Youngsters record impressive win over the Blues
Wanderers’ under-18 side ended their Manchester City counterparts’ 13-match winning streak with an emphatic 5-2 victory at Lostock on Saturday.Heading into the clash off the back of a narrow defeat to Newcastle United last weekend, David Lee and Tony Kelly’s youngsters were forced to pit their wits against torrential conditions inside the opening stages of the game.
Not to be deterred by the bad weather however, the Whites proceeded to take the lead through Tom Walker who drilled home from 18 yards after great work from Aaron Knight outside the area.
A dream start for the hosts, City did hit back with efforts from Thierry Ambrose and Brandon Barker, but Bolton keeper Harry Campbell was equal to their efforts to maintain Wanderers’ advantage.
Having weathered the storm in more ways than one, Bolton hit the visitors with a sucker punch shortly before the break as Jamie Thomas unleashed an angled drive from 20 yards which gave City goalkeeper Billy O’Brien no chance.
With a commanding lead under their belts, Wanderers made it three a matter of minutes after the restart with Elliot Newby pouncing on a loose ball which the City defence had failed to deal with a corner.
A game which seemed destined for just one result, City's young side weren’t finished yet and had a goal back just three minutes later as Barker’s shot took a deflection on its way into the net.
A tonic for the Blues, they snatched a second moments later as an unmarked Ambrose fired home past Campbell for his 15th goal of an impressive season for City.
An unexpected scoreline given Wanderers’ dominance early on, the visitors pushed for an equaliser as the clock ran down with Barker going close to notching his second of the game, while Olivier Ntcham fired narrowly over the crossbar.
With City piling bodies forward, Wanderers capitalised on a lack of bodies at the back and hit the Blues on the break, with Walker and Newby combining for the former to score from 12 yards out and put hopes of a Blues’ comeback to bed.
The Whites weren’t finished there however, with Thomas taking advantage of a poor kick from O’Brien to fire home and make it five with just three minutes to gol.
Speaking following the game, coach Lee admitted his delight at the result and the performance that went with it by his young side.
“It was a fantastic result,” he said following the final whistle. “It was a great performance all round, and we were really pleased with the overall desire and attitude of the players.
“We came up against a very good Manchester City team who had been on an incredible run of form, so to score five excellent goals and secure such a great result is testament to the players we have here.”
Bolton: Campbell, Greenaugh, Garratt, Honeyball, Ball, Kennedy, Newby, Cvetko, Knight (Abbotts, 50), Thomas, Walker
Manchester City: O’Brien, Maffeo, Smith-Brown, Bossaerts, Angelino, Byrne, Bryan (Celina 81), Ntcham (Boadu 77), Pozo (Intima 22), Ambrose, Barker