Match Report
B
Under 23s
lues Under-23s produced a stirring second-half display to wipe out a two-goal advantage away from home in the Second City Derby.
At Bodymoor Heath, Steve Spooner’s side trailed by the break but even that deficit could have been avoided with a clinical edge at either end of the pitch during the first-half. The hosts drew first blood in a topsyturvy encounter, with winger Tristan Abldeen-Goodridge converting Caleb Chukwuemeka’s square ball into an empty net after his teammate had poached possession inside the penalty area in the 14th minute. But not to be undone, Blues fought back and levelled within the first half an hour of action in freezing conditions. Having almost assisted Kieran Wakefield just moments earlier, George Hall went one better
and equalised when Jobe Bellingham and Oriol Soldevila combined with finesse to provide him with a giftwrapped close-range finish. This leveller was well merited on the balance of play, although did not have the desired effect as the home side retook the lead just five minutes later. Chukwuemeka located Keenan Davis inside the box who turned neatly and progressed towards goal where he went over under a challenge from goalkeeper Archie Matthews, with Trezeguet finding the corner from the resulting penalty. Chukwuemeka and Davis linked again just seven minutes after the break to similar effect and the latter bounded clear of visiting defenders to finish well from 12 yards out. Such a setback may have sunk weaker ships, but the one steered by Spooner and Paul Williams went against the tide and picked up a head of steam to produce a memorable comeback in North Warwickshire.
Aston Villa: Marschall, Alcock, Barber (Pierre 41), Lindley, Munroe, Iroegbunam, Trezeguet (Frith 60), Thorndike, Davis, Chukwuemeka (Young) 78, Abledeen-Goodridge Substitutes not used: Wright, Young Booking: None. Blues: Matthews, Williams, Idehen, Boyd-Munce, Fogarty, Roberts captain, Hall, Walker, Wakefield (Simmonds 68), Bellingham (Hurst 78), Soldevila Substitutes not used: Basey, Hurst, Simmonds, ThompsonSommers, Sullivan Booking: None. turn of pace to intercept a rogue back-pass before flicking past Filip Marschall. This set up a grandstand finish and Blues had the last laugh to claim a fully deserved point. After going close on a number of occasions beforehand, Soldevila was initially denied only for second-half substitute Kyle Hurst to pounce upon the rebound.
Soldevila was switched into a central area of the attack and started to cause havoc, the upshot being his positioning and anticipation to pull one back just three minutes after the hosts had extended their lead. The Spaniard showed an impressive 24 | BLUES NEWS
BIRMINGHAM CITY vs CARDIFF CITY
