U18 LFA YOUTH CUP REPORT: BURNLEY 0-5 ACCRINGTON STANLEY

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Young Clarets exit County Cup at last-four stage with defeat to Stanley

2023-04-11T10:00:00.000Z

U18 LFA YOUTH CUP REPORT: BURNLEY 0-5 ACCRINGTON STANLEY

Young Clarets exit County Cup at last-four stage with defeat to Stanley

2023-04-11T10:00:00.000Z

Young Clarets exit County Cup at last-four stage with defeat to Stanley

Tony Philliskirk’s youth team bowed out of the Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup at the semi-final stage with a 5-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley on home soil.

A goal down at the break, the Young Clarets then conceded again 12 seconds into the second half, and never recovered from there with the visitors adding three further unanswered goals.

Boss Philliskirk made four changes to the side that had drawn 2-2 with Coventry City in U18 Professional Development League action last Saturday as Lewis Forshaw, Noah Adekoya, Jack McEvilly & Ryan Tioffo all dropped to the bench.

Jon Ander Vilar Robinson – who was the penalty shoot-out hero against Blackburn Rovers in the quarter-finals of the County Cup back in November – returned in goal. Elsewhere, Frankie Deane, Wiktor Gromek & Kian Le Fondre all also came into the starting 11.

U18 LFA YOUTH CUP REPORT: BURNLEY 0-5 ACCRINGTON STANLEY - Image 1

First Half

Against Rovers, Joe Westley handed Burnley a lead just 27 seconds in, and this time around against Stanley, Callum West came a last-ditch block away from a carbon copy opener two minutes in.

Two huge opportunities then passed the visitors by as Harley Lawton saw an effort blocked behind for a corner, and Owen Davenport headed over from the resulting set-piece.

Calvin Harper also saw a free-kick kept out before the striker opened the scoring on 32 minutes as he charged upfield unchallenged and struck past Vilar Robinson from the edge of the area.

The Young Clarets’ shot stopper would hold onto a shot from Alex Henderson and deny Harper oncemore before the half was out, while at the other end Deane fired over from distance and Otegbayo was denied a certain leveller by Henderson’s own flicked clearance at the back post.

U18 LFA YOUTH CUP REPORT: BURNLEY 0-5 ACCRINGTON STANLEY - Image 2

Second Half

In truth, Burnley’s start to the second 45 couldn’t have been a worse one as a weak back pass was capitalised on by Harper to double his and Stanley’s tally just 12 seconds in.

Emerich Poilly should’ve made it three moments later as he sent an effort wide from a matter of yards out, but teammate Henderson didn’t make the same mistake on 52 minutes with his header.

Things went from bad to worse for Philliskirk’s side five minutes later when Vilar Robinson was adjudged to have brought down Davenport, and Harper completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot.

And after Henderson had hit the post, the fifth eventually came on 76 minutes when Reds captain Aaron Pickles found himself in space inside the area to tuck home.

U18 LFA YOUTH CUP REPORT: BURNLEY 0-5 ACCRINGTON STANLEY - Image 3

The only effort of note conjured up by Burnley prior to the full-time whistle came in time added on when Deane’s low-driven free-kick was held onto by Accrington ‘keeper Max Clayton.

Stanley will now face Preston North End in the competition’s final next month.

Burnley meanwhile return to action at Colchester United on Saturday – 15th April – in the U18 Professional Development League (11am KO).

Burnley: Vilar Robinson, Sweeney, Otegbayo (Adekoya ’64), Rogers, Ashton, Deane, Gromek, West (Tioffo ’64), Wane, Vaughan (Sime ’67), Le Fondre

Unused Subs: Forshaw, McEvilly

Accrington: Clayton, Kelly, Newton, Pickles, Lawton, Poilly, Harper, Trickett, Henderson, Davenport, Smith

Subs: Riva, Alston, Hugh, Proctor

Goals: Harper, ’32, ’46 & ‘58, Henderson, ’52, Pickles, ‘76