U18s: United 3 Stoke 2
Manchester United’s Under-18s capped the final home game of the season with a thrilling 3-2 win over Stoke City at the Aon Training Complex.
Goals from Marcus Rashford and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson gave the Reds a 2-0 half-time advantage but when the Potters rallied to level in the second period, Paul McGuinness’ men needed a 90th-minute volley from right-back Charlie Scott (pictured) to claim all three points.
Evidently buoyed by Saturday’s 4-1 win away at Fulham, United broke out of the traps with obvious intent and were ahead inside 80 seconds. Following intricate wing play from the home side, a free-kick was earned and duly whipped in by Rashford. The effort seemed to be heading for the goalkeeper’s grasp but Potters keeper Dominic Kurasik inexplicably dropped the effort into his goal. It was a terrible start for the visitors but the one that United had craved.
The Reds looked to take advantage of the uncertainty in the Stoke ranks and almost went two goals up inside a minute, but Rashford could only fire wide after excellent build-up play from Devonte Redmond.
However, the visitors soon composed themselves and began to cause problems for United. Stoke winger Johnville Renee-Pringle looked lively and Yusuf Coban made a number of excellent runs from midfield. Indeed the latter player almost equalised for the Potters on the 20-minute mark but his shot following fine control was blocked.
The Reds rode out the brief storm and doubled the advantage ten minutes before the break. Mitchell curved a low ball into the area having a received a short corner and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson capitalised on a defensive melee to tap home.
The second period began at a much slower pace, fragmented by an early substitution for the injured Rashford. This lull allowed Stoke back into the game and it was the visitors who would go on to pose the biggest attacking threat throughout the half. Indeed, on 56 minutes, the Potters pulled one back through Peter Makrillos who expertly curled the ball home past the out-stretched Dorrington having been found by a sumptuous flick from Coban.
Reinvigorated, Stoke grew in confidence and were guilty of missing a number of presentable opportunities. However, the pressure ultimately paid with just over 15 minutes to go as the inspirational Makrillos arrowed a pinpoint free-kick into the box and Liam Edwards gleefully headed home.
It was a goal that the visitors thoroughly deserved and it threatened to set up a grandstand finish. Duly, both teams flooded forward with abandonment in the search for a late winner.
Stoke had a penalty shout waved away before the brilliant Joe Riley forced Kurasik into a stunning save, somewhat redeeming himself for his earlier errors. Unfortunately for the Australian stopper, his efforts were to be in vain as, in true United style, Charlie Scott volleyed home from a corner to claim a last-minute clincher.
United: Dorrington; Scott, Wiliams, Tuanzebee, Borthwick-Jackson; Thompson, Redmond (Kehinde, 45); Riley, Rashford (Dearnley, 49), Mitchell; Croskery. Subs not used: Rathbone, Henderson, Reid.
Quote:
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
(Rashford 2, Borthwick-Jackson 35, Scott 89)
STOKE CITY 2
(Makrillos 56, Edwards 74)
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