U21s: United 1 Derby 1
Manchester United Under-21s secured a late point with a last-minute Premier League 2 equaliser against Derby County at the Progress With Unity Stadium.
The match occurred on the 68th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster, for which both sides wore black armbands, laid wreaths and perfectly observed a minute's silence alongside supporters in Leigh.
United started well but went a goal behind when Justin Oguntolu headed in an Isaac Gordon cross midway through the first half.
The visitors then had Marsel Tola sent off following a second yellow card. Derby defended well for the next 30 minutes, but substitute Louie Bradbury secured a point in the last moments with a strike inside the six-yard box.
FIRST HALF
The young Reds took the game to Derby in the early moments, with Malachi Sharpe in particular starting brightly, registering the first shot on target after controlling a Jayden Kamason cross.
Two more inviting chances were carved out by Sharpe, the first a curling effort that went just wide of Jack Thompson's far post, and the goalkeeper doing well to stop the second close-range effort after Chido Obi found his colleague in space with a threaded pass.
But it was the visitors who took the lead with 19 minutes on the clock, with Gordon finding Oguntolu in the United box and the latter heading it in from point-blank range.
Derby grew into the game following their goal, but Adam Lawrence's side did go close as half-time approached, with Jack Moorhouse drawing a big save out Thompson and Obi hitting the post on the rebound, but we were unable to breach their defences before the break.
SECOND HALF
United once again got off to a quick start, with Thompson somehow getting a strong hand behind a well-placed Diego Leon header from a corner, and James Bailey curling a shot just over the bar from outside of the penalty area.
Still a goal down, the young Reds were handed an advantage just after the hour mark, when midfielder Tola was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Bailey.
The visitors moved to bolster their defensive numbers rom the bench following that sending off, and for the next half an hour did well to shut out United.
It looked like the Rams had managed to hold on, until second-half substitute Bradbury found himself in the right place at the right time to notch an equaliser in the six-yard box from a corner.
We had two shots on target saved well by Thompson even later than that leveller, but were forced to settle for a point on the night.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Harrison; Ogunneye (Bradbury 79), Aljofree (c), Jackson, Leon (Kukonki 85); McCormack; Moorhouse, Bailey (McAllister 68); Kamason, Obi, Sharpe.
Subs not used: Murdock, Brown.
Goals: Bradbury 90+2 | Oguntolu 19.
Booked: McCormack, Kamason.