Man City EDS 5 - 0 Tranmere Reserves

A Rovers reserve side featuring six first team squad members were taught a footballing lesson on Monday night against Manchester City's Elite Development Squad but the 5-0 scoreline didn't tell the whole story......

Manchester City EDS 5 - 0 Tranmere Reserves

                Luca Scapuzzi 7, 50 and 57

                Ahmed Benali 45

                Dennis Suarez 52

Attendance: 168

At Ewen Fields (Hyde FC)

The scoreline sums up the difference in class that was evident in this game from the start but what it doesn't do is reflect the fact that in spite of the obvious differences, the Rovers players, six of them first team squad members at one time or another, gave this game a really good go at times and were undone by three quickfire goals in a short spell at the start of the second half.

Rovers lined up with Enoch Showunmi and Andy Robinson, both returning from injury lay offs, in the starting eleven alongside first team squad members in need of pitch time in the shape of Michael Kay, Joss Labadie, Mustafa Tiryaki and Lucas Akins as Shaun Garnett's men lined up as follows:

Coughlin

Vaulks  Kay (c)  Wainwright Joyce

Akins  Labadie  Robinson  Healing

Showunmi   Tiryaki

There were no big name players in the Man City line-up but the starting eleven did feature striker Luca Scapuzzi who spent some time on loan at Tranmere's League One rivals Oldham last season and who was to have a huge impact on this game.

The opening five minutes showed early on the difference in class with City spreading balls across the pitch and playing neat passing football on a decent pitch for a team that is a fair way down the football pyramid and is clearly well funded in the facilities department by City themselves.

After just seven minutes, the home side took the lead after a great move that saw the ball laid off for Luca Scapuzzi  just inside the penalty area and he finished expertly past Coughlin to open his account for the evening.

Watched by Rovers boss Les Parry, the visitors improved greatly after going behind with Enoch Showumni winning a number of headers and flicks, one of which sent Mustafa Tirayki clear but instead of shooting when the chance arose, he dallied and the chance was lost.  Shortly after that chance an excellent cross from the Rovers left was met by Tiryaki's head but it was weak and wide by the striker.

Enoch Showunmi returned for Rovers reserve side against Man City EDS on Monday evening

Another decent header went begging for Rovers in the first half whilst at the other end City goalscorer Scapuzzi could have wrapped up a hattrick by half-time but couldn't find the net on a couple of occasions whilst City also had the ball in the net but the goal was disallowed for offside.  With Andy Robinson looking eager and sharp in midfield, Rovers battled well but struggled to pentrate the City defence and just before the interval in the 45th minute they were made to pay as Ahmed Benali tapped in from all of a yard out at the far post as Rovers appealed in vain for offside.

Half-Time: Manchester City EDS 2 - 0 Tranmere Rovers Reserves

It was a seven minute spell in the second half that was eventually Rovers undoing after a decent fight in the first half.  City came out sensing more goals and after 52 minutes the glut of goals began when an excellent floating cross from the right wing was perhaps misjudged by Andy Coughlin leaving the impressive Luca Scapuzzi with an easy far post header to make it 3-0.

Just two minutes later and City had doubled their half-time advantage when arguably City's Man of the Match, Dennis Suarez scored a superb free-kick from long range into the top right corner of Coughlin's net.  Just five minutes after that goal and only seven minutes after City had scored their third goal, City had a fifth when Luca Scapuzzi was put through on goal and was somewhat harshly judged to have been fouled in the area by Michael Kay.  This allowed Scapuzzi to dispatch the penalty for his hattrick, sending Coughlin the wrong way.

There was still plenty of the second half remaining after City's goal rush but apart from Rovers striking the post and having a shot from Lucas Akins saved after the winger did brilliantly to run and create a goal from nothing, there was little Rovers could do despite the effort put in and the game ended 5-0 to the Premier League side's Elite Development Squad.

Full-Time: Manchester City EDS 5- 0 Tranmere Rovers Reserves

Manchester City: Johansen, Wabara (c), Meppen-Walters, Elabdellaoui, Tse, Rekik, Roman, Evans, Scapuzzi, Benali, Suarez.

Subs: Hiwula, Lawlor, Tusnak, Drury, Kennedy

Tranmere Rovers: Coughlin, Vaulks, Joyce, Wainwright, Kay (c), Labadie, Robinson, Akins, Healing, Showunmi, Tiryaki.

Subs: Courtney, Conchie, Kirby, Appleton, John Holmes

Will Vaulks

There were decent comeback performances for both Enoch Showunmi and Andy Robinson but Will Vaulks was excellent at times in defence and continues to impress at youth and reserve team level.