U18s: United 1 Wolves 0 – Cofie sends Reds clear at the top

April 10th 2010, 11am
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	1-0	Wolverhampton Wanderers U18s

Cofie 2

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Early goals seem to have been the order of the day for United at all levels this past week and the U18s weren’t to be left out, John Cofie’s 2nd minute strike ultimately proving decisive as the Reds beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at Carrington.

When Cofie raced clear and coolly slotted the ball past Wolves keeper Aaron McCarey with just 64 seconds on the clock it looked like an exciting and potentially goal-laden game may be in store, but that never quite materialised. A weary-looking United, coming off five games in Italy at the Memorial Sassi tournament last week, struggled to find any sort of rhythm going forward, while a fresher Wolves outfit arguably shaded possession and territory but were frustrated by a resilient Reds rearguard. Much to the visitors’ chagrin, Paul McGuinness’ side held on to record a hard-earned 1-0 win and seize top spot in Academy League Group C.

U18s: United 1 Newcastle 1 – Reds pick up a point, but lose top spot

March 13th 2010, 12pm
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	1-1	Newcastle United U18s

Pogba 27

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McDermott 11

 
For the second week running United were held to a draw on home turf, Newcastle the opponents this time as the Reds again had to come back from a goal down just to earn a point.

Paul McGuinness’ side started strongly but gifted the Magpies the opening goal with little more than ten minutes played, some haphazard defending leaving Greg McDermott with a simple tap-in. Unperturbed, the Reds kept their heads and continued to look the more dangerous side going forward and got back on terms just before the half hour mark as Paul Pogba glanced home Ajose’s near post freekick. United should have built on that, Joshua King going closest with a fierce strike that rattled the bar, but the blustery conditions at Carrington took their toll on a game that fizzled out as it wore on, neither side really ever looking likely to grab a winner in a drab second half.

Reserves: United 2 City 2 – More derby drama as City strike late to claim a point

March 11th 2010, 7pm
Moss Lane, Altrincham

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Manchester United Reserves	2-2	Manchester City Reserves

R Brown 19	–	Nimely 33
W Keane 27	–	Tutte 90 (pen)

 
It wouldn’t be a Manchester Derby this season without some late drama, but this time it was the blue side of the city who struck in the closing stages to change the result. Thankfully they chose a reserve game to make their late intervention, and United were still left with a useful point after a typically competitive clash ended 2-2 at Moss Lane.

Leading 2-0 after half an hour via Reece Brown’s free header and an impudent backheeled finish from the increasingly prolific Will Keane, the Reds were almost immediately pegged back by a goal from Alex Nimely and thereafter struggled to re-establish their early superiority. City exerted steady pressure on the United goal throughout the second half and when Brown conceded a penalty in the final minute, Andrew Tutte was able to step up and secure City a deserved share of the points from 12 yards.

U18s: United 2 Crewe 2 – Clinical Keane earns Reds a deserve share of the spoils

March 6th 2010, 11am
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	2-2	Crewe Alexandra U18s

Ajose 4	–	Koral 17
W Keane 83	–	Oswell 62

 
A late equaliser from Will Keane salvaged a deserved point for United and kept the Reds on top of Academy League Group C after bogey side Crewe Alexandra had threatened to win at Carrington for the fourth season in a row.

Nicky Ajose’s fine early strike had got the Reds off to the perfect start but, in keeping with what was to be an open and end-to-end encounter, the visitors levelled twelve minutes later through Michael Koral. While United began to assert their dominance in the second half, it was the Railwaymen who took the lead via the head of Jason Oswell, and Paul McGuinness’ side had to rely on top scorer Keane to save the day with a typically cool finish seven minutes from time.

U18s: United 6 Blackburn 1 – Reds get revenge as Rovers are routed

February 20th 2010, 11am
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	6-1	Blackburn Rovers U18s

King 10	–	Potts (pen) 83
Brady 23 (pen)	–	–
Cole 52	–	–
Pogba 54	–	–
Hussain 74	–	–
W.Keane 85	–	–

 
 

With last month’s humbling FA Youth Cup exit at the hands of today’s visitors still fresh in the memory, United’s U18s were presented with a chance for revenge at Carrington this morning and took it in some style, ending a run of three games without a goal by putting six past a shellshocked Rovers side and seizing top spot in Academy League Group C.

The Reds were the more clinical side in a closely-contested first half, establishing a two goal lead thanks to Joshua King and Robbie Brady, before really cutting loose after the break with further goals from Larnell Cole, Paul Pogba, Etzaz Hussain and Will Keane, with Blackburn’s sole consolation coming from a late and dubious penalty converted by former United schoolboy Michael Potts.

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…

Reserves: Hull 1 United 2 – Tošić tames the Tigers

November 24th 2009, 7pm
Church Road, North Ferriby

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Hull City Reserves	1-2	Manchester United Reserves

Cullen 77

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Tošić 58, 90+2

 
Two goals from Zoran Tošić – the last deep into injury time – were enough to hand the Reds a deserved away win over Hull City and avenge last year’s reverse at Church Road.

The Serb international brilliantly opened the scoring just before the hour mark with a clever finish after a mazy run into the Hull penalty area. Mark Cullen’s opportunistic strike after a rare lapse in concentration at the back by the Reds looked to have salvaged the home side a somewhat fortunate share of the spoils, but Ole Solskjaer’s side had other ideas, pushing for the winner right until the end in typical United fashion and getting just reward in the second minute of added time, Tošić slotting home from the edge of the box to secure another hard-earned three points in the Barclays Premier Reserve League North.

U18s: Liverpool 1 United 3 – Classy Keane KO’s ‘Pool

November 21st 2009, 11am
Liverpool Academy, Kirkby

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Liverpool U18s	1-3	Manchester United U18s

Pepper 89	–	Keane 16, 75
–	–	Ajose 54

 
Two goals and an assist from the in-form Will Keane saw United pick up an impressive 3-1 win at the Liverpool Academy for the second successive year.

More to come…

October’s Player of the Month: Will Keane

Scorer of four goals for the academy (including a derby hattrick) and key part of a successful England U17 side, Will Keane breaks the Norwegian strangehold on our monthly award so far this season to earn the honour for October.

U18s: United 5 Bolton 1 – Reds run riot with sensational second-half performance

November 7th 2009, 11am
Trafford Training Centre, Carrington

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Manchester United U18s	5-1	Bolton Wanderers U18s

W. Keane 28	–	Sampson 85
Morrison 52	–	–
Tunnicliffe 65	–	–
Cole 75	–	–
Pogba 90 (pen)	–	–

 
 
A week in the Maltese sun clearly had the desired effect on United’s U18 side as they thrashed a strong Bolton Wanderers side 5-1 at Carrington to move into second place in Academy League Group C.

One of the form teams in academy football, the visitors arrived at Carrington in optimistic mood and gave pretty much as good as they got in the first 45 minutes, only to be blown away after the break by a scintillating display of attacking football that saw Ravel Morrison and Ryan Tunnicliffe add to Will Keane’s first half opener before Larnell Cole and Paul Pogba completed the scoring with their first U18 goals either side of a bizarre late consolation goal for the Trotters’ Jack Sampson.