National League Cup report | Forest Green 0-2 Wolves U21s
Goals from Temple Ojinnaka and Fletcher Holman propelled the Wolves U21 team to victory over Forest Green Rovers in the National League Cup on Wednesday night.
In their last match of 2024, James Collins tweaked his lineup by bringing in two new players for the game against Aston Villa’s under-21 team. Hayden Carson and Leon Chiwome joined the starting eleven, replacing Justin Hubner and Luke Rawlings.
The match began slowly, with both teams having difficulty adjusting to the challenging weather in the first 10 minutes. The rain and wind continued to impact the game throughout the entire match.
As the game approached the 20-minute mark, the young Wolves team began to find their rhythm. Makenzie Bradbury and Ty Barnett played key roles in the midfield, helping the Wolves establish greater control over the match. This shift allowed the team to gain a stronger grip on the game.
Ojinnaka contributed by packing the midfield for Forest Green, often moving into central positions during the first half. This strategy allowed the visiting team to dominate the match against a seasoned Forest Green side.
Opportunities began to materialize for Wolves when Chiwome had a near miss. Fabian Reynolds seized the ball on the right side, advanced toward the penalty area, then shifted to his left foot to locate Chiwome. However, Chiwome’s header under pressure went wide of the goal.
Wolves had another promising opportunity in the 27th minute when Barnett pushed the ball forward to Chiwome. Chiwome then set up Holman, allowing him to go for a shot on goal. However, Jamie Searle made a fantastic save, deflecting the ball out for a corner.
After a strong period from Wolves in the middle of the half, the home team responded with a solid opportunity of their own. In the 32nd minute, Christian Doidge found himself face-to-face with Lewys Benjamin from a short distance and fired a low shot at the goalkeeper, who managed to deflect it to safety.
Half-time | Forest Green 0-0 Wolves U21s
After the break, the Wolves came out with great energy and quickly reaped the benefits just five minutes later. The ball was passed over to the left side where Ethan Sutherland was positioned. He skillfully found Ojinnaka, who scored with a header from just a few yards out, putting them ahead in the match.
Just seven minutes later, the score changed from one to two, giving Wolves some breathing room in the match. Holman received an early Christmas present when he seized a stray ball in the Forest Green penalty area and calmly slotted it into the bottom right corner.
The Wolves began to growl and reacted to their second goal by maintaining their momentum. They skillfully passed the ball between the defense and midfield, with Bradbury and Barnett continuing to take control of the midfield fight.
The young Wolves team demonstrated maturity as they secured a confident win against the third-place team in the National League, finishing the year 2024 on a high note with a clean sheet.
Final Whistle | Forest Green 0-2 Wolves U21s
Forest Green | Searle, Lavinier, Tozer, Inniss (substituted for Wilson at 46 minutes) (replaced by Marquez at 75 minutes), Osadebe, Doidge (substituted for Conteh at 77 minutes), Sercombe, Jenks (substituted for Bonnick at 46 minutes), Quigley, Cardwell (substituted for Aldridge at 25 minutes), Petrynski.
Unused substitutions | Long, Knowles.
Wolves | Benjamin, Ojinnaka, Sutherland, Voice, Mabete (White 83), Carson, Reynolds (Ashworth 71), Bradbury (Whittingham 81), Chiwome (Lopes 71), Barnett (Rawlings 83), Holman. The roster for Wolves includes Benjamin, Ojinnaka, Sutherland, Voice, and Mabete, who was substituted for White in the 83rd minute. Carson and Reynolds were on the field as well, with Reynolds being replaced by Ashworth in the 71st minute. Bradbury also saw a substitution, with Whittingham coming on for him in the 81st minute. Chiwome was replaced by Lopes in the 71st minute, while Barnett made way for Rawlings in the 83rd minute. Lastly, Holman completed the lineup.
Unused Substitutes | Amos, Angel.
07/01 Rochdale (Away) National League Cup
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January 14: Sheffield United (Home) - Premier League 2
Article by Callum Greybanks
