Under-21s go nap against Sky Blues

Yesterday at 06:07 PM

The under-21s continued their great form with yet another win tonight, this time beating Coventry City 5-0 in front of a vocal Turf Moor crowd.

Owen Dodgson, Han-Noah Massengo and Enock Agyei, three of the substitutes from Saturday's first team game against QPR were named in tonight's team with Etienne Green getting a game in goal.

The game almost got off to a sensational start with the Coventry goalkeeper saving to deny Joe Westley a first minute goal but the game really did take some time to get going after that with neither side really able to get a foothold.

Apart from a Joe Bevan shot that Coventry got away from a corner, there was little to shout about for almost half an hour and then, after Coventry had just had their best attacking move, we went in front. Agyei played the ball up to Massengo who released Westley on the right hand side of the box. His shot, across the goalkeeper hit the far post and went in.

With half time approaching, Tommy McDermott played a great ball for Bevan whose shot definitely hit one post, if not both, before they were able to clear. That was the last real piece of first half action with us going in a goal to the good and deservedly so.

Into the second half and Massengo went on a run. Moving into the box on the left hand side, he really should have played the ball to two waiting team mates to the right but he went for the shot and fired wide only for the referee to award him a penalty as a Coventry defender fouled just as he was shooting.

Westley placed the ball on the spot and made no mistake, the lead was doubled and, at that point, I thought we had the game won.

The keeper then saved from Bevan only for Alex Healy-Byrne to hammer home the rebound. The assistant flagged offside, the goal was ruled out and we could have no complaints.

Just past the hour, we made three changes, and almost immediately Healy-Byrne hit a stunning shot just wide of the target.

We looked in control but then came a big moment for Coventry to get back into it. Green saved a shot but the ball squirmed out of his grasp. He just got back to keep it out but it looked certain that they'd score from the rebound. Not so, they hit the bar and that proved to be their very last chance of the night as we went on the rampage.

Goals number three and four were three minutes apart and both glorious, and similar goals. Dodgson hit over a wonderful cross from the left that Tom Tweedy, one of the three substitutes met, with a stunning header. And just for a repeat, but this time from the right, another superb cross from another of the subs Charlie Veevers was headed home by Healy-Byrne.

Top that. Could we? Oh yes, goal number five was the pick of the lot as Agyei (pictured) hit home a terrific shot for his first Burnley goal. There were still seven minutes to go plus a further three. Massengo picked up an injury that left us to finish with ten players. We might have had more goals but I don't think anyone left disappointed after this performance that takes us back up to second.

The teams were;

Burnley: Etienne Green, Alex Healy-Byrne, Benn Ward (Logan Pye 63), Murray Campbell, Owen Dodgson, Han-Noah Massengo, Joe Bauress (Charlie Veevers 63), Enock Agyei, Tommy McDermott (Joe Ashton 76), Joe Bevan (Tom Tweedy 63), Joe Westley. Sub not used: Jon Ander Vilar Robinson.

Coventry: Luke Bell, Tionne Critchlow-Woyo, Kain Ryan, Callum Perry, Tristen Batanwi, Joseph McCallum, Kai Andrews, Charlie Finney, Siddall, Aidan Dausch, Harvey Broad. Subs: Eliot Meredith, MacKenzie Stretton, Riccardo Di Trolio, Aston Ellard, Conrad Ambursley.