Crewe netted three first-half goals as a young Under-18s side suffered defeat at the Alan Higgs Centre...
Coventry City Under-18s fell to a 3-0 defeat despite a dominant second-half performance against Crewe Alexandra at the Alan Higgs Centre.
The Sky Blues named a young side as only two second-year apprentices started against the same side who knocked City out of the FA Youth Cup.
The Alex started strongly and were rewarded in the 8th minute as Liam O’Neill tucked home from a right-sided corner as City failed to clear.
City responded well to going behind and could have pulled themselves level when Ben Stevenson found Jordan Shipley with a brilliant ball over the top, but Shipley directed his shot wide in the 18th minute.
City keeper Alex Gott was called into action just five minutes later when Jamie Jones’ effort from the edge of the area was brilliantly saved.
Jamie Jones didn’t have to wait long to get on the score-sheet though as he directed a fantastic free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards to double Crewe’s lead in the 28th minute.
City had two injury concerns within the next five minutes as Jay Albini was stretchered off after a poor challenge and Devon Kelly-Evans sustained a serious head injury after an aerial challenge.
Bassala Sambou was fouled in the area four minutes before half-time, but Ben Stevenson’s penalty was well saved to deny City a way back into the game.
To compound City’s misery, Crewe added a third in the final minute of the first half when Joe Howell headed home at the back-post from a right-sided set-piece.
Darren Murray’s side came out with renewed purpose in the second-half and should have got themselves level when James Maddison flashed his shot wide after a brilliant pass from Dion Kelly-Evans in the 56th minute.
City continued to press forward during the second-half with substitute Kyle Barnett providing important link-up play and Jordan Smith put his shot wide in the 70th minute after a brilliant flowing move.
Just a minute later, Dion Kelly-Evans went close when he was brilliantly picked out by Maddison but his powerful curling effort was well saved by Robbie Johnson.
Despite a dominant second-half, City couldn’t get the goals their performance merited as Sambou put a late effort over the bar.
Teams
Coventry City: Gott (GK), Di. Kelly-Evans, J. Smith, Harries (Barnett 54), De. Kelly-Evans (Whitmore 34), Albini (Bromley 31), Stevenson, Maycock, Shipley, Sambou, Maddison.
Subs: Richards (GK).
Crewe Alex: Johnson, Pino, NG, Jones (C), Moran, Johnson, Brown, Howell, Smith, Speed, O'Neill.
Mullarley, Mattheus, Allcock, Kearns, Cooper.Subs: