Coventry City’s U18s lost 4-1 at home to Sheffield United this Saturday in a game that saw the hosts go down to 10 men.
City’s morning didn’t start as planned as after just five minutes Reece Massey went down injured and had to be stretchered off, forcing the Sky Blues to make their first change much earlier than expected, with Alex Costa being introduced.
The first half hour saw visitors on top and they made the breakthrough when minutes when Will Lankshear beat Luke Bell from the edge of the box.
A second came soon after through Bailey-Green as the attacker had the ball handed him to on a plate after a superb cutback, leaving him to comfortably slot it home.
However, the two-goal lead didn’t last long, and City strike Sam Rodber provided an instant response for the Sky Blues after he hammered the ball home from close range.
The first half didn’t end there though, and the final play of the half saw Lankshear grab his second of the game with a header, giving the away side a two-goal lead going into the break.
City came out for the second half looking to get back into the game and in the first five minutes looked strong, but that would all change when Joe Nightingale was sent off for a late challenge.
Despite the red card and having a man less, the young Sky Blues increased the tempo and created plenty of half chances, none of which they could finish off.
Captain George Burroughs led a comeback attempt with his drives forward from centre-back as well as Craig Hewitt and Aaron Evans-Harriott providing plenty of width.
However, it was the visitors who would eventually find the back of the net and grab their fourth five minutes from time.
Lankshear grabbed his hattrick against the run of play to deny any chance of a Coventry comeback.
Coventry XI: Bell, Reeve, Harland (Purves 60’), Massey (Costa 7’), Burroughs, McGrath, Evans-Hariott, Pitts-Eckersall (Forsyth 88’), Rodber, Nightingale, Hewitt.
Subs: Taylor, Fallows.
Sheffield United XI: Chapman, Williams, Angell (Walpron 85’), Arblaster, Cullinan, Anderson, Bailey-Green (Osula 70’), Smith, Lankshear, Marsh, Havenhand (Hampson 61’).
Subs: Osula, Hampshire, Slater.