U18S MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1-5 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets win the league!

2025-04-19T14:07:55.083Z

U18S MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1-5 BURNLEY

Young Clarets win the league!

2025-04-19T14:07:55.083Z

Young Clarets win the league!

Burnley U18s produced an emphatic 5-1 victory away at Watford to win the Professional Development League North section title on Saturday afternoon.

Kian McMahon-Brown and Zach Johnson scored twice each alongside another strike from Brandon Pouani on a proud day for the football club and its Academy.

The young Clarets couldn’t have dreamt of a better start, scoring with less than a minute on the clock.

Good work from Pouani on the left allowed him to deliver across the face of goal, and Johnson was able to take a touch and fire into the roof of the net.

Pouani made it 2-0 in the 12th minute, cutting inside from the left to produce a curling finish into the opposite corner.

Tony Philliskirk’s side controlled the ball well and had the better of the play, with McMahon-Brown and Benji Wetshi using their pace and power to good effect.

U18S MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1-5 BURNLEY - Image 1

However, the hosts pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time when Fabio So conceded a penalty from a set piece and Nickson Okosun converted from 12 yards.

Burnley fought straight back though and restored their two-goal lead before the break, with McMahon-Brown’s persistence giving Johnson the chance to score his second from close range.

They continued that momentum in the second half and came agonisingly close to a fourth goal twice in quick succession, with McMahon-Brown curling narrowly wide and Wetshi hitting the bar.

It did come after 51 minutes, when Johnson turned provider for Republic of Ireland U17 international McMahon-Brown to score from close range.

Philliskirk then turned to his bench, with George Brierley replacing Pouani before So made way for Adam McCoy.

McMahon-Brown scored his second and the team’s fifth when Johnson produced yet another inch-perfect free kick, and the number 10 prodded home despite the Watford ‘keeper’s best efforts.

U18S MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1-5 BURNLEY - Image 2

Our final three substitutions saw Anwar Murtesa, Corey King and Braidin Derbyshire replace Troy Savage, Johnson and Wetshi with just over 20 minutes to play.

At the other end of the pitch, Clarets ‘keeper Connor Edwards produced a strong save to deny Kymani Smith-Daley.

Burnley perhaps should have had even more goals; with Derbyshire and McMahon-Brown both being thwarted one-on-one late on.

Alas, it stayed at five and with two matches of the season to go the Clarets have claimed 66 points courtesy of 21 wins and three draws.

That puts them beyond the reach of 2nd-placed Sheffield Wednesday before Cardiff City visit Burnley Training Centre on Saturday 26th April.

Burnley: Edwards, Blackie, Wilcock, Stanley, Adekoya, Savage (Murtesa 69), Johnson (King 69), So (McCoy 61), Wetshi (Derbyshire 69), K. McMahon-Brown, Pouani (Brierley 54)

Watford: Thrussell, Hunt, Notley, Akinyimika, Moulton, London (McLoughlin 61), Smith, Vanish, Okosun (Cowie 71), Riza (Bowlin 71), Shevchenko (Smith-Daley 61)

Unused Substitutes: Morris

Goals: Johnson 1’, 45+2’, Pouani 12’, Okosun 45’, K. McMahon-Brown 51’, 68’