An unusually below par youth side saw their hopes of making the FA Youth Cup Final stall against a Manchester City side who looked every inch potential cup winners at the Stadium of Light. The Blues had Ulsterman Ryan McGivern to thank for both goals in a tense match where the lack of the usual flowing football by both sides probably emanated from the high stakes of winning or losing a semi final.

After an edgy opening five minutes by the Lads they settled down and started looking more comfortable in possession. Luscombe did well to earn an early corner after good hold up play by Henderson but from the kick Luscombe himself got in Cornforth’s way and probably put off his team mate. On eleven minutes, Niall McArdle’s long raking ball almost saw Martyn Waghorn sneak into the box but the City defender just did enough to out muscle him and shepherd the ball out.

On the quarter hour mark Waghorn held the ball up well and played it out wide to Henderson and as he cut in and let fly, his shot cum cross was deflected out for another corner kick. At this point the Lads looked the better team and had started to exert more authority on the game but the game lulled and became scrappy and at times clumsy as both McArdle and Cook picked up yellows for poor challenges.

City sent the Lads a warning that it wasn’t going to be all one way just before the half hour mark when keeper Dan Staples did well to get to the ball first and clear after Sturridge’s blistering burst of pace had left our back line for dead. On 38 minutes, and somewhat against the run of play, City got the opening goal and it was a fortunate one too. Sunderland failed to clear a corner and McGivern’s shot from the edge of the box took a hefty deflection and sneaked inside the left hand post, giving Dan Staples absolutely no chance.

H/T 0-1

At half time Ryan Noble came on for Cook and his pace caused City some problems. Four minutes in, he and Waghorn combined well to create an opening for Luscombe from the edge of the box but his excellent effort smacked the far post and Henderson unusually missed the target from the rebound when he probably should have done better.

Five minutes later the Lads nearly paid for the miss as poor defending allowed David Ball in but Staples did well to come out quickly and block. Luscombe’s good run down the left opened up the City defence and his clever cut back gave Wags a sight of goal from just inside the box but the young striker leant back too far and scooped his shot well over the target.

Just before the hour mark captain Jack Colback did well to block a shot on goal but his touch saw the ball go out of play for a City corner. From the resultant kick, City doubled their lead and McGivern got his second of the night as he rose pretty much unchallenged on the edge of the six yard box to head home Donal McDermott’s corner.

Ten minutes later as the Lads stepped it up and searched for a toe-hold in the tie, Waghorn twisted and turned deep inside the area, getting beyond the keeper but saw his shot blocked. The rebound fell to Noble and as he took a touch to settle the ball, goalscorer McGivern repositioned himself well and managed to block Noble’s shot.

Staples again did well when yet again Ball all too easily evaded our back line and went clean through. It was Groundhog Day minutes later when McArdle failed to keep tight or strong must have been grateful to Cornforth for clearing off the line with Staples beaten. On 78 minutes a good ball in, saw City keeper Hartley clash with one of his own defenders and as they crashed to the floor Colback headed over with an unguarded net at his mercy.

City got the ball in the net once again but it was flagged for offside although Michael Kay must have looked nervously across at the linesman, as it appeared to be a very tight call. In added time Jordan Henderson curled in a lovely free kick, which only needed a touch to grab a goal, but unfortunately the touch was from a City defender to push it out for a corner.

The Lads really have their work cut out on Tuesday against a classy City side who boasted some fantastic players, with Sturridge’s pace and power, McGivern’s all round play, Ball’s predatory threat and best of all Vladimir Weiss who looked like the blue half of Manchester’s answer to Ronaldo, with exceptional balance, pace and ball control, definitely one for the future.

Full Time: Sunderland Youths 0 -2 Manchester City Youths

Sunderland: Staples, Kay, Liddle, Hourihane (Galer), Cornforth, McArdle, Henderson, Colback, Waghorn, Cook (Noble), Luscombe.

Subs unused: Hunter, L Noble, Brown

Man of the Match: City’s McGivern overall, with Luscombe the pick of our lads.

Attendance: 4191

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