UNDER-18S: MANCHESTER UNITED 4 BLACKBURN 1
Under-18 Premier League | Aon Training Complex | Scorers: O’Connor 19, Warren 33, Gomes 38, Barlow 64; Hamilton o.g 83.
Manchester United leapfrogged Blackburn Rovers in the Under-18 Premier League table after a convincing win at the Aon Training Complex on Saturday morning.
Centre-backs Lee O'Connor and Tyrell Warren both scored their first goals at Academy level, before Angel Gomes added a third in a lively first half in which Rovers played their part.
Aidan Barlow got on the scoresheet in the second period and, despite conceding a late goal, Kieran McKenna's side ended Rovers seven-game unbeaten run and made it five matches without defeat themselves.
After a minute's silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, Blackburn started brightly and, before the opening goal, Ilias Moutha-Sebtaoui was the busier of the two goalkeepers, making a fine stop from Tre Pemberton's acrobatic volley for the visitors.
But in the 19th minute, Blackburn keeper Ben Ashcroft punched Indy Boonen's corner as far as Ethan Hamilton, who drove to the byline and fired across goal for O'Connor to tap home from close-range.
DJ Buffonge drove a powerful shot over soon after, before Gomes bamboozled his marker and fired a low shot that Ashcroft saved at his near post.
The young Reds, watched by first-team star Ashley Young, were on top by now and doubled the lead when Warren stayed forward after a corner to head home O'Connor's cross.
Gomes got in on the act five minutes later, slotting home after a delightful one-two with Buffonge. Just before the break, Moutha-Sebtaoui made another good stop low to his left to deny Jack Evans.
Gomes almost made it four early in the second period with a left-foot snapshot that bounced inches wide and Moutha-Sebtaoui was called into action to keep out Daniel Butterworth's shot.
McKenna made a triple substitution on the hour mark, the most significant of which was the introduction of Callum Gribbin for his first Under-18s appearance of the season after three months out injured.
His fellow sub Nishan Burkart couldn't keep his header down from Jake Kenyon's fizzed cross and Gribbin was denied by a last-ditch tackle, but Blackburn conceded a fourth when the third of United's subs, Barlow, prodded home a Callum Whelan corner from three yards out.
Whelan went close to adding a fifth with a swerving free-kick that clipped the side-netting, before Blackburn netted a late consolation when Hamilton could only divert a dipping corner into his own net.
United: Moutha-Sebtaoui; Tanner, Warren, O’Connor, Kenyon; Whelan, Hamilton; Buffonge (Barlow 59), Gomes (Gribbin 59), Boonen, Chong (Burkart 59). Subs not used: Fojticek, Dunne.
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