Goals from Devon Kelly-Evans and Jack Finch secured a 2-1 victory at Crewe Alexandra for the Under-18s...
Coventry City Under-18s produced a stylish performance to record a 2-1 victory at Crewe Alexandra.
In a dominant performance which deserved a bigger score-line, it was goals from Devon Kelly-Evans and a fantastic free-kick Jack Finch which won the game for the Sky Blues.
Darren Murray's side should have been 3-0 up in the first 15 minutes. James Maddison fired over after a great passing move down the right in the 6th minute and five minutes later, Finch found Devon Kelly-Evans on the edge of the area but he put his shot narrowly wide.
Ben Stevenson found space on the right who crossed for Maddison to slot home in front of goal but a last ditch tackle saved the home side with a quarter of the game gone.
City finally went ahead in the 21st minute. Jordan Shipley, who was playing up front, found space on the right to cross for Devon Kelly-Evans to produced a fantastic finish at the near post.
The Sky Blues continued to dominate but somehow couldn't add to their scoreline thanks to two fantastic saves from Crewe keeper Liam Matthews in a brilliant first-half performance.
Devon Kelly-Evans found Stevenson in the area but his goal-bound effort was brilliantly saved before Ryan Smith supplied Devon Kelly-Evans, who should have had a hat-trick, in the area and he turned his defender but he was denied with a point-blank save.
The home side started the second half the better side and undeservedly got level thanks to a Chris Speed strike after he converted a right-sided cross in the 50th minute.
City had less chances in the second half but the City's defence, Ivor Lawton, Luke Bromley, Dion Kelly-Evans and Ryan Smith were rarely troubled in a solid performance.
Stevenson put a good chance wide in the 56th minute but the Sky Blues got regained the lead in the 77th minute thanks to a moment of magic from Finch.
Lawton was fouled 25-yards out and Finch lined up the free-kick before he found the top corner with a thumping effort; a strike worthy of winning any game.
Ryan Quinn almost got the goal his performance deserved with six minutes remaining but he put Devon Kelly-Evans' cross wide as City secured a fantastic victory at the Alex.
Team
Coventry City Under-18s: Richards (GK), R. Smith, Lawton, Bromley, Di. Kelly-Evans, Quinn, Stevenson (Masoud), Finch, De. Kelly-Evans, Shipley, Maddison (Sambou).
Unused Subs: Whitmore, Barnett, Maycock.
Crewe Alexandra: Matthews (GK), Howell, Cooper, Finney, Moran, Dolisett, Speed, Mullarkey, Saunders, Pritchard-Ellis, Neal.
Subs: Smith, Johnson, Ainley, O'Neill.