United 2 Sunderland 0: Reserves wrap up league campaign with victory over the champions

April 30th 2009, 7pm
Moss Lane, Altrincham

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Manchester United Reserves	2-0	Sunderland Reserves

Martin (pen) 70	-	-
James 90+1	-	-

 
United’s second string finished their Barclays Premier Reserve League North season in some style at Moss Lane this evening, inflicting just a third defeat of the campaign on champions Sunderland with a well-deserved 2-0 win. The Black Cats had already clinched the title while the Reds only needed to avoid defeat by more than three goals to secure second place, but that didn’t stop both sides serving up an entertaining and highly competitive ninety minutes. Ole Solskjaer’s team eventually emerged victorious thanks to a Lee Martin penalty and a terrific injury-time strike from Matt James, and will go into the upcoming Manchester Senior Cup and Lancashire Senior Cup finals full of confidence.

Sunderland 1 United 0: Black Cats ride their luck to end reserves’ winning run

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Sunderland Reserves	1-0	Manchester United Reserves

Cook 40

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United’s reserve side had performed impressively for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in recent weeks, but their four-game unbeaten run – the most recent three of those victories – was always going to be put sternly to the test against table-topping Sunderland, and so it proved. The Reds started brightly and seemed to be enjoying the rare opportunity to play in a Premier League venue like the Stadium of Light, but Jordan Cook’s goal against the run of play gave the Black Cats the lead just before the break, and Northern Irish ‘keeper Trevor Carson performed heroics to keep Solskjaer’s side at bay and see his team through to a win that was essentially confirmed ten minutes from time when two bookings in the space of as many minutes saw Ritchie de Laet given his marching orders and United reduced to ten men.