U21s Report: Warrington 3 Leicester City 3

City took the lead six minutes into the first half through Joe Dodoo, who calmly slotted under goalkeeper Karl Wills after Simonas Stankevicius led a swift break for the Blues. 

But three goals in seven minutes from the hosts turned the game on its head – Conor Roberts with a powerful drive, Scott Metcalfe scoring a delicate lob and Louis Corrigan adding another from close range - giving The Yellows a healthy 3-1 lead. 

On the half-hour mark City pulled one back as defender Kieran Kennedy turned home Ben Chillwell’s deflected drive. 

A strike from Ryan Watson then earned the Foxes a penalty on 38 minutes after his effort hit captain Craig Robinson’s hand – the midfielder converted the spot-kick to tie the game up at 3-3 going into the break. 

Jak McCourt struck a curling free kick from 20 yards on the hour mark but Wills denied the fullback from putting the visitors into the lead. 

Neat efforts from Harry Panayiotou and Michael Cain applied pressure on Warrington but the best chance of the second half was yet to come. 

Panayiotou turned his defender on 76 minutes before laying the ball back to Cain just inside the area – the central midfielder hammering the inside of the post after good link up play between the pair. 

A late effort two minutes from time from substitute Will Jones could have seen The Wire snatch the victory but the powerful frontman scooped his strike over from eight yards. 

The revamped U21 Premier League is set to provide a tough test for the Foxes, but with a useful pre-season campaign under their belts, confidence will be high. 

Beaglehole’s team travel to Southport in their first league fixture of the season on Monday as they face an established side in Everton - identical to the first team game that Nigel Pearson’s men play just three days earlier. 

WARRINGTON: Wills, McCarten, Doughty, Parle, Hardwick, Robinson (c), Roberts, Corrigan, Wharton, Simm, Metcalfe 

SUBS: Hickey, Jones, Davies, Gahgan, Mooney 

GOALS: Roberts 15, Metcalfe 17, Corrigan 22 

CITY: Maddison (Smith 24), McCourt (Fox 78), Chilwell (Rowley 46(Miles 78)), Meadows (Moore 56), Sesay (c), Kennedy, Watson, Cain, Stankevicius (Bailey 83), Panayiotou, Dodoo 

GOALS: Dodoo 7, Kennedy 30, Watson 38 pen