Quote:
Tuesday 21*October, 19:30 BST
Loughborough University Stadium
LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS 0
UNITED YOUTH XI 2
(Goss 8, Fletcher 57)
|
.
21/10/2014 - ManUtd.com, Adam Marshall
Loughborough 0 United Youth XI 2
A Manchester United Youth XI defeated Loughborough*Students 2-0 with goals by Sean Goss and Ashley Fletcher.
Paul McGuinness fielded an Under-19 line-up that included Goss, Fletcher and Matty Willock in addition to his Academy squad in a match played in memory of the home team's former coach Mike 'Doc' Holliday.
The*game was only eight minutes old when the hosts lost possession deep inside their own half and Marcus Rashford's intelligent backheel allowed Goss to fire a superb shot past Jack Howard and in off the far post. Rashford and Fletcher were convinced a penalty should have been awarded when they tried to reach a cross by Tyler Reid but Loughborough hit back and Dean Henderson was*close to being*embarrassed when his clearance struck Alun Webb and trickled wide.
After Rashford almost danced through on his own, Devonte Redmond spurned a glorious chance when scooping over from close range. Joe Riley was also off target from a promising position*while Rashford was unlucky with a diving header from a Riley centre that flashed wide.
Willock started the second half brightly as the*game opened up and, after*firing wide, he curled a shot past Howard only to see it bounce back off the bar. United turned up the heat on a blustery night and, after Rashford was unable to finish off a devastating run by Riley, the no.9 capitalised on a mistake by Josh Dickens to release Fletcher*and the target man finished clinically past the advancing Howard.
The Students responded with an incisive move that should have led to a goal by the lively Webb, but he snatched at the opportunity,*before Jack Poxton tested substitute goalkeeper George Dorrington.*United assumed total control but could not add a third goal during a dominant spell that contained some attractive football.
Fletcher was unable to profit from a poor Howard clearance, the keeper atoning by holding the venomous shot, Redmond drilled wide after slicing through the home defence and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson's mishit cross dropped the wrong side of the far post.
At the other end, Poxon attempted a drive that deflected wide of a stranded Dorrington but came back off an upright while Fletcher*was twice unable to convert decent openings*as the chances continued to come thick and fast. Rashford spun Luke Trotman to race clear but*supplied a disappointing finish from an ever-decreasing angle.
Rashford latched onto a Riley through ball but was again unable to add a third goal as he fluffed his shot with the Reds unable to match the 6-2 goalfest of two years ago*and yet*were*still good value for the victory, even allowing for the fact Ben Ward-Cochrane's last-minute effort was ruled out for offside.*
United: Henderson (Dorrington 46); Reid, Tuanzebe, Williams, Borthwick-Jackson; Riley, Goss, Willock, Redmond; Rashford, Fletcher. Subs not used: Thompson, McTominay, Croskery.