Barclays Under-18 Premier League
Aon Training Complex, Carrington
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
(Goss, Wilson, Redmond)
SUNDERLAND 2
(Gooch 2)
19/10/2013 13:31, Report by Mike Shaw, MUTV
U18s: United 3 Sunderland 2
Manchester United's Under-18s claimed a dramatic win on Saturday - despite allowing visitors Sunderland to come back from 2-0 down.
The Reds struck first after eight minutes. Redmond's neat footwork made space on the left flank and when he laid the ball back to Sean Goss, the latter curled in a shot from the edge of the area. Sunderland responded well to going behind and United goalkeeper Kieran O'Hara was at full stretch to deny Rees Greenwood before the Black Cats were undone by a swift Reds counter-attack. Ashley Fletcher dispossessed Ross Colquhoun and fed James Wilson to clip home right-footed.
Wilson almost made it 3-0 in the second half when Callum Evans swapped passes with Joshua Harrop and his low cross picked out the in-form striker, only for the resulting close-range shot to rebound off the crossbar. It looked as if that moment could prove costly as the Black Cats hit back with Lynden Gooch grabbing two goals in four minutes - the first was an unstoppable drive into the top corner, the second a neat shot on the turn.
For a time it looked as if the visitors might even snatch an unlikely win, with substitute James Stinson lashing a good chance over and Martin Smith forcing a smart stop from O'Hara. But then, ten minutes from time, United got the winner. Fletcher's volley was well saved but from the resulting corner Demi Mitchell picked out Redmond in the six-yard area and he sidefooted home to secure three more points and maintain a fine start to the season for Paul McGuinness's side.
United: O'Hara; Evans (Riley 80), McConnell, Ioannou, Barber; Harrop, Willock (Mitchell 65), Goss, Redmond; Wilson, Fletcher. Subs not used: Croskery, Dorrington, Thompson.