U21s: Brackley 2 United 1

The young Reds played with real rhythm and confidence at times, but were faced with an in-form Brackley goalkeeper in Jonny Maxted, who pulled off several fine saves.

The hosts had led early on when Danny Waldron finished one-on-one past Will Murdock, and doubled their lead with a scrappy corner goal by Connor Hall.

United pushed hard to get back into the game but could only find a first goal in second-half injury time, as Jacob Devaney stooped to head home from a right-sided corner.

It was too little too late for Travis Binnion's side, who still have three games to go in the National League Cup group stages.

FIRST HALF

Brackley showed the level of intensity that comes in the senior game when Waldron pounced on a loose touch in defence from Rhys Bennett to go one-on-one, and showed no mercy when faced one-on-one with United goalkeeper Murdock. Waldron strde towards the young Reds shot-stopper and calmly finished for a seventh-minute lead.

United, though, had the better of both possession and the chances that followed. Chido Obi’s right-footed strike after a loose ball on the edge of the box wasn’t the most powerful, but was accurate enough — destined for the bottom left corner — to require a good save from Brackley’s Maxted.

Obi forced an even better stop from Maxted when he again was quickest to a loose ball, found space once more and this time curled one towards the top corner. A deflection gave a looping nature to the strike, which needed Maxted to adjust and save well. United’s striker was lively and involved, then heading over from a deep Jaydan Kamason cross.

Brackley made the most of another slight error at the back, earning themselves a right-sided corner 24 minutes in, from which pinball ensued. Hall reacted best, swinging his left foot to sneak one in at the near post and double the hosts’ advantage.

Gabriele Biancheri headed over when finding good space in the box — the striker was playing in a wide position to further develop his game — and Zak Brown struck over before the first half was out.

SECOND HALF

With Binnion’s half-time tactical tweak dropping Devaney back to allow full-backs Kamason and Bendito Mantato to push higher, United played with greater sharpness and direction. The young Reds showed confidence despite trailing, with Jim Thwaites’s nutmeg and ‘trivela’ shot combination a particular early highlight of the seconda half. His outside-of-the-boot shot was a little wide and over, unfortunately.

Where Thwaites had shot with finesse, Kamason opted for power three minutes late when rasping one towards goal after cutting inside onto his left foot. Maxted saved.

United developed a flowing rhythm at times. James Scanlon controlled a Kamason cross impressively with his chest before firing wide, after an excellent move from deep in defence. Obi then pressed well to earn possession high up and find the back of the net, only for the referee to blow their whistle for a foul on the Brackley centre-back.

Bailey Hobson’s shot over Murdock’s crossbar after intercepting a pass from the United goalkeeper was a pertinent reminder of how Brackley had established their lead, but United followed the slight scare with another nice move. Dan Armer drove out of defence and played it between the lines to Obi. He popped it out wide to Biancheri, who pulled back for Tyler Fletcher. His first-time shot was parried away.

Thwaites then crossed neatly for Biancheri, but his header was straight into the chest of the high-rising Maxted, for another important save from the Brackley man.

United substitute Samuel Lusale brought extra pace to the game, and a scintillating run in injury time earned a late corner for the Reds, from which Devaney headed home. With just seconds remaining, Binnion's young squad pushed onwards searching for an equaliser and earned another corner, for which goalkeeper Murdock came charging forward, but Brackley did enough to clear and hold out for victory.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Murdock; Kamason, Bennett, Armer, Mantato (Lusale 79); Devaney (c), T. Fletcher; Biancheri, Thwaites, Scanlon; Obi.

Unused subs: Heath; Mills, Kukonki.

Goals: Devaney 90+4 | Waldron 7, Hall 25

Attendance: 2,932 (558 away fans)

Come and see the U21s at Old Trafford on Wednesday 24 September when we host Athletic Club in the Premier League International Cup. Tickets are available now.