UNDER-23S: UNITED 1 LEICESTER 1
Premier League 2 | Leigh Sports Village | Scorers: Gribbin 6 | Knight 77
Manchester United's Under-23s had to settle for a point in thick fog at Leigh Sports Village as Leicester City finished the game strongly to clinch a 1-1 draw.
On arriving at the complex, it was shrouded in mist, giving the whole scene a look of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary tome ‘The Hound of the Baskerville’s, which various film producers have adapted to the big screen. Referee Michael Diciccio made a five o’clock inspection of the conditions before confirming that the game could indeed go ahead.
The pitch was perfectly playable, but the visibility – which of course is vital not only for the players but also the officials – wasn’t perfect and required the referee and his colleagues to make the important ruling.
United got off to a flying start to the game when, in the sixth minute, Callum Gribbin found the net from distance after a clearance from Foxes keeper Max Bramley had landed fortuitously at his feet. It was a composed finish from the midfielder on his 19th birthday after his initial through ball looked to exploit James Wilson's pace.
The teams were certainly making light of what from the comparative comfort of the press box appeared to be quite challenging conditions. Leicester’s Josh Eppiah tried his luck from outside the area but Kieran O’Hara, guarding United’s goal, dealt with the shot efficiently despite the murk. Moments later, at the other end, Tosin Kehinde followed Eppiah’s example, but unfortunately met with the same conclusion as keeper Bramley comfortably fielded the ball.
Leicester went close to levelling the scores, in the 28th minute, when Layton Ndukwu hit a curling, dipping free-kick but, happily for O’Hara, it flew inches wide of the angle of post and bar. Charlie Scott could then only place his finish wide after excellent work on the left by Wilson.
The fog appeared to thicken during the half-time break, but that did not stop the teams from resuming the contest with the aid of a yellow ball instead of the white one used in the opening half. Only an astounding save by Bramley denied Ethan Hamilton when he turned inside the area to get his shot away.
Gribbin was given the opportunity to double his output, 27 minutes into the second half, when he was awarded a free-kick after being grounded by Leicester defender Josh Knight. United’s number seven took the set-piece himself and his shot was not far away from reaching its intended target. Two minutes later, Gribbin went even closer with a left-foot drive that was deflected over the bar.
Leicester clawed their way back into the contest and started to show the form that has taken them into second place in the table. Knight found a route past O’Hara to level the scores with a cheeky finish to a George Thomas cross to spark some sustained pressure. Yet it was United who probably came closest to a winner, in stoppage time, when Tom Sang was narrowly off target.
The gloom did little to assist the art of match reporting and, several times, it was virtually impossible to make out who was doing what as they disappeared into the distance.
United: O'Hara; Riley, Ercolani, R. Williams, Mitchell; Sang, Scott (Dearnley 85); Gribbin (Bohui 85), Hamilton, Kehinde; Wilson (Boonen 90).
Substitutes not used: Richardson, Warren.
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