Quote:
Barclays U21 Premier League
Saturday 18 August
Weaver Stadium, Nantwich
STOKE U21 0
UNITED U21 1
(Wootton 7)
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18/08/2012 00:51 - ManUtd.com, Adam Marshall
Stoke U21 0 United U21 1
Scott Wootton's early strike was enough to earn victory in United's first-ever Under-21*league match at Stoke City as Darren Fletcher played the full 90 minutes to continue his bid for full fitness.
The Reds had to*survive a couple of scares but only some wayward finishing prevented the*three points from being wrapped up as there were plenty of signs that this could be another successful season for Warren Joyce's*charges.
Stoke*included four over-aged players in their line-up*and almost went ahead*on four minutes*when one of them, Mamady Sidibe, rattled the bar after Andrew Musungu got the better of Michael*Keane. Yet United were also swiftly into top gear as*the impressive Tyler Blackett whipped in a cross that really should have been converted*by Joshua King, who instead headed wide.
A minute later, some neat build-up work involving Jesse*Lingard and Ryan Tunnicliffe led to Wootton looping a*shot over Carlo Nash and into the net via the far post for a goal that seemed to surprise everybody at the Weaver Stadium.
King was*a real threat*virtually all game*but could not apply a finishing touch to his powerful approach play. The Norwegian forced a*diving save out of Nash and*shot wildly off target when teed up by Blackett. The striker then fed Davide Petrucci but the*Italian's finish was blocked by Ben Heneghan.
Sam Johnstone was in top form at the other end, making two great stops to thwart Musungu and the same player dragged a glorious opening wide before the interval while King also scooped another attempt off target.
Stoke improved in the second half and had a goal harshly ruled out for offside when Abu-Bakarr Kargbo rounded Johnstone to find the net on 51 minutes while Jordan Richardson and Diego Arismendi spurned two chances in quick succession.
A rare opening for United was wasted when King headed straight at Nash after Wootton galloped down the right and delivered an inviting cross and Larnell Cole hammered a speculative effort well over the top. Wootton continued to enjoy moving forward and could not convert a difficult aerial opportunity after Fletcher dug out a cross from the right.
The Reds held out pretty comfortably in the end to start the campaign with a hard-fought victory and Fletcher will be delighted to get 90 minutes under his belt.
United: Johnstone; M.Keane, Thorpe, Wootton, Blackett; Cole, Fletcher, Tunnicliffe, Petrucci (Fornasier 69), Lingard (Veseli 91); King (Lawrence 90). Subs not used: Gollini, Januzaj.