U18s Reaction: Defensive Display Key For Peake

A slender 1-0 victory over Chesterfield at King Power Stadium, , meant the young Foxes set up a clash with either Everton or Southampton in the next stage.
City were unlucky not to score more after hitting the woodwork three times in the first half, but it was the young Spireites that pressed in the late stages, and only a solid defensive performance came between the visitors and an equaliser.
“We’re obviously delighted,” Peake told Foxes Player after the victory. “It was a bit more of a struggle than it should have been by not getting a second goal, especially in the first half.
“Fair play to Chesterfield because they came out and had a go. We warned the players that Chesterfield would come out second half all guns blazing so we had to defend quite stoutly at times.
“If one of the shots [that hit the woodwork] went in then the task would have been less difficult. The opposition were buoyed by that and it made them more confident to come at us.
“In the first 15 minutes of the second half they let us know it wouldn’t be an easy ride. I thought our two centre-halves Cedric Kipre and Elliott Moore defended really well in the centre of that defence.
“It called upon the midfield players to do some tracking back and trying to get back on to the ball as well. There was a lot of work put in to secure that clean sheet.”
While City will look to climb the Barclays U18 Premier League table when they face Reading at Belvoir Drive on Saturday, the youngsters will certainly be looking forward to playing at another top-flight stadium in the fifth round.
Peake added: “The lads obviously love playing at King Power Stadium – for some of them it was their first time here.
“But to go to Goodison Park against Everton or St. Mary’s Stadium against Southampton in the next round will be a great experience for them at such a young age.”