City see off Derby to become U18s Premier League North winners

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Manchester City F.C.

·26 aprile 2025

City see off Derby to become U18s Premier League North winners

Manchester City were crowned Under-18s Premier League winners after a 4-3 victory against Derby County at the City Football Academy.

Derby went into a two-goal lead with Owen Eames breaking the deadlock after knocking the ball between Oliver Whatmuff’s legs, before Demaine Agustien fired a rocket into the top corner.

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Finlay Gorman reduced the deficit for City after he tapped in from close range, and substitute, Ryan McAidoo, matched Agustien’s goal with a thunderous strike of his own.

Matty Warhurst was in the right place at the right time to smash in the goal to hand City the lead before Tristan Gill tapped in from a corner.

In the dying embers of the match, Warhurst popped up at the back post to score the Under-18s Premier League North title winning goal.

WHAT HAPPENED

The visitors kicked off the match with Oliver Reiss’s team knowing that victory this afternoon would hand City the Under-18s Premier League North title, only if United dropped points at fourth placed Everton.

It was a tough assignment ahead for our academy outfit, who faced an in-form Derby County side sat in third and they started the better.

But after overcoming the early pressure, Harrison Myles had the first sight of goal, after a clearance from a corner found our no.6, but his shot went straight at Derby shot stopper, Harley Price.

City pushed hard for the opener, but Derby’s defence remained resilient and were proving to be a threat on the counter attack.

On 27 minutes, Owen Eames raced the length of the City half, evading challenges along the way, his initial shot was blocked, but it rebounded favourably to the young Ram who squeezed the ball under Oliver Whatmuff’s legs.

The lead was arguably against the run of play, but moments later Christian Dunbar-McDonald looked to respond, but his shot was bravely blocked.

As City continued to press for the equaliser, a free-kick was swung in by Finlay Gorman and the ball rebounded to Kian Noble whose effort flew over the bar from close range, to the frustration of the defender.

Five minutes before half-time, Derby extended their lead with a thunderous strike from Demiane Agustien after he was allowed time and arrowed a pinpoint shot into the top right corner.

The young Blues responded quickly though!

After neat build up play, Matty Warhurst tried to beat Harley Price from the edge of the box, but the ball rebounded to Gorman who was in the right place to tap in via the post.

Buoyed by the goal, City were on the attack again and this time it was Dunbar-McDonald who cut inside and drilled a low effort which beat Price, but was cleared off the line.

Into the second-half, Reiss brought on substitute, Ryan McAidoo, and were pressing from the referee’s whistle.

From a corner, Noble teed up Floyd Samba, but the midfielder’s effort was straight at the Derby keeper.

The equaliser was in our future however, as McAidoo received the ball in the penalty area, he knocked it on before shaping to shoot and finding the top left corner to the delight of the City players.

The visitors were still causing trouble to City’s backline as Johnson Song had a deflected effort denied by Whatmuff whose brilliant reactions kept the ball out the net.

Pushing for the goal to put us ahead, Warhurst stretched to meet Gorman’s cross, but his touch took it away from him and the striker half volleyed over the bar.

Moments later, McAidoo dribbled well with his feet around a number of defenders and the keeper, but a Derby player kept the ball out before it reached Warhurst who smashed in from close range.

City players were encouraging each other for a tense final 10 minutes.

From a free-kick there was a huddle of players trying to get a touch on the ball but it landed to Tristan Gill, who managed to get a touch to find the back of the net and make it 3-3.

As the match went into added time, Warhurst popped up at the back post and smashed in the winning goal, which brought the City bench to their feet.

City survived a final onslaught from the Rams and recorded another win to become Under-18s Premier League North winners.

HOW WE LINED UP

Oliver Reiss selected Oliver Whatmuff to start in between the sticks, with a back four of Harrison Parker, Kian Noble, Stephen Mfuni and captain Kaden Braithwaite.

Harrison Miles was accompanied by Finlay Gorman and Floyd Samba in the engine room.

Striker, Matty Warhurst, led the line with Kylan Midwood and Christian Dunbar-McDonald supporting on the wings.

CITY XI | Whatmuff, Parker, Noble, Mfuni, Braithwaite (C), Miles, Midwood (56’ McAidoo), Gorman (96’ Fapetu), Warhurst, F. Samba (96’ Drake), Dunbar-McDonald (73’ Fletcher)

UNUSED SUBS | Hudson

DERBY XI | Price, Eames, Stokes (54’ Green), Marriott, Tola, Gill (C), Smith (61’ Song), Gustier, Ebuka, Allen, Oguntolu (73’ Griffiths)

UNUSED SUBS | Doyle, Hardy

WHAT IT MEANS

Our 21st successive win means City have become Under-18s Premier League North winners following Everton holding nearest challengers Manchester United to a draw earlier in the day.

We sit on 64 points which is the record highest points tally since the 2013/14 season and beating last season’s record of 62 points from Manchester United.