U21s MATCH REPORT: MILLWALL 3-1 BURNLEY

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Clarets fall to defeat in season opener at Lions

2023-08-21T15:52:40.423Z

U21s MATCH REPORT: MILLWALL 3-1 BURNLEY

Clarets fall to defeat in season opener at Lions

2023-08-21T15:52:40.423Z

Burnley FC’s U21s side fell to a 3-1 defeat in their opening game of the 2023/24 Professional Development League campaign against Millwall at Millwall Training Ground.

George Evans gave Millwall the lead in the 13th minute, before Lewis Richardson levelled the game going into the break.

Aidomo Emakhu struck to re-establish the Lions advantage before substitute Seb Drosz sealed the three points for the hosts.

New signing Basilio Rieno Socoliche started for the Clarets, as U18s captain Joe Ashton came into the side at the back.

The bench consisted of U18s Felix Chester, Adam Abbas and Lucas Wane and they were joined by Jack Turner and Will Hugill.

Millwall gave starts to senior stars Connal Trueman, Wes Harding, Ryan Leonard and George Evans.

U21s MATCH REPORT: COLCHESTER UNITED 1-4 BURNLEY - Image 2

First Half

The hosts started the stronger of the two sides, with Charlie Casper forced into an early save by Tom Leahy, and Nino Adom-Malaki shooting over from distance.

And their strong start paid off, as senior player George Evans picked the ball up and curled a strike past Charlie Casper from distance.

The Clarets would bounce back 11 minutes later however, as Lewis Richardson sent a low driven strike towards goal, that flew past Trueman into the far corner of the net.

In the only other real chance of the half, Emakhu saw a low effort blocked by the Burnley defence, as the two teams went into the break level.

U21S PREVIEW: BURNLEY V BIRMINGHAM CITY - Image 1

Second Half

Millwall again started the half the better, and after surviving a dangerous Abdul Abdulmalik cross moments earlier, the Clarets found themselves behind as Abdulmalik crossed once more and this time Emakhu was on hand to tap the ball in.

The hosts continued their second half dominance and added a third soon after, as substitute Seb Drozd headed home from a corner.

Clarets stopper Casper was on hand to firstly deny Sha’mar Lawson with a smart save to tip the ball over the top, and then to also keep out goalscorer Drozd at his near post.

That proved to be the last real chance of the game as Burnley fell to defeat on the road in their first game of the season.

U21s MATCH REPORT: COLCHESTER UNITED 1-4 BURNLEY - Image 3

The U21s are back in action on Saturday 26th August – when they welcome Cardiff City to the Lancashire FA County Ground in the Professional Development League, with that game scheduled to kick off at 11am.

Millwall: Trueman, Smith ©, Adom-Malaki, Harding (Hvid ‘61), Leonard (Cotton ‘61), G. Evans (Walker ‘61), Lawson, Grant, Emakhu (Drozd ‘61), Abdulmalik, Leahy

Unused Subs: G. Evans

Burnley: Casper, Healy-Byrne, Sassi ©, Ashton, Grant, Davies, Lewis, Richardson (Hugill ‘60), Socoliche, Westley, Tweedy

Unused Subs: Chester, Turner, Abbas, Wane

Goals: G. Evans, ‘13, Richardson, ‘24, Emakhu, ‘52, Drozd, ‘66