U21s Report: Corby Town 1 Leicester City 3

- Duane Cortney levels things up with 15 minutes to play 

- Harry Panayiotou puts City 2-1 up three minutes from time 

- Michael Cain scores the Foxes’ third goal in injury time 

- City finish pre-season with four wins in six games 

Leicester City’s Development Squad rounded off their pre-season schedule with a victory over Vanarama National League North side Corby Town at Steel Park on Saturday. 

The Foxes, who drew 3-3 with Nuneaton Town last time out, took the lead through Callum Elder just before the break. 

Corby drew level with 15 minutes to play through Duane Cortney’s fine half-volley, but Leicester pressed late on, and their dominance eventually paid off. 

First, Harry Panayiotou nodded in Brandon Fox’s pin-point cross, before Michael Cain scored City’s third in injury time. 

The Foxes had been in good form in recent weeks and started positively against the Steelmen. Midfielder Cain saw his strike from the edge of the box blocked early on, while Panayiotou’s header just moments later was collected by goalkeeper Paul Walker. 

Corby went close themselves on 10 minutes as Spencer Weir-Daley burst through and forced shot-stopper Jonny Maddison into a good save. 

A sustained spell of pressure from City then saw captain Jak McCourt set up winger Jack Barmby, who hit a low drive that flew just wide of Walker’s upright. 

At the other end, Greg Mills fired a powerful effort just over Maddison’s bar as the newly-promoted Vanarama National League North side looked to break the deadlock, before Ben Milnes was next to threaten, miscuing his strike midway through the first half. 

St. Kitts and Nevis forward Panayiotou did well on the half-hour mark, delivering from the left to Joe Dodoo, who was only denied at the front post by a smart stop from Walker. 

But it was defender Elder who would finally open the scoring late in the first period. Barmby curled in a fine cross to find the Australian youth international, who nodded in past Walker at the back post. 

A wayward shot from Corby skipper Taylor brought the first half to an end – Leicester maintaining their one-goal lead at the break, despite a late spell of pressure from the hosts. 

Both sides emerged unchanged in the second half, and it was Jacob Blyth who would have the first opportunity, miscuing Barmby’s corner from close range. 

Then, on 48 minutes, Corby centre half Edi Appleton lifted an effort over from deep inside the City box, while Blyth headed wide a Barmby cross a minute later. 

Maddison was called into action on 55 minutes, holding Milnes’ goal-bound strike well, before Blyth was denied by Walker at the other end. 

It was Maddison again who kept City’s clean sheet intact with 67 minutes gone, catching Nick Wright’s flick from Taylor’s free kick under pressure. 

But Corby pressed for an equaliser, and their increased pressure paid off with 15 minutes to play. Substitute Kurtis Revan’s corner found Cortney, who hammered in an unstoppable half-volley into the top corner. 

Leicester responded well, and when Panayiotou was fouled on the edge of the box, Cain stepped up to take the free kick. The midfielder, on loan at Walsall last season, curled the ball around the wall, only for his fine effort to hit the outside of the post. 

Maddison then raced out to deny substitute forward Michael Ogilvie, before Cain worked some space on the edge of the Corby box, but couldn’t hit the target. 

A dominant spell at the end of the second period eventually saw City seal the win with two goals. First, good work from substitute Brandon Fox set up Panayiotou, who nodded in from close range for his fourth goal of pre-season. 

Then, Cain, who had earlier hit the post, curled into the top corner to put the game beyond any doubt in injury time. 

The victory proved to be the Foxes’ fourth win in six pre-season fixtures, and now, all eyes turn to their 2015/16 Barclays U21 Premier League season-opener against Manchester United at King Power Stadium on Monday 10 August (7pm kick-off). 

CORBY: Walker, Kennedy (Hartley 60), Carruthers (Thomas 57), Cortney, Appleton, Brown (Revan 71), Mills (Wright 57), Taylor (c), Milnes, Weir-Daley (Ogilvie 83), Sammons (John 57) 

SUBS NOT USED: Donkin, Smith 

GOAL: Cortney 75 

CITY: Maddison, Miles, Elder, McCourt (c), Sesay, Moore, Panayiotou (Choudhury 57), Barmby (Dodoo 80), Blyth (Panayiotou 80), Cain (Fox 57), Dodoo (Ndukwu 57) 

SUBS NOT USED: Smith-Varnham 

GOALS: Elder 40, Panayiotou 87, Cain 90 

ATTENDANCE: 360 

REFEREE: Martin Dexter