FA Youth Cup: City 3 Rotherham 0

Trevor Peake’s side will now face a home tie against Manchester United in the next round, after goals from Simonas Stankevicius, Shane Dineen and Ben Chilwell proved more than enough to overcome the Millers.

Stankevicius capitalised on a defensive error to make the initial breakthrough just after the half hour mark, before Dineen headed home a Kyle Bailey corner shortly afterwards to put the Foxes well in control.

A superb individual goal from Chilwell then sealed the victory, and it was a performance that pleased Academy Director Jon Rudkin, who told LCFC.com: “I think first of all, both sets of players need to be commended for the way they played in those conditions, which was monsoon-like, although the pitch was magnificent in the way that it played.

“It was a tricky tie, and all credit to Rotherham who made it difficult for us in the opening stages, but we were delighted with the way our lads adapted their games and stuck to their tasks.

“Trevor Peake, Matt Goodwin, Keith Burland and Kevin Paxton have, along with a number of other staff prepared the boys well and it’s great to see the whole squad really embracing it tonight. I think over the game they deserved the result and we’re delighted to be in the next round now against Manchester United.”

The Foxes began the match brightly, with Brandon Fox providing some good width on the left hand side to force a couple of early opportunities from corners – only for the ball to be taken off Dineen’s toes as he wound up a shot.

Eddy Samba was next to try his luck with City attempting to assert their authority on the fixture early – an opportunity falling his way after Bailey nutmegged the defender, but his shot went wide.

The slippery surface and swirling winds were causing problems in both boxes though. On 22 minutes the ball bobbled through to Fabien Bailey in front of an open goal, but Dineen made a sensational last-ditch block to deny him.

Peake’s side only had to wait ten more minutes for the breakthrough though, and it came thanks to a mistake from the visiting side.

Defender Ali Watson’s back pass to goalkeeper Charlie Bryan was well short of the mark, allowing Stankevicius to steal in, take the ball around brilliantly around the Millers No.1 and slot home for 1-0.

City made their superiority pay further in the 35th minute as the excellent Bailey delivered a great corner for Dineen to power home at the far post, giving the Foxes a healthy 2-0 lead that they would take into the break.

The Millers introduced Jerry Yates for Fabien Bailey in the second half but it did little to stem the tide of City attacks – Bailey the next to go close when he hit a wicked left foot volley that whistled past the post from 20 yards.

Then in the 53rd minute Chilwell looked to have all but secured City a shot at Manchester United in the fourth round when he added a third. He picked up the ball on the left, skipped past three defenders and rifled a left footed effort into the bottom corner.

Similarly to the first team, City’s pace on the counter was extremely dangerous, and when Bailey picked out Rowe on 65 minutes, only a block from the final defender could prevent him making it a rout.

Rotherham threatened from a free kick, but Rowe then had another chance to kill off the tie on 74 minutes when Bryan’s scuffed clearance gave him the whole goal to aim at from 50 yards – however the swirling wind made it a difficult chance and it dribbled wide of the net.

Peake then made his first change of the match – Matty Miles coming on for Rowe with five minutes left on the clock, but the result was beyond doubt by that stage and the Foxes could look forward to another King Power Stadium test against Manchester United in the New Year.

City: Sharpe, King, Chilwell, Jones, Pepe-Ngoma, Dineen, Bailey, Samba, Stankevicius, Rowe (Miles 85), Fox

Subs not used: Moore, Smith, Downes, Alukmani

Goals: Stankevicius 32, Dineen 35, Chilwell 53

Rotherham: Bryan, Lucas, Johnson (Gibson 78), Watson (Wiles 62), Wigley (c), Rowe, Bailey (Yates 46), Cadman, Bell, Williamson, Bevins

Subs not used: Wickstone, Hallat