EDS and Villa share the points in eight goal thriller

EDS & Academy

Oboavwoduo: “It’s great to score two goals"

The visitors raced into a two goal advantage, with goals from Travis Patterson and Omari Kellyman.

Justin Oboavwoduo managed to pull City back into the game with a neat finish but Villa skipper Tommi O’Reilly extended their lead once again.

An end-to-end game was reflected in the first half scoreline, with our EDS pulling a goal back once again through Tai Sodje, before Kellyman secured his brace for Villa down the other end.

Oboavwoduo gave City hope before the break, grabbing a couple of goals of his own.

That hope was rewarded with a equaliser from Farid Alfa-Ruprecht late on, and it was a point apiece.

WHAT HAPPENED

The teams walked out onto the pitch at the CFA Stadium looking to stamp their mark on the league table, with both Aston Villa and City opening the new campaign with two defeats in two.

Brian Barry-Murphy’s side looked bright from the first whistle and started the game on the front foot, but the visitors had similar intentions and were the first team to break the deadlock.

Rico Richards broke down the right flank and slipped through Tommi O’Reilly in the box, his shot was chipped towards the goal but cleared off the line. Travis Patterson rushed on to the rebound and powered the ball into the net.

City were looking to get back into the game moments later.

A nice switch of player from Isaiah Dada-Mascoll found Justin Oboavwoduo on the right. He crossed the ball low into Tai Sodje, who struck a tame effort into the side netting.

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Villa were proving to be effective, countering City from our attacks.

Richards was in a central position and slotted through Patterson who collided with George Murray-Jones, but the ball fed into the path of Omari Kellyman who put away the second opportunity.

The game was end-to-end and this was eventually shown in the scoreline when our EDS pulled a goal back.

Will Dickson pressed high up the pitch and won the ball off. It was played across the box to Sodje and then to Oboavwoduo, who was alone in the box and placed a shot into the bottom corner past the Aston Villa goalkeeper, Oli Zych.

Our tails were up once more, as a cross by Lakyle Samuel reached Micah Hamilton who had a shot saved by Zych, but Sodje couldn’t sort his feet out at the far post to tap in the equaliser.

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The visitors were gifted a two goal lead again, after Richards, who was a thorn to our defensive backline, fed through Villa captain, O’Reilly, who slotted it past a diving Murray-Jones after a fine run.

Moments later, City were back to a one goal deficit. A Tom Galvez cross missed Dickson, but landed perfectly to Sodje who spun in the box and shot past the Villa goalkeeper.

After half chances went amiss by Hamilton and Villa’s Patterson, it was the visitors who extended their lead further.

Play found O’Reilly on the edge of the box, and he crossed a flat ball into Kellyman who hit a shot first time which flew past Murray-Jones to grab his second of this action-packed first half.

But the half’s scoring had not reached its conclusion. A clever Oboavwoduo was found in the box by Hamilton and he dribbled the ball past several Villa defenders to find space for himself, before sending the keeper the wrong way.

The players heeded Brian Barry-Murphy’s instructions to push up the field after the interval.

Jacob Wright had the ball placed to him by Farid Alfa Ruprecht to shoot, but his ferocious attempt was hit straight at Zych.

City kept the intensity up against a Villa side who had noticeably changed their intentions for the second half, and thought they had a penalty after Hamilton was brought down in the box. But claims were waved away by the referee, Reuben Ricardo.

However, the shirts of claret and blue were still direct and potent in attack, and Patterson thought he had wrapped the game up, but his shot was superbly saved by Murray-Jones who spread himself to keep the ball out of the net.

After a second half full of attacking intent from our young blues, it was substitute Alfa-Ruprecht who came on to be a hero.

The attacker was alone at the far post, to fire a shot into the roof of the net, to equalise.

There were two chances at the death to wrap up what, for long periods, looked an unlikely three points but Taylor and Dickson were unlucky in front of goal - the first effort denied by both posts and the second well saved by the claret and blue keeper.

HOW WE LINED UP

George Murray-Jones started in goal, and was protected by a back four of Lakyle Samuel, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Max Alleyne and Tom Galvez.

Isaiah Dada-Mascoll sat in front of the defence, with Jacob Wright playing just in front in a midfield two.

Tai Sodje and Will Dickson started up top after his goal, and they were supported by Justin Oboavwoduo and Micah Hamilton on the wings.

Manchester City EDS

XI | Murray-Jones, Samuel, Simpson-Pusey, Alleyne, Galvez, Wright, Dada-Mascoll, Dickson, Oboavwoduo, Sodje, Hamilton (C)

SUBS | Smith, Grant, Taylor, Susoho, Alfa-Ruprecht 

Aston Villa U21

XI | Zych, Triston Rowe, Revan, Feeney, Smith, Barnes, Richards, Teddy Rowe, Kellyman, T. O’Reilly (C), Patterson

SUBS | Proctor, A. O’Reilly, Afoka, Ealing, Moore

WHAT’S NEXT

Brian Barry-Murphy’s side have a break from the Premier League 2 in midweek, as we travel to the east coast to face Grimsby Town in the EFL Trophy.

Kick-off is scheduled for Tuesday 29 August at 19:30 (UK).

Next Fixture

All fixtures

Tue 29 Aug

EFL Trophy

Grimsby

19:30

BST

Man City