U18s: Nottingham Forest 2 United 1

Darren Fletcher’s young Reds have shown their quality regularly so far this season, dominating some opponents and showing grit to overcome others, but faced a resolute Forest side on Saturday lunchtime.

United’s next Academy game is for the U21s, at Barnsley in our second EFL Trophy game of the campaign. Away tickets are available here, and there will be live coverage on SkySports+. The U18s are back at Carrington next Saturday, hosting Sunderland in a midday kick-off.

This result leaves United on 15 points from seven games, level at the table’s top with Manchester City.

Riko Robinson nearly provided Forest with an immediate lead after just one minute, but shot wide of Fred Heath’s right post, instead leading to a trading of efforts at either end in the opening stages.

Kalum Thompson, for the hosts, and Jim Thwaites, for United, were responsible for the best early efforts. Set-piece specialist Thwaites shot wide twice from free-kicks, but would prove impactful in a similar situation later in the game. Thompson, a 16-year-old Northern Irish winger already a regular for Forest’s U21s, forced Heath into two decent saves, with the United shot-stopper diving down well to the bottom left corner for the second. But it was Fuad Smith, another U21s regular, who put the hosts ahead, with Forest taking full advantage of a broken-down United counter-attack to race forward. Spencer Sutton, the overlapping left-back, cut back nicely for Smith to convert in the middle of the area.

United trailed at the break, but trademark good manouvering from Gabriel — an U15 playing up for United — earned a left-wing free-kick, from which Thwaites delivered a fine cross for Kukonki to glance home into the bottom right corner.

The stalemate lasted for just four minutes, however, with Forest showing good ruthlessness to finish their opportunity after Jayden Ngwashi was laying down having blocked a powerful shot. As United tried to recover from the numerical disadvantage, Forest found the space well and Isaac Davies finished.

United’s midfield duo James Bailey and Jariyah Shah both pushed forwards regularly, with the former striking over the crossbar once and then missing from outside the area, with Forest remaining well organised and preventing easy access into the box.

Gabriel had a late shot saved, substitute Eddie Ibrovic-Fletcher watched his effort go wide of the right post and Junior-Brown had a late header saved by Joe Bailey, leaving United trailing as full-time was whistled.

“I thought it was a very even game, to be honest, a real 50-50,” reflected lead coach Fletcher.

“They managed to take their chances and we didn’t. Both teams tried to play the right way, they were man-to-man and very aggressive and it led to a very even game.

“They took two of their opportunities and we didn’t; ours came from a wide free-kick and was a lovely cross from Jimmy and a very good header, but we’d have liked to create more good moments. The lads showed good spirit and effort, we just couldn’t quite get over the line despite some good moves late on.”

MATCH DETAILS

United: Heath; Overy, Ngwashi (McEvoy 64), Kukonki, Watson (Plunkett 64); Thwaites (c), Shah (McCormack 64); Brown, Bailey, Gabriel, Lusale (E. Fletcher 74).

Subs: Z. Watson.

Goals: Smith 35, Davies 53 | Kukonki 49.