The Scouts are out

Birmingham City U21 0 v Sheffield United U21 2

Tuesday 6 January 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

Another first for me out at the Birmingham City Academy. Very welcoming. Lovely set up. Pitches as far as the eye can see. Superb, bowling green, surface on the main pitch.

The January Window is open. Quite a few fellas (some recognisable) hunched over notebooks watching & scouting targets.

Both sides were strong & committed. It was a bit windy. Everything being done at high pace. But, not a lot of composure out there. United set up with Ben Whiteman at centre back alongside McGahey. Later on, Whiteman slotted into midfield once Sam Berry had come on. And he grabbed the ball to convert the penalty. For sheer versatility, and a Goal, I'll happily give Ben my Man of the Match.

In the first half,  Kieran Wallace had a couple of longer range shots narrowly wide. James Wallace drilled a low shot in, which the keeper held. Jamie McDonagh had a glancing header just wide. The BlueNoses also had some chances & were unlucky with a bit of penalty area ping pong. They finished that half stronger.

Otis Khan (over to the left) & Che Adams switched wings for the beginning of the 2nd half. Good work down the left by Jason Paling & then Otis, ended with a handball in the box. Whiteman knocked it home.

Birmingham came back into it & had some good chances. Then a spate of substitutions.

A chase down. The Birmingham keeper slipped as he tried to control/clear. CJ Hamilton nicked it off him. But he also seemed to end up on his arse. He recovered a bit & knocked it in for 2-0.

Nigel Clough was here. Mainly in a watching role, not a shouting & bawling role.

Sorry. But Che Adams gets my anonymous, forgot he was even out there, award.

(66/168)