City’s U21s returned to Premier League Cup action with a 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in an entertaining contest in south-west England on Monday evening.
MATCH SUMMARY
Both sides made a bright start at the Wyatt Homes Stadium, despite neither breaking the deadlock in the opening 20 minutes.
City nearly found the opener in the 23rd minute, with Isaac Davies’ devastating through ball sending Riley Hilaire-Clarke on his way, before the winger cut inside and fired just wide.
The Cherries responded strongly, taking the lead through Dacosta Gonzalez after a quickly taken free kick. Max Aarons floated a ball over the City defence to the on-rushing George Chubinidze, who found Gonzalez to tap home.
Less than four minutes later, Gonzalez doubled the hosts’ advantage with an effort from outside the box into the bottom-left corner.
Matthew Bloxham’s side continued to show real resilience, with their efforts rewarded just before half-time.
Following two excellently disguised feints from Isaac Davies and Jake Davies, the former latched onto the ball and produced a defence-splitting cross for Hilaire-Clarke to slip the ball past Mack Allan.
Hilaire-Clarke nearly had a second of the evening, just 20 seconds after play had resumed for the second half. The winger lifted the ball over Allan after another Isaac Davies through ball, only for the experienced Aarons to produce a crucial last-ditch clearance.
Further efforts followed from both sides, before Bournemouth found an all-important third goal to restore their two-goal advantage in the 63rd minute.
Following a quick throw-in from Aarons, Daniel Jebbison spun in behind and powered into the box before finding the roof of the net.
City continued to show their attacking endeavour, pulling a goal back through Noah Williams who nodded home from an Ellis Yorke corner in the 87th minute.
Thierry Katsukunya very nearly found a dramatic late equaliser, but his strike from outside of the box was brilliantly denied by Allan in the Bournemouth goal.
PRE-MATCH | HAYDEN ALLMARK
City winger Hayden Allmark is looking to build on his impressive recent form, having netted twice and registered an assist across his first two starts of the campaign.
“It feels good to get my first back-to-back starts of the season against Charlton and Coventry. I’ve had really good stats across both, and I want to keep that form going into the next game and those that are coming up.
“As a group we can take confidence from our seven-game unbeaten run in the league, our preparation has been great, and it will be a really important game against Bournemouth.
“There’s been a good atmosphere within the group, our training has been top all week, and everyone is working hard to drive the standards higher and higher.
“Us, Bournemouth and Leicester are all sitting on the same points, so this game is so important in how the group could finish.
“However, we are still confident we can get through to the knockout stages. We are scoring a lot of goals which helps and could play a factor in goal difference in going through or not, and the confidence is flowing through the team right now.”
LAST TIME OUT
The young Bluebirds played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with fellow high-flyers Coventry City at Cardiff International Sports Campus on Tuesday evening.
City took the lead in the 13th minute through Hayden Allmark, who netted his second goal in as many games.
An excellently worked team goal, with Allmark applying the finish at the back post after an excellent cross from his opposite winger Jake Davies.
Matthew Bloxham’s side continued to dominate the opening half, creating multiple chances to find a second.
That attacking endeavour paid off when Herbie James struck in the 42nd minute, the striker’s third goal of the season.
Allmark picked up the ball on the left before threading a beautifully disguised through ball into James’ feet, who swivelled inside the box and fired past Eliot Meredith.
Just as City looked set to take their two-goal advantage into the break, MacKenzie Stretton halved the deficit against the run of play.
City were not deterred, however, continuing to move the ball with real purpose and pushing to restore their two-goal lead after the interval.
Allmark very nearly struck his third goal in two games when his powerful effort came crashed off the crossbar, before James pounced on the rebound, only to see his shot incredibly denied by Meredith.
Despite City looking very likely to find their third of the evening, it was the visitors who found the next goal.
A similarly scrappy goal saw City unable to clear a floated cross into the area, allowing George Shepherd to find a slight touch and level the score at 2-2 in the 68th minute.
Neither side were able to find a winner in the closing stages, which means City's unbeaten league run now stretches to seven matches dating back to late August.
OPPOSITION FOCUS
The Cherries sit top of Group B in the Premier League Cup with six points and a goal difference of +3 after three fixtures.
Leicester City U21s and the young Bluebirds also have six points after three games, occupying second and third place respectively on goal difference, leaving it all to play for in the final three group matches.
The winner of Group B will progress to the Last 16 alongside the other nine group winners, while the six best runners-up from the 10 groups will also advance to make up the knockout rounds.
Under manager Alan Connell, Bournemouth are winless in their last three games in all competitions, with their most recent fixture ending in a 1-1 draw away to Baffins Milton Rovers in the Hampshire Senior Cup on Wednesday night.
However, to their credit, they sit 9th in Premier League 2, holding a play-offs spot with 10 points from six games, following three wins, one draw and two defeats.
Last time out in Premier League Cup action, the Cherries ran out comfortable 6-1 winners against Plymouth Argyle, sending them top of Group B on goal difference.
In the reverse fixture at Cardiff International Sports Campus, City secured an impressive 4-1 victory following a brace from Troy Perrett, as well as goals from Rob Tankiewicz and Jack Sykes.
TICKET INFORMATION
Entry to this Premier League Cup group stage encounter is free of charge and open to all spectators at the Wyatt Homes Stadium.
REACHING THE GROUND
Supporters planning on attending the fixture should use the following address:
Wimborne Town Football Club, 16 Ainsley Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2FU.
For supporters that are travelling by car, the Wyatt Homes Stadium is accessible via the main road networks into Wimborne, including the A31 and A341. Parking is available at the ground for all supporters.
For those travelling via public transport, once you arrive at Bournemouth train station, you can then catch the number 13 bus towards Wimborne. It is then advised to get off at the Parmiter Road stop, which leaves a 7–8-minute walk to the ground on Ainsley Road.