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YOUTH REPORT | Chester 5-0 Clitheroe
Chester FC’s Under-18’s comfortably advanced into the First Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup with a convincing win over Clitheroe at the Deva.
Calum McIntyre’s side raced into a two goal advantage with a quickfire double around the quarter of an hour mark.
Full-back Joe Nelson marauded down the left following Captain Ollie Heywood’s pinpoint pass – and supplied the assist for Reece Daly to slam home.
This came moments after Malick Diakite’s shot at the other end was cleared off the line by Jay Lee, but then the lead was doubled on 17 minutes.
A wonderfully worked corner saw Harry Griffiths unmarked 25-yards out. He was found by Heywood and controlled well before volleying home superbly beyond Harrison Pearce.
Daly nearly had his second from another deadly Heywood corner, turning the ball inches wide of the post – before Nelson struck the side netting after a powerful run from Max Giani.
Clitheroe’s number one Pearce was busy on the half hour mark – denying both Giani and then Sol Ashworth inside the box.
At the other end before the break, the lively Diakite crossed but Mackenzie Hodgkinson could only head over the crossbar.
The game calmed down slightly in the second half but the young Blues were still creating opportunities. Pearce did well to claw Jay Lee’s cross-shot over the bar, before Giani glanced Heywood’s corner against the outside of the post.
Nevertheless, they took their next chance and it was game, set and match. Giani raced on to a nice through ball from Daly and calmly slotted the ball across the keeper and into the bottom corner.
There was still time for more. Dan Collins had an impressive second half after being brought on at the break, and capped it with a superb sidefooted finish into the top corner from the edge of the box after being set up by fellow substitute Oliver Bavington.
Moments later, Griffiths made it a brace as his left footed attempt managed to sneak through the legs of Pearce and was adjudged to have crossed the line by the Assistant Referee.
CHESTER: Smith, Lee, Nelson (Collins 46), Heywood, Walters, Buckley-Benbow, Griffiths, Ashworth, Giani, Reece Daly, Maris (Bavington 53).
SUBS NOT USED: Beswick, Stark, Challinor, Regan Daly, Peake.
SCORERS: Reece Daly 12, Harry Griffiths 17 & 85, Max Giani 75, Dan Collins 81.
ATTENDANCE: 351.