Tranmere 1 United XI 1: Honours even after Lingard leveller

Friendly
Wednesday July 27th 2011, 7.30pm
Prenton Park, Birkenhead

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Tranmere Rovers	1-1	Manchester United XI

McChrystal 4

Lingard 34

 
United’s reserves continued their hectic pre-season programme with a creditable – if somewhat dour – 1-1 draw against League One Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.

The hosts took an early lead through Mark McChrystal but Jesse Lingard’s strike brought the Reds level before half-time. With Warren Joyce’s side playing their third game in four days, fatigue was an obvious factor as an uneventful second 45 largely passed both teams by and the game drifted towards an always-inevitable draw.

Youth Cup: Chelsea 3 United 2 – Reds roar back to set up scintillating second leg

FA Youth Cup Semi-Final, First Leg
April 10th 2011, 12.30pm
Stamford Bridge, West London

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Chelsea U18s	3-2	Manchester United U18s

Chalobah 30, 42		Lingard 56
Devyne 72		Pogba 77

 
 
A storming second half display by United’s youngsters has left their FA Youth Cup Semi-Final with Chelsea finely poised, the West London club leading 3-2 after Sunday’s enthralling first leg at Stamford Bridge.

Trailing 2-0 at the break to two set-piece efforts from Blues centre-back Nathaniel Chalobah and second-best throughout that first 45 minutes, Paul McGuinness’ side responded superbly after the break and goals from Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba – albeit sandwiching an against the run of play strike from Chelsea’s Bobby Devyne – were the least they deserved for an eye-catching and dominant second half performance that will give the Reds plenty of encouragement when they seek to overturn a one goal deficit at Old Trafford in ten days time.

U18s: Bolton 1 United 0 – Sampson strike sinks Reds

January 28th 2010, 11am
Lostock Hall Farm, Bolton

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Bolton Wanderers U18s	1-0	Manchester United U18s

Sampson 66

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United’s academy side slumped to a disappointing away defeat as Bolton’s youngsters proved too strong on a wintry morning at Lostock Hall Farm.

The Reds had their chances and struck the crossbar twice, but a physically imposing Wanderers side generally held the upper hand throughout and Jack Sampson’s deflected effort in the second half was enough to give them a deserved win and complete a rare league double over Paul McGuinness’ team.

Reserves: United 3 Wigan 1 – Bébé bags brilliant brace

November 18th 2010, 7pm
Moss Lane, Altrincham

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Manchester United Reserves	3-1	Wigan Athletic Reserves

Bébé 4, 57		Sunday 65
W Keane 45 (pen)

 
Two terrific goals from Portuguese winger Bébé helped United’s second string extend their unbeaten run to six games, the Reds running out comfortable 3-1 winners over Wigan Athletic at Moss Lane.

The summer signing from Vitória Guimarães struck early on with a fierce effort into the top corner before producing an even better goal just before the hour mark, his stunning angled volley arrowing and dipping past a helpless Lee Nicholls in the Latics goal. In between Will Keane had stroked home a penalty on the brink of half-time, all of which rendered Ivan Sunday’s header with twenty-five minutes remaining no more than a consolation.

Reserves: Burnley 0 United 1 – Clarets KO’d by late Cole goal

April 29th 2010, 7pm
Turf Moor, Burnley

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Burnley Reserves	0-1	Manchester United Reserves

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Cole 90+1

 
United’s Reserves wrapped up their 2009/10 league programme in fitting style as a late late goal from Larnell Cole secured a 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

After 90 rainy and goalless minutes in a game that certainly lived up to its billing as an end-of-season dead rubber, some slick football from the Reds and a wonderfully composed finish by Cole saw the champions grab all three points, rounding off the campaign on a high and boosting confidence ahead of Monday’s Premier Reserve League playoff against Aston Villa.

