FA Youth Cup Match Report: Middlesbrough 0 Leicester City 1 (AET)

- Leicester City Under-18s secured an enthralling 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in extra-time in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup

- Simran Thandi's 102nd minute winner means the young Foxes will face Chelsea in the quarter-finals on Saturday 25 February

- Both sides were reduced to 10 men in the second half of normal time on a successful night for City in Bishop Auckland

- The young Foxes have already defeated Leyton Orient and Carlisle United on route to the fifth round under Trevor Peake

Leicester City Under-18s will face seven-time winners Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup after a digging deep to secure a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in extra-time at Heritage Park on Friday evening.

Simran Thandi's brilliant curled effort from distance after 102 minutes proved to be the difference between the two sides on a night which saw both reduced to 10 men after dismissals for James Cook, the Boro captain, and City's Kairo Arlott-Edwards.

Lamine Sherrif, Conor Tee and Arlott-Edwards were among those to come in for City in front of a large home following in the North East and the visitors started enthusiastically, pushing their hosts back in the early exchanges and looking dangerous in the final third. 

Boro, unchanged from the fourth round success against Fulham last month, had a penalty appeal turned down inside the opening five minutes when Darnell Johnson lay accused of a pull on Stephen Walker’s shirt in the area. 

City, though, were posing a threat down the left flank with Calvin Ughelumba, who scored against Carlisle last month, linking up effectively with left-sided winger Kanya Leshabella whenever they forayed forwards.

After 12 minutes, the latter of the pair picked it up on the byline and crossed for Layton Ndukwu, inviting the Leicester forward to hit it first time but Boro goalkeeper Zachary Hemming saved smartly at his near post. 

Midway through the opening 45 minutes, Ndukwu’s corner found Johnson at the far post but the strong centre-back’s header was glanced just wide. Leshabela, moments later, tried his luck from distance – sending it over. 

Peake’s men were reminded of the attacking prowess of their hosts when Connor Malley cut inside Johnson in the middle before charging at goal and forcing Cameron Yates into a decent low save from 25 yards out. 

City were looking comfortable in possession and dangerous on the counter and they received a boost just before the interval when Cook dived into a rash challenge on Sherrif in the centre. 

Referee Paul Brown dished out a straight red card, prompting Boro to replace Malley with Nathan Guru, and giving the visitors an extra man ahead of the second period in the North East. 

City carried a greater threat after the break with much of the play taking place in front of Hemming’s net - but an opener eluded them nonetheless. 

Despite their pressure, it could have been Boro who took the lead just after the hour-mark. Stephen Walker whipped in a corner from the right which found Marcus Tavernier but the young midfielder’s header, powerful as it was, clattered the post and was eventually cleared by Johnson. 

The second half was broken up by a host of injury concerns with Thandi and Jack Lambert both receiving treatment. Boro went close again when Tavernier’s header seemed destined to hit the net with seven minutes to play. 

City shot-stopper Yates, though, leapt to his top corner to somehow get a hand to it before Alex Pascanu made sure with an emphatic clearance. Leicester, too, were soon reduced to 10 men near the end of the 90 with Arlott-Edwards being shown a red card for a tackle on Nathan Convery in the hosts’ half. 

Neither team could find an opening in 90 minutes and the match went to extra-time with substitute Harrison Myring, on for Tee, going close from the edge of the hosts’ penalty area just after the restart. The deadlock was finally broken in the 102nd minute when Thandi burst into space and converted past Hemming with a brilliant strike from distance.

Peake's boys dug deep as the clock ticked away to secure a sixth round clash with FA Youth Cup holders Chelsea on Saturday 25 February, 2017. Ticket details and pricing will be announced on LCFC.com in due course.

CITY: Yates (c), Thandi, Pascanu, Johnson, Ughelumba, Sherrif, Dewsbury-Hall, Leshabela (Brown 107), Tee (Myring 87), Ndukwu, Arlott-Edwards. 

SUBS NOT USED: Templeton, Harrison, Hodby. 

MIDDLESBROUGH: Hemming, Convery, Reading, Liddle, Cook (c), Renton, Lambert, Tavernier, O'Neill, Walker, Malley (Guru 43). 

SUBS NOT USED: Cooke, Holdsmith, Wilson, Brynn. 

REFEREE: Paul Brown. 

ATTENDANCE: 231