Northern Ireland U21 international Caolan Lavery did his hopes of winning a professional contract no harm by netting the first goal as Town’s U18s beat Leicester City 3-0 at Playford Road this afternoon. The Canadian-born frontman put the Blues ahead on the half hour, defender Callum Bennett scored the second six minutes later and midfielder Byron Lawrence added the third in the final moments.
Lavery, 18, had his academy scholarship extended until October after suffering a knee injury in last November’s FA Youth Cup defeat to Peterborough and missing a large part of the last campaign.
In the early weeks of this season the youngster from Red Deer, Alberta has been in a rich vein of goalscoring form for both the reserves and the U18s, netting after coming on as a sub for the second string in Tuesday’s 8-1 victory over Gillingham and notching his third league goal of 2011/12 for the senior academy side in this afternoon's game with a shot on the turn.
Manager Paul Jewell says he's been impressed with Lavery’s improved fitness and attitude and will be making a decision on the striker, who has previously been linked with Leicester and Spurs, in the weeks to come: "He was unlucky because he was injured last year. We gave him until October to prove his fitness and to see if he’s worth a pro contract.
"He’s done well and he’s one we have to make a decision on in the next week or two. Certainly, he’s got good desire.
"He’s come back a lot fitter and shown a good attitude, so we’ll be sitting down to discuss what we’re going to do with him.”
Callum Bennett's goal came from a cross by Carel Tiofack, while schoolboy Byron Lawrence, who was in the first team squad for the Carling Cup game against Northampton earlier in the season, beat four Foxes defenders before planting a shot past the visitors' keeper.
Meanwhile, Town's U16 side beat the same opposition 1-0.
U18s: O'Donnell, Jones, October, Maduako, Acott, Thorsteinsson, Meikle (Timlin 85), Bennett, Lavery (Simmons 60), Lawrence, Tiofack (Marriott 60). Unused: Scotcher, Winter.