Quote:
Academy Premier League
Carrington, 12 September 2009
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
Cofie, Morrison, Hussain
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1
Chippendale
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12/09/2009 11:27 - ManUtd.com, Steve Bartram
U18s: United 3 Huddersfield 1
United survived a second-half fightback from Huddersfield, taking all three points after late goals from Ravel Morrison and Etzaz Hussain.
John Cofie's first half strike had Paul McGuinness' side ahead at half-time, but the visitors were a team transformed after the interval, and they deservedly levelled before the Reds' late flourish.
The hosts were comfortably on top in the early exchanges, and moved ahead as William Keane's shot was scrambled away on the goal-line, but only as far as Cofie, who hammered in from under a yard out.
Cofie fired off target with the clearest chance across the remainder of the opening half, as United called the tune, but the Reds' comfort was to prove misleading.
For much of the second half, however, Huddersfield were on top, and they levelled matters out of nothing, just before the hour mark. Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone's clearance was charged down and eventually ended up with Aiden Chippendale, who fired home a low effort.
Buoyed, Huddersfield applied further pressure as United sought to regain their composure. Morrison was only a yard off target with a 20 yard snapshot, while Hussain toe-poked an effort into the side netting from just inside the area.
The duo then combined to put United back in front. Hussain's long ball sprung the visitors' offside trap, giving Morrison time to take two touches and hammer in a powerful shot.
The sprightly playmaker then burst through eight minutes from the end and stabbed a ball across the six-yard box. In a three-way race to the loose ball, Hussain - who excelled in a defensive midfield role - beat Jesse Lingard and Terriers defender Lee Franks to slide in a finish.
Having seen his side fight back from a sapping setback to claim victory against a resurgent side who were hitherto unbeaten, McGuinness could reflect on a satisfactory morning's work at a sun-soaked Carrington.
United: Johnstone; Thorpe, Wootton, McGinty, Fryers; Hussain, Tunnicluffe, W Keane, Morrison, Brady (Lingard, 52); Cofie (King, 46)