SAFC U21s are straight back in Premier League Cup group stage action on Wednesday, with an early kick-off against Cardiff City at the Leckwith Sports Complex Stadium (11am).
The match has been rearranged quickly following an initial postponement on Friday, due to a frozen playing surface in South Wales.
The young Lads will be looking to gather momentum from last Monday’s 2-1 win over Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, as Tom Scott and Harrison Sohna netted either side of half-time in a game notable for the return of Dan Ballard after four months out.
This represents matchday five of Group H – the group finale will be played on January 5 between Graeme Murty’s side and Wolves in a rearranged fixture at Eppleton.
Murty and John Hewitson are expected to have a similar selection pool of players to the last outing in Berkshire, with some slight rotation possible. Max Thompson remains out with an ankle injury, whilst several players could have a quick turnaround following involvement in our U18s' FA Youth Cup win over Swansea City on Saturday. Zak Johnson, Marshall Burke, Ben Middlemas and Tommy Watson were among those to prominently feature at the weekend.
Cardiff were winners at Eppleton in the group’s reverse fixture, by a 2-0 scoreline thanks to Caleb Hughes’ brace last month. The hosts’ skipper, Xavier Benjamin, could again feature after having played a trial period at Sunderland at the end of last season. The Bluebirds have also played four group games so far, winning and losing two apiece as they sit second in the group. A win for the Lads would take us level on points with Cardiff heading into the final match.
Social media coverage of the game will be available via our dedicated Academy Twitter page, @AcademyOfLight.