A hat-trick from Adi Yussuf and a double from Elliott Chamberlain blasted City Reserves to a resounding 5-0 win over Scunthorpe United in the Semifinal of the Totesport.com Cup at the Greene King Stadium, Hinckley this afternoon.
The occasion had added drama as this saw Premier League referee Mark Halsey's return to action after a long illness and there was a lot of media interest in the proceedings.
The most impressive aspect of this fabulous win was that the Iron included several first-team squad members while the City side was basically the academy team so there was a lot of experience to overcome.
Indeed, in the first minute, City keeper Robert Ambrusics did well to save at the feet of Donel McDermott and moments later a Grant McCann shot sailed over.
But City weathered that early storm and hit the visitors with two goals in as many minutes, starting when fine work by Chamberlain served up the opener on a plate for Yussuf in the 6th minute. Two minutes after that Yussuf returned the compliment by setting up Chamberlain for his first.
The visitors did respond and City's young defence had a lot of hard work to do to maintain their advantage, a McCann shot being deflected for a corner and, after a City corner had been cleared, Jack Cross wriggled through into the area but great work by Liam Moore cleared the danger.
Near the break, Jonathan Forte was clean through and Ambrusics made a great save off his legs. Co-incidentally, he did the same again in the first minute of the second half as the Iron sought a way back into the game.
City eased the situation in the 66th minute when, after a great one-touch move, Chamberlain swerved home a fine shot from the edge of the area.
Again Ambrusics proved too good for Forte soon after and in the last ten minutes City just pulled away out of sight. First, Yussuf grabbed his second with a brilliant lofted shot from the right which gave the advanced keeper no chance then, with two minutes left, Yussuf completed his hat-trick when he turned home a left-wing cross from close range to cap a great afternoon for the City youngsters.
Match reaction with Gerry Taggart will be available only on Foxes Player tomorrow morning, with match highlights to follow on Thursday. You can also catch an exclusive interview on Freeview with referee Mark Halsey, as he returns to match action after his battle with cancer.
City: Ambrusics; Milnes, Bolger, Moore, Taft, John, Verma, Burns, Cronesbury, Yussuf, Chamberlain.
Subs: Hicks (46 for Cronesbury), Knight, Norburn (77 for Verma), Myles-Tebbutt (86 for Milnes) Byrne.
Booked: Yussuf, Bolger.
Scunthorpe: Lillis, Picton, Milne, Jones, Canavan, McDermott, McCann, J Wright, Cross, Forte, A Wright.
Subs: Dean, Williams (34 for Milne), Thewlis (75 for McCann), Cromer (46 for McDermott), Slocombe.
Referee: M Halsey.
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