Valentine on Target as U21s Win at Braintree
Friday, 28th Jul 2023 22:14 by James Ager

A second-half goal from Nico Valentine gave the Blues' U21 side a 1-0 win at Braintree Town in their latest pre-season friendly on Friday evening.

The National League South side included former Blue and Bermudian international Reggie Lambe in their midfield, while John McGreal and David Wright named two trialists in the Town backline.

One of the trialists headed just wide from a corner early on, before Jack Manly met an inviting cross with a side-foot volley that went over on ten.

John White lifted well over at the other end after Town had failed to clear a corner, shortly before a quick break saw Manly play in Osman Foyo, but the former Norwich youngster was eased off the ball by George Quantrell as he broke into the box.

As the half-hour mark approached, Nnamdi Nwachuku turned and shot just over after good work from Alfie Owen-Jones while a few minutes later, Harry Barbrook's floated free-kick dropped just wide of the far post with Foyo inches away from a simple tap-in.

The last action of the first half saw Braintree's trialist strike a free-kick from 25 yards out that keeper Henry Gray did well to push away, and from the resultant corner some more good defending saw the ball blocked and hacked away off the Town goalline.

Minutes after the restart, Nwachuku latched onto a long ball forward and cut inside well, but dragged his shot well wide of the near post.

Neither side really created much else until the 65th minute when another free-kick from the home side's number ten drifted just wide of the far post.

Four minutes later though, Town took the lead. Half-time sub Oli Davis dispossessed Iron keeper Jack Sims and squared the ball for Valentine to bundle home from close range.

A fierce drive from 30 yards which flew just wide of Gray's post was the closest the hosts came to getting back into the match, although some long throws from the right side did cause a few issues in the Town area.

However, the rather experimental backline held firm for the Blues, who now look forward to a friendly against Norwich City next week.

Elsewhere, academy forward Finlay Corrigan scored for Hemel Hempstead Town, who he joined on loan on Wednesday, in a 5-1 friendly victory at home to FC Romania.

U21s: Grey, Trialist (Haddoch 70), H Barbrook, Mazionis, Trialist, F Barbrook, Valentine, O'Neill (Okunowo 61), Taylor (Davis 46), Foyo, Manly. Unused: Williamson.

Photo: Matchday Images

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