CITY U18: CARDIFF 2-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED

Two goals early in each half were enough for City to come away with three points in a hard fought game against the young Blades.

Cardiff started the game strongly and hit the post just four minutes in, central midfielder Tom Burridge’s curling free-kick from the corner of the area struck the woodwork.

But they didn’t have to wait long to break the deadlock, centre back Rollin Menayese intercepted a Sheffield pass in his own half and drove all the way to the opponent’s 18 yard box where he played a one-two with Jamie Veale and his low cross was turned into his own net by a Blades defender.

City thought they had scored again five minutes later but Eli Phipps’s strike was chalked off for offside. 

Sheffield found it tough to break down the home team and had their first chance of note on 23 minutes when striker Dan Cocherline rounded ‘keeper Joe Massaro but his shot was cleared off the line by recovering defender Ashley Baker. Massaro was called into action again shortly after but held comfortably from Cocherline’s shot to preserve City’s lead at half time.

City doubled their lead five minutes after the break. Jake Watkins’ initial shot was blocked by defender Ioan Evans but Eli Phipps was on hand to fire the rebound into the bottom left-hand corner to continue his red hot scoring form.

Phipps almost got his second of the game soon after but his shot from Tom Pearson’s pull back was blocked. From the resulting corner, Tom Burridge’s long-range effort was held comfortably by the Sheffield ‘keeper Eastwood.

Sheffield United went looking for a way back into the game and almost pulled one back but substitute Joe Cheeseman’s header from a corner fell wide of the mark.

The Blades did have another chance just before full-time when striker Jake Wright was put through one-on-one but Massaro stayed firm to deny him and keep his clean-sheet intact. This was arguably the best chance the visitors could muster as they were well kept out by an organised City defence.

The Cardiff City apprentices saw out the game to leave them unbeaten in their last four matches and will hope to extend that run when they travel to face the other Sheffield side, Wednesday on Saturday 18th October 2014.

CARDIFF CITY: Massaro, Rees, Abbruzzese, Patten, Menayese, Baker, Watkins, Burridge, Phipps (Bellamy ‘73), Veale (Taylor ’77), Pearson. Subs Not Used: Williams, Wakeman, Humphries.

GOAL-SCORERS: OG (‘7) Eli Phipps (’50)

SHEFFIELD UNITED: Eastwood, Ishmail, Brown (Ramsey ’71), Shea, Evans, Semple (Cheeseman ’59), Heh, Calvert-Lewis, Cocherline (Kedman ’38), Wright, Hinchcliffe. Subs Not Used: Ramsdale, Hutchinson.