U18 REPORT: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets lose out to Owls in penultimate away game of campaign

2023-04-19T12:00:00.000Z

U18 REPORT: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 BURNLEY

Young Clarets lose out to Owls in penultimate away game of campaign

2023-04-19T12:00:00.000Z

Young Clarets lose out to Owls in penultimate away game of campaign

Tony Philliskirk’s youth team were beaten 2-1 away at Sheffield Wednesday in U18 Professional Development League action.

Lucas Wane had given the Young Clarets the lead early on in the second half, but the Owls netted twice in the space of 60 seconds to complete a comeback on home soil and take all three points.

Boss Philliskirk made five changes in South Yorkshire to the team that had lost out 4-0 at Colchester United last Saturday. U16s Noah Adekoya, Jack McEvilly & Vernon Masara were amongst those to drop out, while midfielder Wiktor Gromek came in and started up front in a depleted squad.

First Half

It was a quiet start at Wednesday’s Middlewood Road Training Ground, with the only action of note in the opening half-hour a routine stop from goalkeeper Pierce Charles to deny Ryan Tioffo.

U18 REPORT: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 BURNLEY - Image 1

At the other end, Joe Ashton had to divert a low cross behind for a corner before Gromek stung the palms of Charles, but again the ‘keeper produced a comfortable save.

The biggest chance of the half fell the way of the hosts as, following a mix-up at the back by the Clarets, Jarvis Thornton was provided a gilt-edged opportunity to fire home.

Having taken too long to get the shot away, it gave Gabriel Otegbayo time to recover and hook the ball behind for a corner with an improvised clearance on the stretch as the last line of defence.

Second Half

The start to the second 45 was also a quiet one, though Wane proved a livewire and eventually broke the deadlock.

Frankie Deane did well on the edge of the area to tee up Gromek whose powerful strike was palmed wide by Charles, but winger Wane adjusted well and fired home first-time from a tight angle at the rebound to open the scoring prior to the hour-mark.

U18 REPORT: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 BURNLEY - Image 2

Wednesday came back at Burnley though, and soon they’d hit the woodwork through Aodhan Sopala’s header at the back post from a corner.

That was a warning side which the Young Clarets didn’t heed, and within 60 quickfire seconds soon after, they were behind.

Devlan Moses first levelled, netting from inside the area, before Kamil Maciag took advantage of an under hit back pass – and an unfortunate slip from Burnley ‘keeper Lewis Forshaw – to tap home into an empty net what would prove to be the winner.

Looking for an equaliser, Wane saw another effort tipped behind by Charles while Tioffo had a header held by the shot stopper.

U18 REPORT: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 BURNLEY - Image 3

Forshaw then produced a fine save to keep out a strike at point-blank range from Harris Lihe, while in the third minute of time added on Burnley came close to a leveller but Gromek was beaten to the ball in the air by an Owls defender as he looked to nod home a dangerous cross.

With three games of their season remaining, Philliskirk’s side return to action on Saturday – 22nd April – at home against Ipswich Town (11am KO).

Burnley: Forshaw, Sweeney (Sime ’71), Bates, Otegbayo, Ashton, Trialist (Vaughan ’61), Deane, West (Rogers ’65), Wane, Gromek, Tioffo

Unused Sub: Vilar Robinson

Sheffield Wednesday: Charles, Bradford, Flannery, Sopala, Weaver, Trialist, Bobea, Thornton, Moses, Maciag, Rodrigues

Subs: Dawes, Hall, Mbaya, Lihe, Rhule

Goals: Wane, ’59, Moses, ’68, Maciag, ‘69