Morris Nets Twice and Sears Ends Drought as U23s Thrash Millwall Monday, 29th Jan 2018 15:02 Ben Morris scored twice and Flynn Downes, Freddie Sears - his first goal of the season at any level - and Aaron Drinan netted once each as the Blues U23s returned to winning ways by thrashing Millwall 5-0 at a wet and windy Playford Road. However, midfielder Tom Adeyemi's return from injury lasted only 34 minutes. Town named a strong side with Adeyemi and Adam Webster making their returns from injury alongside Sears, Grant Ward and Luke Hyam. Recent signing Chris Goteni lined-up next to Webster at the heart of the defence. The Blues again fielded trialist keeper Kleton Perntreou, as they did at West Brom on Thursday in the second of last week’s two Premier League Cup defeats. Sears, playing on the left of a front three with Drinan in the centre and Morris on the right, struck the game’s first shot in the seventh minute, cutting in from the left before hitting a low effort which flew just wide. On 24, with both sides having struggled with the less than ideal conditions, Morris skipped in from the left but his cross-shot was blocked by Lions keeper Ryan Sandford, who played alongside the Blues striker for the England U17 and U18s. Morris should have put the Blues ahead on 27 when the ball broke to him eight yards out after it was stabbed away from Sears as he broke into the area, however, his effort struck the top of the bar when it looked easier to score. But less than a minute later, Morris made amends. Ward crossed from the right and the 18-year-old spun and hit a shot across Sandford and into the net. Nine minutes before the break Adeyemi pulled up with an injury. After receiving treatment on the field, the summer signing, who has struggled with injuries all season, was quickly replaced by Flynn Downes and driven away on a stretcher cart. On 41 Lucas Sinclair was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Webster. A minute later, Sandford stopped Sears’s well-struck shot, a number of Millwall defenders crowding out Drinan as he looked to get in a rebound. With the wind and rain getting worse, the second half was begun almost immediately after the end of the first and seven minutes after the restarts the Blues increased their lead. Morris’s corner from the left got caught on the wind and reached sub Downes at the far post from where the midfielder tapped over the line. Sandford saved well down to his left from Drinan on 48, then Morris hit a dipping effort just over the top. The Millwall keeper made an even more impressive save on 62 when Morris struck a shot from the edge of the box on the left which deflected off Jesse Debrah and seemed destined to hit the net until he made a very sharp stop to his right. From the resultant short corner, Sandford again saved well from another Morris strike from the left of the box. But in the 72nd minute the Blues made it 3-0. Downes intercepted a loose Millwall pass midway inside the visitors’ half, brought it forward and fed Sears, who gleefully lashed home his first goal since pre-season. Two minutes later Ben Folami and Conor McKendry replaced Sears and Ward, before Drinan was sent away on the left of the box but hit his shot too close to Sandford, who palmed behind for a corner. And from the flag-kick, the Blues netted their fourth. Sandford made another fine save from Downes but the loose ball fell to Morris, who slammed in his second of the afternoon. Two minutes later, it was 5-0 with Morris again involved. His low cross from the right was deflected into the air and Drinan nodded over the line from an inch or two out. Sandford made yet another impressive save from Folami from 25 yards, then from the resultant corner, the Australian striker flicked a header across the face of goal and wide. In the final moment Blues keeper Perntreou was forced into his first serious save of the afternoon from a Millwall freekick, which he dealt with confidently. Given the strength of the team a comfortable Blues victory was no surprise. In what were awful conditions throughout, Town - and their dangerous attacking players in particular - got more and more on top as the game wore on and the scoreline would have been even more emphatic but for Sandford’s display in the Millwall goal. Webster and Goteni formed a very solid partnership at the back with the Frenchman impressing as he did at West Brom on Friday. With the defence resolute in front of him, trialist Perntreou, watched by manager Mick McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor, was never really tested but kicked well in difficult conditions. U23s: Perntreou, McLoughlin, Kenlock, Hyam, Webster, Goteni, Morris, Ward (McKendry 73), Drinan, Adeyemi (Downes 34), Sears (Folami 73). Unused: Webber, Wright. Millwall: Sandford, McNamara, Tiensia, Hanson, Debrah, Chesmain, Olaofe, Saunders-Henry, Brymora, Philpot, Sinclair (West 54). Unused: Duncan, Jackson, West, Skeffington, Alexander.
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