Under-18s earn 20th successive league win with triumph over Boro | OneFootball

City extended our lead at the top of the Under-18 Premier League North table on Saturday afternoon with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Middlesbrough.

The triumph is our 20th successive league win - a run that began back in September.

Finlay Gorman gave City the lead on the 20-minute mark and was quickly joined on the scoresheet by Ryan McAidoo when he made it two shortly afterwards.

A three-minute brace from Matty Warhurst early in the second half put City firmly in the driving seat.

McAidoo confirmed his brace just after the hour mark before Reigan Heskey completed the scoring to top off a fantastic outing for our young charges.

The vital three points means Oliver Reiss' side move five points ahead of rivals Manchester United who have one game in hand.

WHAT HAPPENED

Back on home soil for the first time in more than a month, the City Football Academy was the perfect setting for our penultimate home game of the campaign.

A tame opening 20 minutes saw City dominate possession - in fact, we would record an impressive 70% of the ball in the first half - but Reiss’ side had to be patient in picking the right moment to attack against an organised Boro outfit.

But the persistence paid off after Gorman fired City ahead with a low, left-footed finish.

Matty Warhurst looked to latch on to Kian Noble’s ball over the top but our opponents did well to deny him a close-range strike. However, waiting on the edge of the box was Gorman who guided the loose ball home.

Three minutes later, McAidoo doubled our advantage with what is becoming a trademark finish for the 16-year-old.

The winger cut inside onto his favoured left foot, nudging the ball centrally while three red shirts tried to deny him a shot.

But they couldn’t get close enough to the explosive winger who curled his effort past Olly Lloyd for his eighth league goal of the season.

A quick counter from Boro saw them register their first shot on target of the match on 39 minutes when Anton Palmer called Max Hudson into action and the City shot stopper would later deny Bailey Palmer as the visitors tried to inspire a comeback before the break.

Boro burst out the gates in the second half with Eric Hamelberg’s chance flying just wide of the top left corner in the opening minutes.

But, after weathering the small Middlesbrough storm, City went on the attack.

Substitute Dante Headley broke down the right and the full back picked out Warhurst at the back post with a fizzed cross, making it an easy tap-in for the City No. 9 on 50 minutes.

Three minutes later, Warhurst had his second with a composed finish into the bottom left corner.

Reiss’ side continued to show speed, determination and an eye for goal. This time a quick break from Reigan Heskey on the left had our opponents racing back.

Heskey drove towards the Boro goal but opted to pull back for McAidoo who hit the ball first time into the top left corner.

The fresh legs of substitutes Femi Fapetu, Kylan Midwood and Christian Dunbar-McDonald made it difficult for Boro to break out of their own half.

In turn, City won the ball high up the pitch and Heskey dispatched his shot comfortably for his third in two games following a 5-0 midweek win over Liverpool.

It would be the final blow by City as we saw out a fantastic 6-0 triumph in our 20th successive win, a result that moved us five points clear at the league summit.

HOW WE LINED UP

Max Hudson was selected as our shot stopper and was accompanied by a defensive four of Harrison Parker, Kian Noble, captain Kaden Braithwaite and Oliver Tevenan.

In City’s engine room, Harrison Miles and Finlay Gorman were joined by Tyrone Samba in his second start of the campaign.

Matty Warhurst led the line and had the support of Ryan McAidoo and Reigan Heskey on either side.

CITY XI | Hudson, Parker (Headley 46’), Noble, Braithwaite, Tevenan, Miles (Fapetu 56’), McAidoo, Gorman, Warhurst Midwood 63’), T. Samba (Dunbar-McDonald 56’), R. Heskey.

UNUSED SUBS | Whatmuff.

MIDDLESBROUGH XI | Lloyd, McPartland (Ibeh 57’), Scott, Woodhouse, Martin (Edmondson 80’), Givenson, Harrison (L. Parker 57’), A. Palmer (Roberts 80’), Hamelberg, Cartwright, B. Palmer.

UNUSED SUBS | Elliott.

WHAT IT MEANS

After Manchester United’s late 4-3 win over Derby on Friday evening, City move back five points clear of our rivals who have one game in hand.

For City, a possible six points are still up for grabs in our final two games of the campaign against Derby and Newcastle.

UP NEXT

Our fight in the race for the Under-18 Premier League North trophy continues with a difficult home test against Derby County.

We welcome the Rams to the CFA for a 12:00 (UK) kick-off on Saturday 26 April in our penultimate league game of the season.