- A total of 15 young Foxes notched up 60 minutes ahead of the FA Youth Cup Fourth Round fixture at Blackburn Rovers on Monday 11 January (7pm KO)
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Josh Eppiah were on target in the win
Leicester City’s Under-18s continued preparations for Monday’s FA Youth Cup Fourth Round clash at Blackburn Rovers with a behind-closed-doors friendly victory over Walsall at Belvoir Drive.
A total of 15 young Foxes notched an hour each in a game that provided a suitable challenge against a Walsall side who were only beaten with just four minutes to play.
City started well and their dominant performance in the early stages saw Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fire in from 20 yards with the help of a deflection off Walsall’s centre half with just six minutes on the clock.
Dewsbury-Hall then lashed an effort over on 20 minutes, before England youth international Layton Ndukwu fired a low drive towards goal that the Saddlers stopper was equal to.
Elliott Webber could have doubled his side’s lead after latching onto Toby Fura’s neat pass, but the winger couldn’t hit the target from a difficult angle.
Ndukwu was next to threaten as he struck the inside of the post with a powerful effort, before Walsall eventually drew level on the stroke of half-time thanks to a fine strike.
Chances for Ndukwu and Eppiah followed, before City goalkeeper Cameron Yates pulled off a superb stop from close range to keep the score at 1-1.
The young Foxes continued to threaten, as Ndukwu saw an effort tipped over, before Eppiah and Kairo Mitchell were denied in quick succession with 15 minutes to play.
But City’s persistence, particularly that of the lively Eppiah, finally paid off as the young winger chased down a long ball and shrugged off his marker before slotting in the winning goal with four minutes to play.
The young Foxes’ attentions will now turn to their FA Youth Cup Fourth Round tie at Leigh Sports Village against Blackburn Rovers on Monday 11 January (7pm kick-off).
CITY: Yates (B. Trialist 61), Percival (Pascanu 30), Kelly (c) (Percival 61), A. Trialist, Knight (Templeton 61), Templeton (Gruno 30), Webber (Sherriff 30), Dewsbury-Hall (Hodby 30), Mitchell (Eppiah 30 (Ndukwu 88)), Fura (Mitchell 61), Ndukwu (Webber 61)
GOALS: Dewsbury-Hall 6, Eppiah 86