U18 REPORT: BURNLEY 1-4 SHEFFIELD UNITED

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Young Clarets beaten by Blades

2023-02-14T08:00:00.000Z

U18 REPORT: BURNLEY 1-4 SHEFFIELD UNITED

Young Clarets beaten by Blades

2023-02-14T08:00:00.000Z

CLARETS CALENDAR: YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEK AHEAD - Image 4

Burnley’s U18 side fell to a 4-1 defeat against Sheffield United in Professional Development League action at the Burnley Training Centre.

The Blades took the lead through Stafford Clarke just before the half hour mark and John Oluleye added a second for the visitors after the restart.

Rohan Vaughan was sent off for the Clarets before Joe Westley prodded home to make it 2-1, but goals from Kurtis Havenhand and substitute Archie Christie-Craine sealed the victory for Sheffield United.

Tony Philliskirk made seven changes to the side that lost to Peterborough United last Saturday – 11th February – with Kian Le Fondre returning to the starting 11 for the first time this season and Joe Westley came back in the team to lead the line – in place of Tom Tweedy and Lucas Wane respectively.

Jon Ander Vilar Robinson, Ollie Sweeney, Frankie Deane and a trialist also started the game with Lewis Forshaw, Tosin Olopade, Joe Ashton and Callum West the others to drop out.

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First Half

The game started slowly with neither side really testing the ‘keepers until around the 20th minute when the Clarets had three opportunities in quick succession with Wiktor Gromek slicing two strikes wide and Trevon Bryan cutting inside to bend a shot wide in between the Polish youth international’s efforts.

The Blades took advantage of the missed Burnley chances, and took the lead through Stafford Clarke, who drove a low effort past Vilar Robinson after Kurt Havenhand held up a Jack Waldron cross.

Frankie Deane saw a strike deflected wide from the edge of the area as the Young Clarets looked to work a way back into the game but went into the break behind.

Second Half

United started the second half the better of the two and doubled their lead just after the restart as John Oluleye broke onto a pass over the top before rounding Vilar Robinson and tapping into an empty net.

The returning Le Fondre headed over from a Bryan cross and Westley made space inside the box to force a superb low save out of Blades stopper Luke Faxon in the latest of the Clarets opportunities.

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Moments later however, Rohan Vaughan saw red and in turn the Clarets would be forced to play the remainder of the game with 10 men.

Despite being a man light, Burnley would work their way back into this fixture, as Jack McEvilly rose highest from a set-piece to head back across the box and find captain Westley in space who prodded into an empty net.

United added a third before the Clarets could press on for an equaliser, as Havenhand hammered in a rebound following Seth Okeyere’s header against the woodwork.

And the Blades made it four two minutes from time when Christie-Craine reacted to a low Vilar Robinson save to tap into an empty net.

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The U18 are back in action this Saturday – 18th February – when they face Wigan Athletic in the Professional Development League at the Burnley Training Centre (11am KO).

Burnley: Vilar Robinson, Rogers, James, McEvilly, Sweeney, Le Fondre (Tioffo ’61), Deane, Gromek (West ’74), Trialist (Wane ’61), Bryan (Vaughan ’61), Westley ©

Unused Subs: Forshaw

Sheffield United: Faxon, Waldron ©, Haughton-Parris (Tahir ’86), Okeyere, Prunty, Drake, Aston, Clarke, Havenhand, Oluleye, Blaize (Christie-Crainie ’85)

Unused Subs: Ciccarelli, Yam, Kiwomya