U21s Report: Birmingham City 2 Leicester City 0

- Steve Beaglehole’s side play a different XI in each half 

- A goal in either half from Denny Johnstone gives Birmingham a 2-0 win 

- Harry Panayiotou, Michael Cain and Jacob Blyth all among those to feature 

The Foxes played a different XI in each half at the Wast Hills Training Ground in a bid to regain their match sharpness ahead of a new season of Barclays U21 Premier League football. 

Despite several chances for City it was Birmingham striker Denny Johnstone that sealed the victory for the home side with a goal in each half, but Steve Beaglehole’s side will have taken plenty from the chance to get out on the pitch once again. 

It was an even start to the match, with City thankful to goalkeeper Jonny Maddison for making two great saves at the feet of Birmingham’s attackers while for the Foxes, midfielder Jak McCourt drove forward and saw a powerful long range strike pushed wide by the goalkeeper. 

Striker Keenan King then tried his luck from close range but it was Birmingham that made the breakthrough on 26 minutes. Johnstone picked it up after a neat interchange on the edge of the box and this time opted to take it around Maddison and finish from an angle. 

As the half wore on City began to turn up the pressure on their opponents and had perhaps their best chances in the 37th minute. A corner sprung loose for defender Joe Davis to rifle at goal only to see the shot saved, while Harry Panayiotou couldn’t beat the ‘keeper from the rebound either. 

The second half didn’t bring quite as many chances as the teams cancelled each other out for the most part. Clever work from Jacob Blyth, Callum Elder and Kyle Bailey resulted in the latter curling a shot over, while Cain’s quick feet bought him some space on the edge of the box but he couldn’t keep his shot down with the goalkeeper scrambling. 

City’s hopes of levelling the score then took a blow with around 20 minutes left when a looping ball from the left fell kindly at the feet of Johnstone for a simple finish to make it 2-0. 

Powerful striker Blyth had City’s best chance of a response with five minutes remaining, but after holding off several challenges, his right foot shot rose over the crossbar. 

Next up for City’s Under-21s this pre-season is a home clash with Derby County’s Development Squad at Belvoir Drive on Friday morning. 

First half: Maddison, Trialist, E. Moore, Davis, Fox, McCourt, Miles, Panayiotou, Dodoo, Trialist, King 

Second half: Smith-Varnham, Elder, Kipre, Sesay, Anderson, Cain, Scott, Bailey, Rowe, Hassel, Blyth