- A fine solo goal from Harvey Barnes and an instinctive strike from Admiral Muskwe earned a 2-0 victory for the young Foxes
- Leicester City shot-stopper Max Bramley pulled off a number of excellent saves late on
- Trevor Peake’s outfit head to Reading next Saturday
Leicester City’s Under-18s struck in each half to record their fourth victory of the 2015/16 Barclays U18 Premier League season with a win over Norwich City at Belvoir Drive on Saturday afternoon.
Trevor Peake’s outfit made an excellent start to the game, as they took the lead after just five minutes thanks to a moment of quality from midfielder Harvey Barnes.
Soaking up some Norwich pressure in the second half, the young Foxes went on to double their advantage with 20 minutes to play following an instinctive finish from frontman Admiral Muskwe.
The visitors had a number of goalscoring opportunities late on, but a combination of some fine stops from goalkeeper Max Bramley and some solid defensive play from City meant the home side secured all three points.
The young Foxes were looking to return to winning ways after they were beaten for the first time in 2015/16 by Chelsea last time out. City twice took the lead, but it was the London outfit who earned all three points with a 3-2 victory.
Registering three wins and a draw before that defeat still meant City occupied third position in the U18 Premier League heading into the clash with Norwich, who themselves sat ninth after five fixtures.
The home side got off to a superb start as striker Muskwe first forced Norwich goalkeeper Aston Oxborough into a low save on three minutes, but the shot-stopper was beaten just moments later.
Some silky footwork from Barnes saw the midfielder slip his marker and slot in for his third goal of the 2015/16 campaign.
Defender Callum Ellesley lifted an effort over the bar as the visitors looked for an immediate reply, while City left back Michael Kelly was on hand to nod away a dangerous cross at the back post to prevent Louis McIntosh from heading in shortly after.
Further chances fell Norwich’s way as Jamal Lewis’ strike from distance sailed off target, before an overhead kick from Kofi Boateng also flew over Bramley’s bar midway through the first period.
An excellent piece of play from Josh Eppiah then followed as City’s tricky winger took a sublime first touch and raced in on goal, only to see his placed effort saved by Oxborough.
Eppiah threatened for the second time just after the half-hour mark, but he was again denied, this time by Owen Wallis as the defender got back well to clear the ball off the line.
A 25-yard free kick from midfielder Toby Fura forced Oxborough into another stop shortly before the break, while young Foxes captain Darnell Johnson was on hand at the other end to cut out a dangerous cross from Canaries right back Toby Syme towards the end of the first period.
It was a more even affair in the second half, as winger McIntosh twice went close inside the hour mark with efforts from distance.
Norwich continued to look for an equaliser as left back Boateng drilled a strike well over the bar on 68 minutes, before City doubled their lead just moments later.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner was met by England youth international Johnson, who headed down for Muskwe – the striker hit a first-time shot that beat Oxborough deep inside the Canaries’ box to make it 2-0.
Norwich continued to threaten after City’s second strike, as Harley Black first hammered over on 73 minutes, before captain George Couzens’ close-range flick couldn’t beat Bramley, who saved well.
Bramley was in excellent shot-stopping form in the late stages of the game, denying Lewis’ powerful drive at the front post, as well as halting substitute Gio Da Costa in injury time with another point-blank save.
The result meant City recorded their fourth victory in six 2015/16 U18 Premier League games as they next head to Reading on Saturday 26 September (12pm kick-off).
CITY: Bramley, Percival, Kelly, Fura (Templeton 74), Knight, Johnson (c), Eppiah, Dewsbury-Hall, Mitchell, Barnes, Muskwe
SUBS NOT USED: Pascanu, Bilson, Gruno, Arlott-John
GOALS: Barnes 5, Muskwe 70
NORWICH: Oxborough, Syme, Boateng, Sambu (Walters 83), Wallis, Ellesley, McIntosh, Black (Da Costa 78), Couzens (c), Aransibia (Pollock 78), Lewis
REFEREE: Mr. K. Hatfield