Albion 3 Leicester 3: Under-18s come from two down to draw

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Two stoppage time strikes saw Albion draw 3-3 with the Foxes.

Charlie Hanson

2026-03-17T15:00+00:00

Liam Crutchett made it 3-3 late on. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Our men’s under-18s staged a terrific comeback to draw 3-3 with Leicester City in Premier League South on Tuesday.

Going into second half stoppage time 3-1 down at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, goals from Tate Ferdinand and Liam Crutchett – after Rafaelle Oppong had scored Albion's opener earlier in the contest – ensured our under-18s came away with an unlikely point.

Albion started the brighter of the two teams, with Finn Dzekawong heading wide from Crutchett’s decent left-wing cross before Henry Kasvosve jinked into the box but fired his shot straight into the arms of Foxes keeper Leo Stretton.

But the visitors took the lead with their first meaningful attack after 26 minutes. Jake Fletcher turned well in the box to get away from Ferdinand, before curling the ball low into the bottom corner.

Albion went in search of an equaliser but Dzekawong’s header from close range was blocked and Kasvosve’s follow up was charged down just before the break.

Raffaele Oppong scored Albion's first goal of the afternoon. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

They would find an equaliser early in the second half though, with Oppong firing in from Bode Newnham-Reeve’s pass after 52 minutes.

Albion's joy was short lived however as Harry Jacklin nodded in from six yards just two minutes after Oppong's leveller to make it 2-1.

Steven Menzies' side responded again and Newnham-Reeve went close with a drive from 25 yards with 65 minutes played, but it would be the Foxes that would grab what looked like a certain sealer of the three points seven minutes from time.

Theo Outen slipped in possession of the ball just inside his own half, which Joseph Colangelo-Allen pounced upon and fired into an empty net from range.

Tate Ferdinand scored a terrifically guided header. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Ferdinand struck in the second minute of second half stoppage from just inside the box to give Albion hope, finding the bottom right corner to make it 3-2, but the drama didn't stop there.

Newnham-Reeve passed across the face of goal, which Crutchett smashed in from a few yards out.

Under-18s interim head coach Steven Menzies said, “I thought over the course of the game we were the better team – I might be slightly biased. But I thought we maybe didn't manage a couple of moments too well and we didn't make the most of when we were in a good moment. We were the better team for the opening 25 minutes and we ended up one down.

Steven Menzies's team were 3-1 down heading into second half stoppage time. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

"I was really pleased at the end because at 91 minutes and 3-1 down, you’d bite someone's hand off for a draw, but then when you reflect over the whole game, I think we should win that game."

"We had Daniel Nneji, Brook Smith and Harrison Brown get their first minutes for the under-18s, while Fin Dzekawong made his first start, which is obviously very pleasing."