Wrexham Reserves 0
Manchester City Reserves 3
Central League (West Division)

Match Report

Whilst the victory over Chester the previous week had raised hopes of reaching the end-of-season play-offs this ultimately comprehensive defeat by a young City side effectively ended them! It was always likely that two victories would be needed from the final two games – both against City coincidentally – to clinch a best second-placed finish, so even if the Dragons won the final game at Hyde last Wednesday evening it’s unlikely that we’ll qualify.

It could have been a different story though as the Dragons dominated the first half and had numerous decent opportunities to take the lead. True, City could have opened the scoring in the sixth minute when the legs of Anthony Williams kept out a shot from Adrian Cieslwicz but from then until City grabbed the lead a minute into first half added-on time it was virtually one-way traffic towards the visitors’ goal.

Sam Aiston pulled a left foot shot just wide from the edge of the box after a typically mazy run, and the same player saw a first time left-foot volley from 16 yards out force a smart save from City keeper Joe Clegg diving low to his left. Josh Johnson and Aiston both managed to get behind their respective full backs but couldn’t quite pick out the killer pass, and Jeff Whitley couldn’t find the empty goal from 30 yards out after Alex Darlington had forced a hurried clearance from Clegg.

Simon Spender then surged forward from his central defensive position to play a one-two with Aiston but Clegg blocked his shot with his legs, and the keeper was fortunate again a minute or so later when Darlington charged down his clearance but he managed to smother the ball just before it crossed the line, although the assistant had flagged for what looked to be handball against the striker. Then came the crucial opening goal for City, when Abdisalam Ibrahim rose unchallenged to head Gregory Cunnigham’s right-wing corner past Williams from about 10 yards out.

Any realistic thoughts of mounting a comeback against a City side boasting several members of the side that won the FA Youth Cup a week earlier ended two minutes into the second half when Johnson’s trip inside the area gave City a penalty that Jack Redshaw clinically despatched past Williams. City then had several opportunities to extend their lead but proved wasteful in front of goal, and Silvio Spann almost grabbed a goal back on 72 minutes with a superb 30-yard free kick that stung the hands of Clegg as he pushed the ball over the bar for a corner.

City’s third goal of the evening arrived in the 87th minute when the impressive Ibrahim ventured forward and squared the ball to James Poole who emphatically beat Williams with a rising left foot shot from just inside the area.