Academy Match Report: Manchester United u18s 4-2 Stoke City u18s | OneFootball

Manchester United u18s took on Stoke City on Saturday morning as they near the end stretch of the season with the Premier League North title in their grasps.

The opening stages of the match were even, with both sides adding to the battle in midfield but once United found their feet they began to take charges.

A Jack Fletcher corner caused some danger as it was whipped in and then bobbled around the face of the goal before being smothered by the keeper.

Jaydan Kamason came close to opening the scoring but was denied by the Stoke keeper, but with the attack still alive, James Scanlon crossed low to Gabriele Biancheri to finish from close range.

United doubled their lead three minutes later in the 23rd minute. The high press left Stoke’s keeper Sebastian Jensen out of options as he played straight to Scanlon, who ran into the box and finished into the bottom left corner with composure.

It had become one way traffic by the half hour mark, with United cutting through Stoke. James Nolan played down the left wing and his low cross found the sliding Biancheri, who forced another big save from Jensen.

United made it 3-0 just before the break when Jack Fletcher was fed the ball down the left wing to the byline before the midfielder cut back to Scanlon at the top of the box to take a touch and smash into the top left corner. A sublime finish that wouldn’t have been kept out even with two keepers in the goal.

After the complete control of the first half where United showed great composure at the back despite fielding a makeshift back four, concentration began to slip after the restart.

Five minutes into the second half, captain Finley McAllister slid in the box to get a touch on the ball but he took down the Stoke forward with it and the ref deemed it enough to award a penalty.

Stoke’s Luke Enright stepped up to finish past Tom Myles in goal.

Four minutes later there was another penalty, but this time at the other end of the pitch. Ethan Williams latched onto the ball on the left wing before racing towards the box and being brought down but it looked like the contact was actually just outside the area.

You could say it evened out as Williams took the spot kick and was denied by a big hand down to the bottom right corner.

Williams would restore the three goal lead on the hour mark though. Another perfectly curled through ball from Scanlon picked out Williams running down the left channel, who finished into the bottom left corner.

Biancheri almost added his second with a bit of magic as he plucked the ball out of the sky on his boot before hitting a volley towards goal that was kept out by a fine save from Jensen.

Stoke’s Enright added another to his tally in the 66th minute when he rose at the back post to head home to make it 4-2.

The remaining action saw Jim Thwaites come close before Shea Lacey was denied a goal on his return from injury.

The match finished 4-2 in the end, with United securing another three points that edges them closer to securing the Premier League North title. With just one more win required or if Manchester City drop further points, United will lift the trophy before meeting the winners of the Premier League South to crown the ultimate champions of England.

United: Myles, Kamason, Kingdon, McAllister, Nolan, Devaney, Scanlon, J. Fletcher (Armer 71), Sharpe (Lacey 61), Biancheri, Williams (Thwaites 78)

Unused subs: Byrne-Hughes, Plunkett