Warhurst hat-trick inspires comeback win at Leeds | OneFootball

Matty Warhurst scored a second-half hat-trick as Manchester City came from behind to beat Leeds United 4-1 in the Under-18s Premier League North.

The hosts were awarded a penalty on 21 minutes after a foul by Rhys Thomas and their top goalscorer, Harry Gray, stepped up and converted from the spot.

At the start of the second-half, Matty Warhurst dispatched Luca Fletcher’s squared ball, and 12 minutes later fired a shot into the far corner of the net on the half volley after the ball was set up perfectly from a rebounded shot.

Justin Oboavwoduo scored his first goal of the season for the Under-18s striking into the bottom left corner from a central position, before Warhurst claimed his hat-trick by rounding Owen Grainger and tapping into an empty net.

Ben Wilkinson’s side produced an excellent, attacking, second-half performance and blew Leeds United away in the dress rehearsal before the FA Youth Cup final in under two weeks time.

WHAT HAPPENED

Ben Wilkinson’s side travelled to West Yorkshire to face an in-form Leeds United side who we’ll play again in FA Youth Cup Final at the Etihad on Friday 10th May.

City attempted to cause the hosts problems in the first 20 minutes, but were unable to test Owen Grainger in Leeds United goal.

Instead, Harry Gray burst forward from the halfway line and was brought down in the penalty area by Rhys Thomas, which resulted in the referee pointing to the spot. Gray, stepped up and converted the penalty past Wint to give the young Whites the lead.

Buoyed by the opener, the fourth placed side in the league were searching for second.

After a period of sustained pressure, Devon Brockie had a shot in the 18-yard box blocked by Stephen Mfuni, and to Wint’s delight, the ball fell nicely into his gloves.

Leeds United’s top goalscorer, Gray, was causing our defence all sorts of difficulties as some neat footwork  to cut inside bought the striker space to try and catch Wint at the near post, but the City keeper got a hand to it.

Moments later, City had their best chance of the match. Matty Warhurst curled a left footed strike which had to be tipped over by Grainger with a finger tip, one handed save to deny us a leveller.

Momentum swung in the away side’s favour, as Justin Oboavwoduo disposed Leeds in their own half, Fletcher pounced onto the loose ball and ran through on goal, his shot from a narrow angle was blocked by the Whites keeper.

Manchester City came out for the second half with attaching intent, and got back into the match within three minutes.

Fletcher intercepted a weak back pass from Joseph Richards, and squared the ball to Matty Warhurst who’s scuffed effort made it way across the goal line after Daniel Toulson was unable to keep it out.

The wind was in our sails as Dunbar-McDonald and Fletcher both had blocked attempts inside the Leeds box as we searched for another breakthrough.

Fletcher thought he had gave us the lead on two occasions after being one-on-one with Grainger, his effort met the glove of the Leeds keeper, before he struck the woodwork which left the young striker with his head in his hands.

The post was denying us a second, as Warhurst had an attempt rebound off the woodwork, but another goal was in Warhurst’s future as he scored for the second time in the match.

The ball fell to goalscorer after Dunbar-McDonald had an effort blocked, his strike on the half volley from the right fired past Grainger into the far top left corner of the net.

City were in the ascendancy, as Oboavwoduo worked an opening for himself on the edge of the 18-yard box and struck past Grainger into the bottom left corner from a central position.

The scoring was capped off by Warhurst, after Fletcher had slipped him through on goal and the young striker ran through before slotting the ball past Grainger to secure his hat-trick.

Fletcher and substitue, Reigan Heskey, both made Grainger work late on as City produced the perfect response to Tuesday’s Under-18s Premier League Cup defeat.

HOW WE LINED UP

Ben Wilkinson made seven changes to the side that narrowly lost the Under-18s Premier League Cup final in midweek. Jack Wint started in goal, with a back four of Rhys Thomas, Stephen Mfuni, Luke Drake and Seb Naylor protecting him.

Oluwafemi Fapetu shielded the defence, with Seth Chingwaro and Justin Oboavwoduo pushing higher up in the midfield.

Luca Fletcher led the attacking line-up, with Matty Warhurst and Christian Dunbar-McDonald closely supporting him on the wings.

Leeds United Under-18s

XI | Grainger, Richards, Toulson (C), Cresswell, Billett, Brockie, Lane, Pickles, Brown, Vincent, Gray

Subs | Kenyon, Dudley, Morris, White, Simo

Manchester City Under-18s

XI | Wint, Thomas, Drake, Mfuni, Naylor, Fapetu, Warhurst, Chingwaru, Fletcher, Oboavwoduo, Dunbar-McDonald

Subs | Whatmuff, Headley, Gorman, Alcala, Heskey

WHAT’S NEXT

Our academy outfit are back in Under-18s Premier League North action again next weekend as we continue to build momentum ahead of the FA Youth Cup final. We travel down the M6 to play Stoke City at Clayton Wood.

Kick-off is scheduled for Saturday 4 May at 11:00 (UK).