On
one of the mildest nights in February the Leicestershire Youth League Representative
side entertained a very competitive side from Mansfield Town,
The game started
with the home side in good spirits after beating Kettering Town 9 - 0 in the previous
match, playing into a mild wind with neither side testing the defences fully until
the fifteen minute mark when the home side found the momentum and took the lead
after good play from midfielders Tom Weaver and Mike Feely produced the through
ball to set up Jamie Allen to beat the offside trap and beat the advancing keeper
in style.
With there tails up the Leicestershire team kept the ball on the
ground with some fine attacking football retaining possession and using both flanks
to the full effect, this in turn led to the second when James Ireland beat three
defenders heading towards goal was brought down, dusting him-self down was able
to step up and convert the penalty himself. Kyle Sperry was guilty of missing
two chances as he drove in from the right flank and the away side didn't get a
look in for the rest of the half as Leicestershire retained possession and not
letting the ball go astray.
HALF TIME; LEICESTERSHIRE YOUTH 2 MANSFIELD
TOWN 0
The second half started with Leicestershire making one change in
the first of four substitutions Tom Ward entering the game instead of Alex Ward,
Tom was soon in the thick of the action when a good reaction save going down to
his right managed to parry the ball away for a corner, after several minutes the
other substitutes were introduced with Darrell Matts, Joe Danvers and Craig Brooks
coming on to replace Tom Weaver, Mike Feely and Jack Poole,
The home side kept
the momentum going when they found the net after a shot from Craig Brooks, his
day was cut short when a bad tackle five minutes later.
Mansfield Town to there
credit never gave up and were awarded a goal five minutes from time when the forward
made his way through the home defence to score past the advancing keeper, but
with time running out there was limited opportunities to add to the score.
SQUAD;
ALEX WARD, JOSH KIND, JACK POOLE, DANNY JENNO (CAPT), ALEX BARACLOUGH,
JAMES HENFREY, TOM WEAVER, MIKE FEELY, KYLE SPERRY, LAMIE ALLEN, JAMED IRELAND,
CRAIG BROOKS, DARRELL MATTS, JOE DANVERS AND TOM HUBBARD | 
