshear 89’).

Unused Subs: Marcus Dewhurst (GK), Tom Angell, Hassan Ayari.

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