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Manchester United u21s took on Middlesbrough at Heritage Park on Friday night.
Amongst injuries and loans, Travis Binnion was forced to field a young side with over half the team still being eligible for the u18s and even used one u16s player in Jim Thwaites. Such is the threadbare squad at u21s level, United named only four players on the bench.
In the opening stages, United took their time to get to grips with the pitch as it hindered their usual passing play out from the back which opened opportunities for Middlesbrough to test Elyh Harrison in goal with a couple of long range efforts.
It was still United who created the bigger chances in the opening half hour though starting with Maxi Oyedele stretching the play to Charlie McNeill on the right wing who delicately curled a pass beyond the Boro backline for Ethan Wheatley to run onto but the striker’s first time effort went wide of the left post.
United eventually took the lead in the 29th minute. Starting with Harry Amass feeding McNeill on the left wing, McNeill crossed low to Wheatley to collect and hold up inside the box before laying off to Ashton Missin charging in from the right to smash past the keeper inside the near post.
Just past the 40th minute, McNeill’s running down the left wing opened up Boro again but this time his cross was turned in by Boro defender Jack Hannah.
Looking to go into the break 0-2 up, United led it slip in injury time when Ruben Curley’s back pass held up in the turf, allowing Sonny Finch to collect and curl past Harrison.
A bad goal to giveaway, United compounded their mistakes eight minutes into the second half when Boro equalised at 2-2. From a United throw-in, Boro won possession and with Tom Huddlestone out of position at the back having been offering himself for the throw back, Boro’s Finch was able to capitalise on the deep offside line to run through and score his second past Harrison.
Zach Baumann was United’s leading man in midfield and carved Boro open with a turn in midfield before charging forward and slipping the ball to McNeill on the left who looked to square across the goal to Wheatley but the keeper was quick to smother.
McNeill had a shout for a penalty when he was cleaned out by the Boro defender but the referee didn’t give it due to McNeill’s heavy touch beforehand.
United were capitalising on the space available on Boro’s wings with McNeill on the right and Amass on the left with the latter clattered twice in quick succession around the 80th minute mark.
Heavily in front in the second half, if anyone was to take the win it looked like it would be United but against the run of play Boro secured the 3-2 win with less than 10 minutes remaining.
United were caught up field leaving Sam Murray to cover a 2v1 but after initially defending well to slow up the attack, the shot from outside the box unfortunately deflected off Murray’s leg and spun over the reach of Harrison and into the goal.
The loss leaves Binnion’s side in 12th place, with a top 16 finish required to make the end of season play-offs.
United: Harrison, Missin, Aljofree, Huddlestone, Murray, Amass, Baumann (Musa 87), Curley (Thwaites 66), Oyedele, Wheatley (Ennis 66), McNeill
Unused subs: Plumley
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