Reserves: United 3 Tottenham 2
Premier League 2 | Old Trafford | Scorers: Harrop 37,79,87 | Brown 47, Shashoua 51Josh Harrop scored a brilliant hat-trick to earn Manchester United's Reserves a 3-2 victory in a see-saw encounter against Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho watched on from the stands on a rain-soaked night as the game, rearranged due to the tragic death of Spurs coach Ugo Ehiogu, ended the Premier League 2 season.
Will Miller was heavily involved for the visitors, with Tyrell Warren blocking one shot before the midfielder attempted to play in Shilow Tracey, only for captain Joel Pereira to race out to save bravely. Shayon Harrison fired two wayward efforts off target before Tracey's curler was easy for Pereira to keep out.
United had failed to bother Brandon Austin until opening the scoring out of the blue with a moment of real quality. Matthew Olosunde rode two challenges to pass inside to Harrop and the Denzil Haroun Player of the Year contender bent a sweet drive wide of Austin from outside the area for his eighth goal of the season.
Spurs responded positively to the setback with, seconds later, Harrison touching a dangerous Miller cross the wrong side of the far post before Tracey and Harrison also forced saves out of Pereira before the half-time whistle.
Within two minutes of the restart, Tariq Hinds chipped the ball over for his fellow full-back Jaden Brown, left completely unmarked, to thrash the ball home for the equaliser. Tottenham's tails were up and they soon went in front, as Tracey ran through an exposed defence, held off Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and set up Samuel Shashoua for a cool finish past Pereira.
The game threatened to get away from the Reds with Shashoua going clean through again, unchecked, only for Pereira to rescue his side with a superb save and the Portuguese youngster also thwarted Tracey, when he was left in the clear after Tosin Kehinde was robbed of possession.
Devonte Redmond could only scuff a decent deep cross by Harrop into the side-netting as United tried to find a route back into the game. It arrived through top scorer Harrop, with 11 minutes remaining, as he fed Josh Bohui on the left and collected the return pass in the box. A wonderful drag-back lost two defenders and Harrop finished smartly to level matters at 2-2.
Bohui tried to beat Austin at his near post but the keeper dived to save and, with six minutes left, Harrop looked for his hat-trick but his curler did not come back enough and drifted wide. Crucially, his treble did arrive in style in the 87th minute. Substitute DJ Buffonge and Bohui created an opening that allowed Harrop to burst through three defenders before slamming home.
Anthony Georgiou could have equalised after getting the better of Regan Poole, only for Pereira to pull off another decent stop, and Zak Dearnley had a glorious chance to settle it late on, when teed up by Buffonge, but Austin deflected it to safety. The win moves United up to sixth spot in the final Premier League 2 table, while Spurs only avoided relegation on goal difference.
United: Pereira; Warren (Hamilton 55), Poole, Borthwick-Jackson, Olosunde; Kehinde, Willock; Gribbin (Dearnley 65), Redmond (Buffonge 81), Harrop; Bohui.
Subs not used: M. Johnstone, Dunne.
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