Tremendous 1-0 result for our U21 this afternoon, meaning we finish 2nd in Professional Development South and go into a play-off with Northern section champions Sheffield United.
This game took place exactly a year after our 10-1 victory over the same opponents last season. This was never going to be the same type of game, although the weather was sunny enough!
Birmingham have themselves finished runners-up in PDL(N), so were no mugs. They fought like tigers all game and kept the encounter tense with dramatic breaks and chances.
We started 4-3-3 but varied the formation as the game wore on: Evan Watts; Joe Thomas, Iestyn Jones, Kian Jenkins, Josh Carey (s – Seb Dabrowski 73m); Joel Cotterill, Mitchell Bates, Ben Lloyd (s – Glory Nzingo – 73m); Cameron Congreve, Kyrell Wilson, Aimar Govea.
Unused subs: Remy Mitchell, Tom Woodward, Kai Ludvigsen.
I believe this was Aimar Govea’s first start with the U21, testimony to his accelerated progress this season.
The play was fairly even: we looked more dangerous, particularly when trying to play Congreve and Govea along the lines. Congreve had our best opportunities in the first half, Evan Watts did what was needed to deal with Birmingham breaks and shots. We took an unexpected lead on 47 minutes when a mishit corner was swept in by Joe Thomas.
The game predictably opened up after the interval, Kyrell Wilson sometimes lost his feet at inopportune moments. Glory Nzingo added nuisance value and we frequently put the harassed visitors’ defence under intense pressure. Joe Thomas was always a useful outlet in the air and on the ground on the right. Our back 4 was very impressive throughout – Iestyn Jones and Kian Jenkins had cracking matches and Josh Carey and Seb Dabrowski completed the rearguard really well. Birmingham kept pressing – and at one point had 3 shots blocked in quick succession, our defenders and Evan Watts doing everything necessary to maintain the lead.
As the game went into added time, it got scrappier and scrappier, players were going down with cramp, Birmingham freshened up with substitutes but couldn’t find a killer ball. We just about managed to get over the line. A great achievement for our academy team.
Loads of noisy kids there today, creating a really enjoyable atmosphere.