Reserves: Wigan 1 United 0 – Youthful reserves lose to the Latics

April 26th 2010, 7pm
Robin Park, Wigan

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Wigan Athletic Reserves	1-0	Manchester United Reserves

Kupisz 63

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After a previously unbeaten 2010, United’s Reserves followed last week’s cup exit at the hands of Manchester City with a second successive defeat, losing 1-0 to Wigan after being forced to play the second half with just ten men.

While the defeat to City came after a disappointingly lacklustre performance, a slightly makeshift United XI acquitted themselves much more respectably at Robin Park and were unfortunate to end up on the losing side after having the better of the game even after Ritchie de Laet’s red card just before half-time. The Belgian defender received his marching orders after an off the ball clash with Latics forward Tomasz Kupisz, who rubbed salt in the wound when scoring what proved to be the winner just after the hour mark, and despite hitting the woodwork twice, the recently crowned champions couldn’t quite find the goal to preserve their long unbeaten league run.

U18: United 2 Sunderland 0 – Reds leave it late to beat Black Cats

March 27th 2010, 12pm
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	2-0	Sunderland U18s

Ajose 81, 88 (pen)

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Down to the bare bones, without a win in three games and facing one of the strongest and most free-scoring sides in academy football, United’s U18s confounded all expectations at Carrington to grind out a gutsy, morale-boosting 2-0 win over Sunderland.

The Black Cats perhaps shaded a cagey first half and were definitely well on top in the early stages of the second, dominating possession and having much the better of the chances. The makeshift Reds eventually weathered the storm however and finished the stronger, Nicky Ajose making the crucial breakthrough in the 81st minute and putting a gloss on the win from the penalty spot two minutes from time.

U18s: United 0 Liverpool 1 – Weary United suffer cruel late defeat

January 30th 2010, 11am
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	0-1	Liverpool U18s

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Emilsson 85

 
 

Match report to come…

United 1 Everton 2: Windswept Reds blown away by Toffees

October 3rd 2009, 11am
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	1-2	Everton U18s

Ajose 85	–	Craig 11
–	–	Codling 68

 
Academy league football is nothing if not unpredictable, and once again that was emphatically highlighted this morning as United’s high-flying Under-18s were turned over by bottom-of-the-table Everton at a remarkably blustery Carrington. The Toffees had lost four of their six games so far and conceded 14 goals in the process, but produced a performance that belied that dismal run of form and lowly league position to deservedly inflict a second home defeat of the season on Paul McGuinness’ team and take all three points back to Merseyside.

Nathan Craig’s early strike got Everton off to a great start, and although United thereafter dominated possession, the visitors produced a display of well-organised, dogged defending that their goals against tally so far this season suggested they were incapable of. As conditions worsened in the second half and the wind really started to affect proceedings, the Toffees took full advantage with a killer second goal as Lewis Codling headed home from a set-piece, and while United got one back late on in bizarre fashion as the wind sent a Nicky Ajose corner past the despairing Everton keeper, they couldn’t muster an equaliser in the remaining five minutes.

United 3 Blackburn 2: Glimpse of the future as U18s round off season with a win

May 6th 2009, 5.15pm
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	3-2	Blackburn Rovers U18s

Lingard 6	–	Hitchcock 25, 51
King 43	–	–
Ajose 63	–	–

 
An extremely youthful United U18 side narrowly edged an entertaining encounter with Blackburn Rovers this afternoon and finished their league campaign on a real high, as Paul McGuinness took the opportunity to field the sort of side we may well see when the Premier Academy League kicks off again in August. Eight schoolboys were involved and another two made the bench, with the rest of the side made up of the first year scholars that will provide the ‘experience’ next season.

One of those schoolboys, Jesse Lingard, handed United an early lead with an impudent finish, quite a way to mark your debut. Blackburn then had the better of the first half and levelled with a goal from Tom Hitchcock (son of former Chelsea keeper Kevin), but United retook the lead minutes before the break through Joshua King, very much against the run of play. Hitchcock levelled for a second time in the second half, but a much improved United display brought the reward of a fine winner from top scorer Nicky Ajose just after the hour mark.