U18s: Stoke 0 United 4 – Class from Keane as Reds cruise past Potters

October 9th 2010, 11am
Clayton Wood Training Ground, Stoke-on-Trent

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Stoke City U18s	0-4	Manchester United U18s

	–	W.Keane 14 (pen), 40
	–	Cofie 36
	–	Pogba 59

 
A first-half double from Will Keane helped United’s U18s extend their unbeaten start to the season to eight games with a convincing 4-0 win over Stoke City.

Making their first visit to the Potters’ newly-revamped Clayton Wood training complex, the Reds got off to a fine start as Keane netted from the spot to hand Paul McGuinness’ side an early lead. Leading scorer John Cofie grabbed the second goal ten minutes before the break, and with Keane netting a classy third just minutes later, United had all but secured the points by half-time. A brilliant long-range strike from Paul Pogba just before the hour mark made completely sure, the Frenchman’s third goal in as many games capping another fine win and sending the Reds top of Premier Academy League Group C.

U18s: City 2 United 2 – Reds rue missed opportunity as City snatch a point

September 25th 2010, 11am
Platt Lane, Manchester

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Manchester City U18s	2-2	Manchester United U18s

Bunn 2, 80	–	Pogba 23
	–	Cofie 50

 
Seemingly following the first team’s lead this season, for a third consecutive week United’s U18s let a winning position slip as a late equaliser secured City a 2-2 draw at Platt Lane.

The Blues had taken an early lead through prolific striker Harry Bunn, but United turned the game on its head with goals from Paul Pogba and John Cofie and thoroughly dominated the game for long spells either side of half-time. The Reds’ failure to add a decisive third goal while in the ascendancy always looked like it could be costly though, and so it proved as Bunn grabbed his and City’s second ten minutes from time to earn the hosts a somewhat fortuitous point.

Reserves: Bury 1 United 5 – Shakers shaken as Reds fire five

September 20th 2010, 7pm
Gigg Lane, Bury

	–
Bury Reserves	1-5	Manchester United Reserves

Carlton 38		Brady 29, 34
	–	Vermijl 59
	–	Cofie 75
	–	Tunnicliffe 81

 
United’s Reserves cruised into the quarter-finals of the Lancashire Senior Cup with a convincing 5-1 victory over Bury at Gigg Lane.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side responded to their heavy defeat at the hands of Aston Villa last week in ideal fashion, dishing out a thrashing of their own to set up a last eight clash with Oldham Athletic. Robbie Brady set the Reds on their way with a quickfire double midway through the first half, and while a mistake from Reece Brown allowed the Shakers to pull a goal back before half-time, United moved up a gear after the break and ran away with the tie, adding further goals through Marnick Vermijl, John Cofie and Ryan Tunnicliffe.

Milk Cup 2010: Clinical Cofie gets Reds off to a flying start

United made a blistering start to the defence of their Milk Cup crown with a 4-0 thrashing of County Tyrone at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

Reds name provisional Milk Cup squad

With just under a fortnight until United launch their bid for a third straight Northern Ireland Milk Cup success, we can reveal the provisional 18-man squad that Paul McGuinness will have at his disposal when the Reds kick off their campaign against County Tyrone on July 26.

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

April 29th 2010, 7pm
Turf Moor, Burnley

	–
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

	–
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.

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

	–
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.

Marveld squad revealed

The tournament (held a fortnight ago) may be better best forgotten from a results point of view – the Reds finished 10th of 12 and won just one game – but the official Marveld website has revealed the U15 squad United sent over to Groenlo and you never know whether there might might be a name or two in there to remember:

1. Sam Johnstone
2. Michael Keane
3. Luke Giverin
4. Luke Hendrie
5. Tom Thorpe
6. Yaune Gnahore
7. Jackson Ramm
8. Larnell Cole
9. Will Keane
10. Ravel Morrison
11. Nigel Neita

12. Tom Lawrence
13. Elliot Bullock
14. Matty Boland
15. Tyler Blackett
16. Raheem Hanley
17. Rico Gomes

It’s worth noting that Michael Keane and Rico Gomes’ names were misspelt on the website so there may be further spelling errors in the names of less familiar players.