City beat Derby in eight-goal thriller to extend winning run

A thrilling first-half began with Ryan McAidoo scoring from the second phase of a corner, before Marcel Tola responded for Derby from a set-piece too.

Reigan Heskey fired City back into the lead, but Jerome Richards brought Derby level once more from a quick break.

The first 45 minutes concluded with goals from Dan Batty and Israel Green as the second and third-placed teams couldn’t be separated in an enthralling contest.

Heskey tapped in his brace and Kian Noble headed in from a corner to secure all three points for Oliver Reiss’s young team in the second-half and extend our winning run in the league to seven matches to build a three-point gap on the hosts.

WHAT HAPPENED

Reiss’s latest assignment looked to be a tough one, as our Under-18s travelled to third-placed Derby, who had won their opening three matches at Moor Farm Training Centre and were looking to bounce back from defeat to Everton last weekend.

City and Derby had scored 63 goals between them in their opening eight matches, and in this top-of-the-table clash, both teams knew how to find the back of the net.

And after a high tempo opening, City were the first team to strike.

From City’s first corner, the ball was initially cleared, but took an unfortunate deflection off Jerome Richards into the path of McAidoo, who had time to turn and shoot past Derby goalkeeper, Harley Price, and hand City the lead inside eight minutes.

It was ever so nearly two moments later, as Heskey carried the ball towards goal, and from 18-yards out, the winger struck the outside of the post with a curling effort.

Set pieces proved to be an important tactic, as Derby’s maiden corner resulted in the equaliser four minutes after City’s opener.

After a short corner routine, the City defence cleared the ball only as far as Tola inside the box, and his strike  found its way past a cluster of bodies and beyond Oliver Whatmuff.

Down at the other end, Heskey weaved his way into the box before he dropped his shoulder and his deflected attempt flew past Price to put us in the lead once again.

Five minutes later, Derby turned the ball over in midfield before playing it quickly towards the City defence. Owen Eames slipped through Richards on the right and his low shot across the face of Whatmuff’s goal rocketed into the far corner to equalise for a second time.

City, who were on the attack looking to breakthrough for a third time, had the ball deep into Derby’s half with Heskey on the left, who was a constant thorn in Derby’s defence. He set himself before spotting Dan Batty in the box, who had time to take a touch and found the back of the net with a low shot past Price.

Reiss’s side were unable to sustain the lead again as the hosts came fighting back once more.

Demiane Agustien chipped Eames through over the top and Derby’s no. 10 unselfishly squared the ball to Israel Green who ran on to the ball to equalise into an empty net.

Six goals in 27 first-half minutes saw the teams in second and third in the league go into half-time with nothing separating them.

Heskey and Divine Mukasa came close to handing City the lead, who came out for the second-half looking most likely to score again, and on 54 minutes, City did go ahead for the fourth time.

Mukasa took a quick free-kick down the right to McAidoo, and after some quick, tricky footwork, he played a low cross to Heskey to tap in his second of the match.

Derby gained momentum and looked to hit back again, as City were opened up, Agustien had space and tried his luck from outside the box,  but his effort came back off the post.

The Rams keeper then denied City extending the lead further, as Femi Fapetu set up Mukasa, who had a ferocious hit sting the palms of Price.

In a bid to pull square, substitute Sean Corry saw his half volley from inside the box test Whatmuff, who was able to save well and retain City’s lead as the clock neared 90 minutes.

Mukasa and McAidoo came close to adding a fifth if not for fine saves by Price, but City rounded off the scoring with a set-piece.

A left-footed corner from Mukasa was met by the head of Kian Noble and his terrific, looping header went over the keeper and into the net to secure all three points for City.

HOW WE LINED UP

Reiss selected Whatmuff to start between the posts, with a back-four of Charlie Courtman, Noble, Stephen Mfuni and Kaden Braithwaite protecting him.

Fapetu played in a deeper role alongside Batty and Mukasa in City’s midfield.

Heskey and McAidoo provided attacking width, with Matty Warhurst playing centrally in the attacking line.

DERBY XI | Price, K Gordon (46’ Canoville), I Gordon, Tola, Banks (C), Osayande, Richards (78’ Mintus), Agustien, Oguntolu, Eames, Green (60’ Corry)

SUBS | Rees, Friars

CITY XI | Whatmuff, Courtman, Noble, Mfuni (75’ Tevenan), Braithwaite (C), Fapetu (89’ Fletcher), McAidoo, Batty (75’ Samba), Warhurst, Mukasa, Heskey (89’ Miles)

SUBS | Grigg

WHAT IT MEANS

Victory for Reiss’s team results in City further extending our winning form to eight matches in all competitions.

City remain in second place on 22 points, five points behind Manchester United who beat Everton in an earlier kick-off.

WHAT’S NEXT

After the international break, we travel to this afternoon’s opponents, Derby, for a second successive time, but instead, for a Premier League U18 Cup clash as both teams look to qualify for the next round.

The game will be made available to watch for CITY+ subscribers and kick-off is scheduled for Saturday 23 November at 12:00 (UK).

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