Young Foxes Through To FA Youth Cup Fourth Round

With many of their Academy colleagues appearing at Scunthorpe United in the Checkatrade Trophy, Trevor Peake’s men delivered a typically attacking display at Fratton Park on Tuesday night.

However, they still required an extra 30 minutes to see off their south coast opponents despite an ambitious 4-2-3-1 stratagem paying dividends in forward positions.

It was Pompey who took the lead when Dan Smith fired home from the penalty spot just after the half-hour mark and they preserved that advantage until the half-time interval

Shortly after the break, though, Edwards-John levelled the scores with a powerful effort to cap off a lightening counter-attack from the Club’s Under-18s outfit.

Smith went close to restoring Portsmouth’s lead, but his curled effort flew inches wide of Rhys Davies’ net – a moment of good fortune which the young Foxes later capitalised upon.

Connor Tee, one of City’s key figures in their Premier League U18 South Division campaign this term, was then denied twice by host goalkeeper Jack Collins in the dying seconds of 90 minutes.

In extra-time, the game began to slow down, until Edwards-John danced into Pompey’s area, cut inside his man and converted a wonderful finish to seal safe passage for Peake’s side.

Leicester will discover their next opponents when the draw for the Fourth Round is made on Friday.

The details...

Portsmouth: Collins, Kavanagh (Mnoga 100), Casey, Dandy, Hancott, Brooks, Read, Smith, Maloney, Lethbridge (Johnston 104), Mayes (c).

Subs not used: Pitman, Flint, Whiting.

Goal: Smith 32 (pen).

City: Davies, Thandi, Ughelumba, Husek, Thomas, Leshabela (c), McLeod (Gill 78), Williams (Brown 66), Tee, Edwards-John (Meite 106), Shade.

Subs not used: Storcyzk, Elewa-Ikpakwu.

Goals: Edwards-John 47, 99.

Referee: Adam Penwell

Attendance: 603