City's U18s tame Wolves to earn 18th successive league win | OneFootball

Divine Mukasa's second half brace initiated City's fight for a 3-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers to maintain our five-point lead at the Under-18 Premier League North summit.

After a difficult opening 45 minutes, Oliver Reiss's squad charged out the gates in the second half and in turn caught Wolves off guard.

As a result, Mukasa won a spot kick and converted from 12-yards just before the hour mark.

The in-form number 10 then bagged his 16th league goal of the season with a fantastic solo goal which included eye-catching trickery that left Wolves goalkeeper George Hardy scrambling to deny the second.

Substitute Finlay Gorman completed the scoring, making it three five minutes before full-time with a composed finish to extend our winning run to 18 games in the Under-18 Premier League North.

WHAT HAPPENED

A windy and sunny Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground played host to our latest away affair with the team looking to put on a positive performance ahead of next week’s FA Youth Cup semi-final trip to Watford.

The opening 10 minutes saw City sit comfortably on the ball, trying to drag Wolves’ press high forward and allow us space out wide and in behind the midfield. But the hosts remained patient, hoping Reiss’s side would make a mistake for them to pounce on.

But the blunder would fall in favour of City after a misplaced pass by goalkeeper Hardy saw Christian Dunbar-McDonald pick up possession in Wolves’ third.

His cross into the box on 13 minutes was just behind Matty Warhurst which meant the number nine couldn’t get the right contact on the ball to put our Under-18s ahead.

Shortly after, Hayden Ford had a chance to put the hosts ahead with their first attack. His shot was blocked by a sea of City bodies after a well-worked free-kick before Conor McLeod forced a save from Oliver Whatmuff as Wolves continued to build on a bit of momentum.

Looking to turn the tide back in our favour on the 20-minute mark, Femi Fapetu, Floyd Samba and Charlie Courtman linked up well on the right before the latter played a low cross into the box, forcing Wolves to be resolute in their defending.

A quick counter from Wolves on 26 minutes and they carved out their best chance of the half. A long run by Mateus Mane, from his own half, saw space open up in front of him. He played the ball into the path of Jake Wilcox, who fired a shot straight to Whatmuff’s hands.

Another flip in possession saw patient build-up play by City finally find space on the right.

Dunbar-McDonald then floated the ball in towards the penalty spot where Warhurst nodded the ball towards the back post but he couldn't generate enough power to guide it past Hardy.

A Mukasa chance followed but his ball roll and trickery saw the ball get away from him and in turn was unable to test Hardy.

To complete the half, a thumping volley from Mukasa, 20 yards out, flew just wide of the left post in what was a difficult opening 45 minutes for City, who struggled to penetrate an organised Wolves contingent.

As the second half got under way, perhaps City would find more enjoyment playing into the wind which provided a hindrance in the opening 45 minutes.

Inside the opening three minutes, Warhurst was played in behind but quick defending from two Wolves defenders saw them block the City striker’s shot to deny what looked to be a definite well-worked opener.

Great strength and determination by Samba on the right saw him register City’s next shot on target, but Hardy was able to collect the warning shot comfortably.

The breakthrough finally came after relentless pressure by Reiss’ squad. Referee Brandon Scaife pointed to the penalty spot on 54 minutes after a late tackle by Seb Lochhead on Mukasa.

Un-phased by his UEFA Youth League penalty miss against AZ Alkmaar earlier in the week, Mukasa stepped up and dispatched the spot kick into the bottom left corner for his 15th league goal of the season.

It was the confidence booster City, and more importantly Mukasa, needed. The No.10 won back possession on the edge of the Wolves box after they failed to play out from defence.

Mukasa drove forward, ball rolled not once but twice around Hardy before tapping home from inside the six-yard box to complete a fantastic solo goal.

Wolves continued to show real grit despite their two-goal deficit. Mane made a quick run centrally before unleashing a right-footed shot. Whatmuff kept City’s clean sheet intact with a strong right-hand save on 72 minutes.

With goal difference still important in our race for the title, City continued to push for more. This time substitute Gorman found a pocket of space in between the Wolves centre-back pairing and found himself in on goal.

A dummy on his left saw Gorman bait out a dive from Hardy before nudging the ball onto his right to tap home in an empty net.

It would prove to be the final goalscoring opportunity for either team as City held out for a second successive clean sheet and an 18th consecutive league win as the race for the North title continues.

HOW WE LINED UP

In goal for his second game this week, Oliver Whatmuff went from UEFA Youth League to Under-18 Premier League North ‘keeper.

In front of him, a strong back line of Charlie Courtman, Kian Noble, Harrison Parker and Kaden Braithwaite were looking to secure another clean sheet against Wolves.

City’s engine room was comprised of Femi Fapetu, Floyd Samba and Divine Mukasa.

Leading our line once again was Matty Warhurst with the support of Christian Dunbar-McDonald and Reigan Heskey.

WOLVES XI | Hardy, Dayman, White, Elendu (Ballard-Matthews 66’), Lochhead, Marwa (Saba 66’), McLeod (Bowen 19’), Osifo (Stafford 66’), Wilcox, Mane, Ford.

UNUSED SUBS | Grieves.

CITY XI | Whatmuff, Courtman (Tevenan 86’), Noble, Parker, Braithwaite, Fapetu, Dunbar-McDonald (McAidoo 76’), F. Samba (Gorman ‘76’), Warhurst (Fletcher 81’), Mukasa, R. Heskey.

UNUSED SUBS | Hudson.

WHAT IT MEANS

City maintain our five-point lead over Manchester United who have one game in hand.

Following United’s 31-1 win over Leeds United, goal difference could also play a role if Reiss’s side drop points in the final four games of the season. They are now just two goals shy of equalling our goal difference.

UP NEXT

Our attention now turns to the FA Youth Cup.

We travel to Watford for a 19:00 (UK) kick-off at Vicarage Road on Thursday 10 April.

The winner will face Aston Villa in the showpiece with City hoping to progress to the final for a second successive season.