U18s report: United v Everton

The young Reds opened the scoring in the first 45 minutes, after Sam Mather fired home a low ball into his path from James Nolan. The visitors would respond shortly after the break however, with Martin Sherif on target for the Toffees. 

United had the majority of the opportunities in search of the elusive third successful effort of the game, but neither side could find a way through once more, with the points shared at the end of the early-May evening, and our penultimate game of the U18 Premier League season.

FIRST HALF

Fresh from a thrilling 4-3 win away to Sunderland at the weekend, our young Reds made a rapid start and nearly showed a scoring touch again inside the opening 25 seconds. Ethan Wheatley, who netted what turned out to be the decisive strike on Saturday, dragged a low effort wide of the goal, after United won the ball back high up the pitch. 

At the other end, Everton's first opportunity came shortly after, via Jacob Beaumont-Clark's free-kick from a central area around 25 yards out, which was comfortably gathered in the end by Elyh Harrison in the middle of the home goal.

Just after the midway point in the half, our goalkeeper was then twice called into action, again by Beaumont-Clark, who cut in from the right flank on both ocassions. First, Harrison produced a vital save to tip a high, curling effort over the bar, before getting down low to his right to palm away an effort which looked to be creeping into the bottom corner.

Harrison's saves kept the game level, and on 28 minutes, United took full advantage in attack to open the scoring. Nolan, who was often coming into midfield from his right-back position, this time showed what he could do while providing width on the touchline. Our no.2 drove in from the flank and rolled the ball across the box to Mather, who dug out a first-time effort which found the net.

Less than five minutes later, goalscorer nearly turned provider, after United won the ball in an advanced area once more. After an initial strike from Wheatley was blocked, Mather opted to try and give the ball back to the forward rather than shoot himself, but Wheatley didn't quite get the intended connection and the ball drifted wide.

Soon after, the latter struck his next attempt in the desired fashion, on the volley, but saw his low effort across the goal narrowly miss the target. Everton, meanwhile, continued to look for the equaliser before half-time but were to be without success, as Harrison saved Sherif's one-on-one attempt with what turned out to be the Toffees' final opening of the first 45.

SECOND HALF

While it was United who nearly scored in the opening seconds of the first half, it was the visitors who came close to finding the target straight from the kick-off after the restart. Sherif latched onto a loose ball and drove forward before powering a low drive that shaved the post on its way behind Harrison's goal. 

Sherif didn't get on the scoresheet then, but would find the net inside the opening five minutes of the second 45. The Everton forward was first to Callum Bates's free-kick into the box from the left, leaping highest to nod the Merseyside club level.

Looking to get back in front, United's first chance after the equaliser fell to Nolan, who had got forward from full-back. His counterpart on the left side of our defence, Sam Murray, teased a dangerous ball into the penalty area that wasn't cleared, and eventually hooked at goal by Nolan, but saved by Seb Jensen in the visitors' goal.

Opportunities for a winner would be few and far between in the period that followed, but young Reds substitute Adam Berry nearly provided a moment of magic shortly after coming on. With just over 10 minutes to go, the forward spun on the edge of the penalty area before his deflected effort on goal trickled just wide of the posts.

It set up an intriguing finish to the contest, in which both sides will have thought they had won it. First, Victor Musa, fresh off United's bench, saw his one-on-one opportunity well denied by Jensen, before Toffees goalscorer Sherif narrowly lobbed wide of the goal at the other end, in stoppage time. 

It meant a point apiece with the full-time whistle going shortly after, ahead of the season-concluding reverse fixture between the two teams, which is set to take place at Finch Farm on Saturday.

MATCH DETAILS 

United: Harrison; Nolan, Trialist, Ogunneye (Kamason 68), Murray (c); McAllister, Fitzgerald; Missin (Williams 46), Lacey (Berry 74), Mather; Wheatley (Musa 68).

Subs not used: Myles (GK).

Goals: Mather 28 | Sherif 49.