Leicester City Under 21s 3 Stoke City Under 21s 0: Where there’s a Will, there’s a way
Leicester City Under 21s climbed to 21st in the PL2 table thanks to goals from Oliver Ewing and Logan Briggs which fired Ben Petty’s side to a 3-0 victory over visitors Stoke City at Seagrave on Monday night.
The Foxes were off to a rapid start, taking only 4 minutes to break the deadlock, with a well-worked opener courtesy of Oliver Ewing. Following some smart link-up down the left-hand side, the exciting Will Alves picked up the ball in a dangerous area before beating two defenders on the outside and squaring to Ewing in the 6-yard box, who was there in space to tap home.
It was the same duo who combined just three minutes later when Leicester doubled their lead in similar fashion. This time, Alves made a darting run in behind - again on the left - and ran onto a through ball in space, once more picking out Ewing with a precise low cross, who this time finished at the back post.
Leicester were good value for this early scoreline, and continued to dominate and press the game well. Silko Thomas in particular had the better of his full-back, as much of the Foxes’ attacks continued advancing down the left. Thomas linked up with Sammy Braybrooke and Alves, putting together excellent combinations of short passing to provide a constant threat all evening.
The hosts worked two more decent opportunities as the half wore on, first through Chris Popov drawing a good save from Stoke goalkeeper Tommy Simkin with an effort from outside the box, and then Braybrooke who drove forward from his central midfield position and fired just wide of the near post.
Approaching half-time, while it was Leicester who had the impetus, putting together intricate passing play and foraging forward on several occasions, they were given some close scares as they presented the ball to Stoke - perhaps a function of the playing out from the back that Petty demands in line with Enzo Maresca’s first team - in dangerous areas, with the visitors unable to find the target.
In the first half, the Foxes played in a similar shape to Maresca’s side, as has been the case in recent games, with Brandon Cover inverting into midfield from right-back when City had the ball, joining Braybrooke in a double-pivot. Captain Joe Wormleighton then played on the right-hand side of the defence, with Arjan Raikhy at central centre back and Mirsad Ali on the left. All the defenders looked secure and confident when called upon - Raikhy in particular showing assurance on the ball - despite Leicester not having the busiest of games at the back. In the advanced roles, Alves played as a left-attacking midfielder with Ewing on the right.
Wanya-Marcal Madivadua – as was the case for the first team earlier in the season – was on the right wing, looking to make runs in behind, with the explosive Thomas on the left demanding ball to feet. As in the first team, the advanced midfielders stretched the pitch with runs from the inside, taking balls from the wingers to then pick out players in the box – as demonstrated by City’s pair of first half goals. Chris Popov provided a strong presence up top, with the Wales Under-21 international a handful for the Stoke defence all evening.
The second half started quietly – if a little frantically – with both teams looking to create opportunities but nothing concrete coming for either. The latest attempt for the hosts was from Braybrooke in the 58th minute, who sent a low effort sailing narrowly wide. Popov then worked his own opportunity, with a rifled shot deflected tantalisingly over the bar.
In a rare second half attack, Stoke spurned a good chance when Jack Griffiths stretched for a low incoming cross but could only divert wide of Leicester goalkeeper Brad Young’s far post. Young had little to do all game but was steady when called upon to gather balls that came over the top and comfortably save a couple of Stoke attempts on goal.
Next, Cover, who won the ball expertly, particularly in the second half, demonstrated his defensive ability and then his passing accuracy to find Thomas with a cross-field ball, with the latter’s cross into the corridor of uncertainty unable to find a Leicester boot.
In the following 15 minutes, the Petty called upon his bench, making a host of changes to give opportunities to players across his squad. Alves, Popov, Wanya-Marcal and brace-scorer Ewing were all replaced by Logan Briggs, Amani Richards, Jayden Joseph and Kian Pennant. Briggs and Joseph came into the advanced midfield roles, with Pennant playing through the middle and the rapid Amani Richards looking lively on the right-hand side in the final 15 minutes.
As the rain started to come down hard at a stormy Seagrave, substitute Briggs added a third for the hosts, when Braybrooke set him through on goal in the box with a perfectly weighted through-ball. Briggs confidently found the bottom right-corner with his left-foot with a brilliant strike, which ultimately sealed the points for the Foxes.
Leicester hit the post late on following smart link-up play between Joseph and Richards, with a cross finding Thomas from the right-hand side, who deflected it onto the woodwork.
This chance was the last significant opportunity for either side, with referee Dale Baines blowing the full-time whistle after five minutes of stoppage time, concluding a strong and dominant performance for Leicester. A convincing 3-0 victory and 3 points on the board.
There were impressive displays all over the pitch for City, with particular stand-out performers Braybrooke, who looks a fantastic player on the ball, and Alves - extremely tricky and constantly breezing past defenders. I was once again impressed by the exciting threat of Thomas, and credit too must go to Ewing who took up perfect positions to secure his brace on the night.
Petty: Alves First Team ready?
I caught a quick word with Leicester manager Ben Petty at full-time, who was delighted with the victory and performance, alluding to the Foxes great start to the game, where they were able to “come out on the front foot”.
Petty said the lineup was probably the Foxes’ strongest of the season, with Alves and Braybrooke looking solid after long injury lay-offs suffered last year.
I asked him about Will Alves, who was withdrawn after 60 minutes. Petty said this was just a precaution, hinting at a potential first team return for the youngster: “we want to keep him [Alves] fresh for the first team as well [where he can] hopefully maybe get some action before the end of the season”. This is a prospect which will certainly excite a lot of Leicester fans.
What does this victory mean?
This win, City’s first in five games, helps the Foxes jump to 21st in the table on 17 points. Ryan Shawcross’s Stoke City Under 21s, meanwhile, remain on 23 points in 17th place.
This is ahead of the final round of games of the season, with Leicester visiting Rush Green Training Ground to take on West Ham on Friday 26th April, kicking off at 7pm.
Teams
Leicester City Under 21s: Young, Cover, Wormleighton (c), Raikhy, Ali, Braybrooke, Ewing, Alves, Marcal, Thomas, Popov.
Substitutes: Joseph, Doherty, Richards, Briggs, Pennant.
Stoke City Under 21s: Simkin, Tchamadeu, Bickerton, Smith, Anderson, Dixon, Griffiths, Mears, Jeffers, Sparrow (c), Jojic.
Substitutes: Enright, Brooks, Yearn, Lipsiuc, Nyahwema.
Referee: Dale Baines.
