Max O'Leary takes next step in recovery as keeper starts for Bristol City U21s in Charlton loss

Max O’Leary is yet to play for Bristol City under Gerhard Struber having undergone surgery on an ankle injury during pre-seasonMax O’Leary is yet to feature for Bristol City under Gerhard Struber(Image: Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

Max O’Leary took the next step in his recovery from injury as he started between the posts for Bristol City Under-21s in their Professional Development League defeat to Charlton Athletic at the Robins High Performance Centre.

The Young Robins slipped to their third successive loss on Monday afternoon as first-half goals from Keenan Gough and Patrick Casey ensured Louie Derrick’s powerful strike was little more than a consolation as the Addicks ran out 2-1 winners in Failand.

O’Leary is yet to have featured in a first-team matchday squad under Gerhard Struber, having been sidelined by injury since early in pre-season.

The academy graduate didn’t travel to Portugal with the rest of his teammates this summer for the Robins’ warm-weather camp and instead underwent surgery on an ankle issue in July, which was expected to see him ruled out for three to four months.

After returning to training with the rest of the Reds’ stoppers in recent weeks, as confirmed by Struber, the 28-year-old was given the opportunity to build up his fitness and match sharpness against the young Addicks at the HPC; his first appearance since he made his international debut for Ireland against Luxembourg back in June.

However, with just 56 seconds of the first half played, O’Leary and the rest of the Young Robins fell behind as Charlton took the lead. Gough headed into the back of the net from close range after Casey had done well to keep a deep corner alive.

The away side then doubled their advantage midway through the first half, with Casey himself getting on the scoresheet. A smart pass unleashed Henry Rylah down the right flank, and the winger swung a perfectly weighted cross onto the head of the 19-year-old, who calmly nodded in at the back post.

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Having been second best up until that point, the Young Robins seemed to find their feet, in an attacking sense at least, leading into the break. Both Raekwan Nelson and Ruebin Sheppard forced smart saves out of Tom Reid in the Addicks’ goal, but Charlton headed into the break with a two-goal advantage.

Just five minutes after the restart, however, the Young Robins halved the deficit when Derrick cannoned an effort off of the near post and into the top corner to finish off a smart attacking move from Dennis Baraznowski’s side.

A cagey 15-minute spell followed after Derrick’s goal before it took two smart interventions from O’Leary to keep the Addicks’ lead to a single goal. The Reds stopper first got down well to claw a volleyed effort out of the bottom right corner of his goal and away from danger, before quickly charging off his line to clear a back pass that was underhit inside the penalty area.

Despite the Reds’ best efforts to find a leveller in the final 30 minutes, they were unable to fashion too much in the way of clear-cut chances. Raphael Araoye came close to meeting a corner which was swung deep to the back post, and Zac Ali saw a stoppage time cross from the left flank deflected into the hands of Reid.

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With time running out for City to salvage a point, O’Leary punted a long ball upfield for Olly Thomas to chase. While the substitute managed to control the pass near the corner flag, he was forced to pass backwards, and as the Reds worked possession towards the halfway line, the referee blew for full-time.

Although the result was frustrating, O’Leary managed to come through his first 90 minutes in City colours since the second leg of last season’s play-off semi-final defeat to Sheffield United.

With games coming thick and fast on either side of the October international break, it may not be long until supporters see the Irishman back in the Robins’ first-team squad on a matchday, even if displacing Radek Vitek in the starting line-up will likely be a tough task.

OPINION

Max O’Leary takes next step in recovery as keeper starts for Bristol City U21s in Charlton loss

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