U18 | Cardiff City 0-2 Coventry City

Academy

In a game of mixed possession and plenty of opportunities, Cardiff City’s U18 side were unfortunate to come away with a 0-2 loss against Coventry City at Dragon Park.

The young Bluebirds had the first real opportunity of the match after four minutes, although Sam Bowen’s low free kick from 25-yards out went just wide of the right post.

Then five minutes later, Coventry’s Sion Green looked destined to score when he went through on goal, however George Ratcliffe did brilliantly to speed off his goal line and stop the shot.

Ratcliffe was looking on top form when he pulled out a tremendous double save after 11 minutes. The goalkeeper parried Morgan Crowther’s effort from six-yards, before recovering to catch Liam Doyle’s powerfully struck shot from the edge of the area.

A delay in the match due to Kieron Evans’ injury meant that there would be a chunky 12 minutes of added time.

In the ninth minute of stoppage time, the away side broke the deadlock through Jack Burroughs’ 30-yard strike; it proved to be too powerful for Ratcliffe who tried his best to keep it out.

After the interval, City came out of the blocks firing, and Sion Spence came close after 54 minutes when his shot from outside the box sailed over the bar. Moreover, he closed in on goal 13 minutes later but his shot was blocked by a defender.

The home side were rampantly hunting for an equaliser and they weren't far away from getting one after 75 minutes, when Bowen’s volley from outside the area went inches astray of the left post.

However one minute later, the Sky Blues’ Burroughs scored again to make the score 0-2 and seal a brace and all three points. A clinical finish on the counter to secure victory for the away side.

U18 FULL TIME: CARDIFF CITY 0-2 COVENTRY CITY

Cardiff City: Ratcliffe, Davies, Margetson (Sharif 83’), Jones, Bodenham, Bowen, Parsons, Patten, Davies, Spence, Evans (Proctor 37’). Subs Not Used: Burwood, Pinchard.

Coventry City: Naylor, Green, Fixter, Rowe, White, Endall, Green (Johnson 78’), Doyle, Crowther, Burroughs, JN’Gandu (Whitmore 84’). Subs Not Used: N/A.