Report: Leicester City U21s 3 Nuneaton Town 3

- Leicester City Under-21s continue pre-season preparations with competitive outing against non-league Nuneaton
- Simonas Stankevicius puts City in front before Nuneaton race into 3-1 lead
- Late goals from Danny Rowe and Michael Cain see the game finish level
- Marlon Harewood features and scores for Nuneaton
- Steve Beaglehole uses 20 outfield players in latest pre-season workout
Leicester City’s Under-21 Development Squad continued their preparation for the new season on Tuesday with an entertaining 3-3 draw against Nuneaton Town at Belvoir Drive.
Fielding different outfield teams in each half, the young Foxes were thoroughly well tested against their National League North opponents, needing an impressive late fight-back to avoid defeat.
Lithuania international striker Simonas Stankevicius opened the scoring for City on 24 minutes, but the Boro hit back with two goals in quick succession before half-time – the second scored by former Nottingham Forest and West Ham United striker Marlon Harewood.
The non-league side extended their lead shortly after half time, but goals from Danny Rowe and Michael Cain in the last 16 minutes secured the hosts a share of the spoils.
A tough battle against senior, non-league opposition was the perfect pre-season test for Steve Beaglehole’s young side, which included a number of players starting their first season with the Development Squad. The experience and quality of Harewood, now 35, provided a particular first-half challenge for the youthful centre-back pairing of Elliott Moore and Cedric Kipre.
An even contest tipped City’s way halfway through the first half when Layton Ndukwu produced a fine run into the box from the left flank. The England youth international was denied by the goalkeeper from a tight angle, but Stankevicius was on hand to gobble up the rebound.
With former Foxes youngsters Shane Byrne and Herve Pepe Ngoma in their ranks, Nuneaton responded well, levelling just four minutes later from a well-rehearsed corner routine, before Harewood side-footed in from close-rang on the half-hour.
Foxes goalkeeper Max Smith-Varnam had made several good saves to that point and was unfortunate to be beaten for a third time seven minutes into the second half – helpless to prevent the follow-up after an outstanding save from close range.
The steel of Kevin Wilson’s side was a source of frustration for the young Foxes, though Andre Olukamni saw credible claims for a penalty waved away and Brandon Fox shot narrowly wide after a promising raid from the left.
The pressure was building, though, and Cain played a key role in making it count – turning smartly in midfield before threading Rowe in behind to round the goalkeeper for 3-2.
And when Kyle Bailey ended a cross-field dribble with a clever pass for the overlapping Fox, Cain was arriving in the middle to volley home the full back’s chipped cross.
A solid workout for City’s Under-21s, whose season begins against Manchester United at King Power Stadium on Monday 10 August.
City First Half (4-3-3): Smith-Varnam; Trialist, Kipre, E. Moore, Barmby; Choudhury, Trialist, Watson (c); K. King, Stankevicius, Ndukwu.
City Second Half (4-3-3): Smith-Varnam; Miles, Anderson, Davis (c), Fox; Rowe, Scott, Cain; Bailey, Panayiotou, Olukamni.
Goals: Stankevicius 24, Rowe 74, Cain 87