U21 Professional Development League 2
Team: Archer, Laird, Jude-Boyd, Hawkins, Balogun, Gubbins, Willock, Owens, Kargbo, Dixon-Bonner, Richards
Subs: Salamon, Rossi, Bala, De Silva, Pedder
The eagerly awaited team sheets revealed the likes of Leon Balogun, Chris Willock and Taylor Richards in the starting line-up.
Six minutes into the game and a good ball from Ethan Laird found Taylor Richards, whose shot was then stopped by Bradley Mayo.
Taylor Richards was in action again when he won the ball on the right-flank before cutting-in and his effort from close to the near-post was saved.
At the other end, after City had seized upon a loose ball, Jordan Archer, quick as a flash, sped out to clear the danger.
A good ball from the left found Hamzad Kargbo and his header was successfully grabbed by the Blues keeper.
Following a quick one-two, Frank Tattum’s shot just evaded the upright.
Rangers were denied a blatant penalty when Taylor Richards was clipped in the box. We even heard the contact, but Mr Read wasn’t interested. Half-time: 0-0.
Two changes were made for the commencement of the second-half, which saw the introduction of Dillon De Silva and Ivo Rossi at the expense of Ethan Laird and Leon Balogun respectively.
The visitors were certainly having the best of the early stages of the second-half. Jordan Archer made a superb close-range, one-handed save.
Then, following a ricochet in the box, the R’s keeper bravely denied City taking the lead.
However, it was the R’s who got their noses in front after 62 minutes when Ivo Rossi’s free kick was superbly headed in by Hamzad Kargbo. This was followed by Steven Bala replacing Chris Willock.
The final change was made six minutes later when Rafferty Pedder came on for Taylor Richards.
In the 79th minute, Steven Bala burst forward and pulled the trigger, but his shot was blocked by a defender.
The R’s doubled their lead from Elijah Dixon-Bonner’s sweetly struck strike, following Rafferty Pedder’s cross from the right.
Hamzad Kargbo belted his shot just over the bar. Steven Bala was crudely taken out on the right-flank, but no action was taken by the referee!
A dangerous ball put across the Rangers’ six-yard box somehow evaded everybody!
Coventry City were the B Team’s next opponents at the Powerday Stadium the following week.
Steve Russell