U21s Report: City 0 Bolton 4

An early strike from Connor Wilkinson followed by goals from Zach Clough and Tom Youngs, gave Bolton a 3-0 lead going into the half time interval. 

Leicester’s second half performance was much improved, and the Foxes had a number of chances through striker Martyn Waghorn who played the full 90 minutes, but City failed to make the breakthrough, and were punished by Youngs, who netted a fourth with the last kick of the game. 

The match didn’t take long to come to life, and after an energetic start, Bolton took the lead through striker Wilkinson after seven minutes. 

Youngs ran with pace at the Leicester defence, and the midfielder found Clough in the Leicester penalty area. Clough picked out striker Wilkinson and he made no mistake in giving the Wanderers a 1-0 lead. 

Bolton doubled that lead after 17 minutes when Youngs was fouled just inside the penalty area by Foxes defender Kieran Kennedy. The Wanderers youngster picked himself up, stepped up to the spot, and calmly slotted home.

Leicester’s best chance of the half fell to Harry Panayiotou after 27 minutes, but the striker’s powerful back-post shot rattled back off the crossbar, and was gratefully gathered by Bolton ‘keeper Adam Bogdan in the area. 

The Foxes were made to rue their missed chances when Clough gave Bolton a 3-0 lead with 36 minutes gone. The striker finished off a strong run with a calm finish past Leicester ‘keeper Conrad Logan. 

Leicester manager Beaglehole made a triple substitution at half time, with George Taft, Callum Elder and Joe Dodoo all coming on for the Foxes at the expense of Jacob Blyth, Kennedy and Adam Dawson. 

The second half started much more brightly for Leicester, and they had a good chance to pull one back when substitute Dodoo found Panayiotou unmarked in the area, but the striker’s shot was straight at ‘keeper Bogdan. 

City continued to pile on the pressure and were unlucky not to score on 82 minutes, when Waghorn curled an accurate left-footed strike from the right-hand side of the box, but the Foxes forward’s fine effort was well saved by Bogdan in the Bolton goal. 

Leicester continued to press for their elusive first goal, and came close in the 86th minute when Panayiotou played in Waghorn on the left-hand side, but his chip bounced into the side netting. 

After pressing for the majority of the second half, Leicester were punished in the final minute of the game when Youngs broke free in the middle of the park and coolly chipped Logan to give Bolton a 4-0 victory. 

Next up for Beaglehole’s Leicester side is a trip to face West Bromwich Albion in the U21 Premier League on Monday 20 January. 

CITY: Logan, Pearson, Bakayogo, McCourt, Sesay (c), Kennedy (Taft 45), Panayiotou, Cain, Blyth (Elder, 45), Waghorn, Dawson, (Dodoo, 45) 

SUBS NOT USED: Sharpe 

BOLTON: Bogdan, Lester, Holding, Threlkeld, Bolger, Vela, Odelusi, (Walker, 84), Woodland, (Kelly, 75), Wilkinson (Knight, 80), Clough, Youngs. 

SUBS NOT USED: Campbell, Bailey