Match Report – Chesterfield U18’s 0 – 2 Bradford City U18’s

Our U18’s returned to the top of the Youth Alliance (North East) League after a 2-0 win against title chasers Chesterfield on Saturday.Chesterfield were top going into the game with us second place, with a game in hand.

The strong wind meant the opening five minutes was scrappy whilst both sides found their feet. However, we opened the score on six minutes with our first shot at goal.  Elliot Barker’s goal kick found Reece Webb-Foster who cleverly chipped the ball into the right-hand corner.

The goal gave us the confidence to push forward. Callum Chippendale’s eighth minute free kick was headed away by the Chesterfield defender however, the ball fell to Webb-Foster whose header forced a low-save from the goalkeeper.

With both teams competing for the title, it was an end-to-end game. Chesterfield’s 11^th minute free-kick and volley from the edge of the box minutes later were both fantastically saved by Barker.

Positive link up play between Sam Wright and Chippendale carried the ball to our box but Chippendale’s cross was well stopped and cleared by the defender and Webb-Foster’s long range effort minutes later was put behind for a corner.

We doubled our lead in the 25^th minute when Danny Devine’s strike found the bottom left corner. Chesterfield failed to clear the ball which fell to Devine, who had the space and time to find the target.

On 30 minutes, similarly to his opening goal, Webb-Foster tried to chip the ball over the keeper but this attempt just wide.

Chesterfield came close to scoring at the beginning of the second half as our defence allowed their player to have a free header which narrowly missed the post.

Both teams continued to create chances but our efforts did not test the Chesterfield goalkeeper too much. A Chesterfield player handled the ball outside the box on the hour mark, Chippendale stepped up for the free kick but it deflected off the wall and into the keeper’s arms.

We failed to clear Chesterfield’s 65^th minute cross but luckily their player could not make contact with the ball and a good block from Jack Water’s stopped their effort minutes later.

Despite not creating too many chances in the second half, strong defending and the two first-half goals were enough to see us leave with all three points.

See Chesterfield match highlights below

We played Lincoln City today (31st March 2015) FT: 3-3 match report and highlights to follow.