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Reserves: United 3 Villa 3 (3-2 on pens)
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Premier Reserve League Playoff
Old Trafford, 3 May 2010

MANCHESTER UNITED 3
Diouf (43, 88), Macheda (pen 60)

ASTON VILLA 3
Delfouneso (22, 55), Clark (82)

United win 3-2 on penalties

United: Foster; Rafael, De Laet, Gill, Dudgeon; Stewart (Obertan 55, W Keane 76), C Evans, Possebon, Norwood (Pogba 87); Diouf, Macheda.
Subs not used: Zieler, Wootton.

United edged an enthralling Barclays Premier Reserve League Play-Off Final against Aston Villa, thrice recovering from falling behind before eventually taking the title in a nerve-shredding penalty shootout.

Mame Biram Diouf's double and a Kiko Macheda penalty kept United in the contest during normal time, but goalkeeper Ben Foster was the shootout hero; making two saves and scoring what proved to be the winning kick.

Villa can consider themselves unfortunate to taste defeat after putting in an excellent shift at Old Trafford, but United's never-say-die mantra ultimately won the day.

Mindful of the fixture's prestige, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Warren Joyce named a side featuring several players with first team experience. Most surprisingly, Rafael came in for his first Reserves appearance of 2010 at right-back.

Nevertheless, Villa made by far the brighter start to the game. Marc Albrighton and Ciaran Clark had already passed up half-chances before Delfouneso missed a jaw-dropping sitter. Albrighton's superb back-post cross was nodded across goal by Dominik Hofbauer, only for Villa's number 9 to nod over the open goal from four yards.

It took Delfouneso just 10 more minutes to atone, however, as he took a pass from Barry Bannan, held off the attentions of Ritchie De Laet and dragged a low shot inside the post, with Foster wrong-footed. Andreas Weimann shot inches wide as Villa continued to press for more, but United sprang into life just after the half-hour.

Firstly, Diouf raced onto Ollie Norwood's through-ball, only to have his shot saved by Andy Marshall. The pair then combined again, but Norwood's clever low free-kick was powered over from 10 yards by the Senegalese striker.

Only a vital block from Rafael prevented Andreas Hofbauer from doubling Villa's advantage as the visitors continued to threaten on the break, but Diouf was soon denied again by Marshall, who saved superbly with his feet.

Just before half-time, however, parity was restored. Diouf seized on a poor touch from Clark and nicked the ball to Macheda, before racing into the area and side-footing the Italian's return pass past Marshall, via the inside of the far post.

Villa's response was positive, and Villa retook the lead inside 10 minutes of the second period. Having pounced on a miscontrol by De Laet, Weimann motored towards goal and pulled back for Delfouneso to smash a finish into the roof of the net.

The response from the United bench was the introduction of Gabriel Obertan at the expense of Cameron Stewart. Almost immediately, Rafael released Diouf again, but the striker scuffed his attempt to chip the onrushing Marshall, who comfortably saved.

Nevertheless, the Reds were soon level. Skipper Corry Evans latched onto Macheda's neat through-ball but tumbled under Jonathan Hogg's challenge, prompting referee Lee Mason to award the penalty.

With one famous Stretford End strike against the Villans already to his name, Macheda remained ice-cool under the circumstances, and nonchalantly caressed the spot-kick in, via the inside of Marshall's post.

An absorbing encounter continued to swing to and fro, and Macheda almost put United ahead for the first time four minutes later, only to power Rafael's cross over the bar. Moments later, Macheda's deflected shot broke to Diouf, but Marshall sprinted from his line to again make a superb stop.

United's plans were dealt a setback when the lively Obertan made way through injury, with Will Keane introduced. It was Villa's Matthew Roome, however, who was the next player to come close to putting United ahead. The defender's spectacular attempt to head clear sent the ball spinning against his own post, and the rebound dropped agonisingly away from the lurking Keane.

That misery was compounded in the 82nd minute when a deep corner evaded Foster, and the unmarked Clark raced in at the back post to head his side into the lead for the third time.

Incredibly, United's indefatigable spirit yielded another equaliser, with two minutes of normal time remaining. Macheda was again involved, as his chipped cross wrong-footed Roome, allowing Diouf to take a touch and smash home an emphatic finish from eight yards.

True to form, Villa again roared back. Delfouneso almost clinched a personal treble when his shot arrowed past Foster's top corner in the first seconds of injury-time, but there was no time for a winner to be decided in open play.

Instead, it was down to penalties. Macheda, Rodrigo Possebon and Foster all netted with aplomb for United and, although Will Keane and Corry Evans both had efforts saved, Albrighton's miss and Foster's stops from Delfouneso and substitute James Collins gave the hosts the shield.

Penalties: Macheda scores; Bannan scores; Possebon scores; Albrighton misses (wide); Keane misses (saved); Weimann scores; Foster scores; Delfouneso misses (saved); Evans misses (saved); Collins misses (saved).