FA Youth Cup: United 1 Bury 0
Report by Nathan Thomas
Quote:
FA Youth Cup Third Round
Old Trafford
Tuesday 16 December 2014
MANCHESTER UNITED 1
(Dearnley, 12)
Bury 0
The match was live on MUTV.
Attendance: 2,131
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Manchester United's Under-18s are through to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup following a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bury at a rain-soaked Old Trafford.
Zach Dearnley's 12th-minute strike proved enough to see off a spirited Shakers side, for whom goalkeeper Jack Ruddy played brilliantly to keep the result in doubt right until the final whistle.
The home side's intent was evident from the offset as the lightning-quick Marcus Rashford used his raw pace to split the Bury defence and earn a free-kick for the Reds. Although that particular set-piece came to nothing, United were not to be deterred and continued to cause problems for the visitors' back-line.
The aforementioned Rashford proved a persistent handful for the Shakers’ defensive duo of Marcus Poscha and Matthew Foulds and had the game's first chance of note when, with three minutes on the clock, the Mancunian forward's prodded effort was cleared off the line by Foulds. The Reds' no. 9 went close again soon after, but could only find the side netting with a stinging drive.
Thankfully, United's early pressure soon paid dividends when captain Axel Tuanzebe turned well to feed Fosu-Mensah. The combative midfielder then proceeded to thread a measured through-ball to find Dearnley who arced a pristine drive past Ruddy in the 12th minute.
It was a deserved lead, but building on it proved to be difficult. Encouraged by the Reds' profligacy, the visitors began to exert some influence on the proceedings. Fortunately, United - led by the assured Tuanzebe - snuffed out any meaningful threat Bury might have mustered and held on to take the one-goal advantage into the break.
The opening exchanges of the second period were cagier with fewer chances created for either side. Rashford headed over with the first effort after half-time and Callum Gribbin went close with a delightful curled effort that clipped the bar, but other than those close calls, the Bury defence stood firm.
It was only really after the hour mark that the game buzzed into life once again. With new-found urgency, the visitors began to throw men forward with more confidence and a flurry of corners saw Foulds go close with an improvised half-volley, before Sam Gibson's close-range header cleared the bar.
With the game now wide open, Joe Riley and Devonte Redmond both broke through for one-on-ones with Ruddy but couldn't convert their chances. Riley also tried his hand from further out but his curled attempt was well saved by the Bury shot-stopper.
A string of late substitutions from both sides served only to take the sting out of the game as the Reds comfortably saw out the final exchanges to secure safe passage to a home fourth-round tie against Hull City in the new year.
United: Henderson; Reid, Tuanzebe, Williams, Borthwick-Jackson; Fosu-Mensah, Redmond; Riley, Gribbin (Scott), Dearnley (Rathbone 83); Rashford. Subs not used: Dorrington, Hamilton, Warren,
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