U21s report: United 4 Norwich 2

Chido Obi put the young Reds ahead after 14 minutes and, after Luke Towler levelled things up for the visitors, Daniel Armer headed home to give United the lead at the break.

Travis Binnion's men extended that advantage after the interval through Ethan Ennis and looked set for victory before Errol Mundle-Smith pulled it back to 3-2 with 20 minutes left to play.

United kept calm though and restored our two-goal gap as the contest entered its final 10 minutes through substitute Jack Fletcher, ensuring a second victory in five days after Monday's win at Middlesbrough in our competition opener.

FIRST HALF

The teams were well matched in the early goings and after United had grown into the encounter, the young Reds produced the first big opportunity. A nicely disguised reverse pass beyond Norwich's defensive line from Tyler Fletcher worked a shooting opportunity for James Scanlon, who held off a pursuing defender before seeing his eventual effort blocked behind.

Daniel Armer's header from the resulting corner was saved comfortably by goalkeeper Caleb Ansen, who Binnion's side were eager to test. As Norwich attempted to play out from the back moments later, Obi pressed Ansen into passing the ball short of its intended target on the left, a gift our forward gratefully accepted by racing to the loose ball and converting it into an empty net.

That strike gave us a 14th-minute lead, but the visitors soon hit back. Alan Domeracki's free-kick from the left was swung in low, invitingly and placed inside the far post by Towler, who met the delivery and diverted it in with a first-time effort.

After a steady start to proceedings, the contest would soon have a third goal in a busy nine-minute spell. A free-kick was the source again but this time at the other end as the Reds went back ahead in the 23rd minute.

From just outside the 18-yard box, slightly left of centre, Scanlon lifted a floated ball into a crowded penalty area that was met by Armer, who got above it and headed down past the goalkeeper to restore our lead.

The centre-back then nearly linked up with fellow goalscorer Obi, as we searched for a third just before the half was out. The former's long ball forward beat the Norwich backline and put Chido into space, but this time our striker was denied by the goalkeeper after bringing the ball inside and striking on his right foot.

SECOND HALF

United were ahead at the interval but played our best football of the match in the second half. Obi forcing a save out of Ansen within 60 seconds of the restart was a sign of the young Reds' intent, after a driving run forward from Zach Baumann, and that front-footed play would soon earn a reward.

That reward was a brilliant goal to make it 3-1, arguably the pick of the game. It was a team move, with Tyler Fletcher the catalyst after sidewinding an impressive pass out to Sam Mather on the left. From there Mather drove inside and crossed for his wing counterpart Ennis, who fired home after arriving at the back post.

Binnion's side were beginning to purr by this point and were finding particular joy down the left flank. Just before the hour another fruitful attack nearly followed from that side, when Harry Amass made a positive underlapping run and pulled the ball back for Scanlon, who saw an effort to get a goal of his own blocked at close range.

Despite United's developing link-up play in possession, Norwich remained a threat on the counter and got back into the game with 20 minutes to play. A long ball out to Mundle-Smith on the right wing was well controlled by the wide man, who curled a left-footed attempt onto the post initially before bundling the rebound home on the line.

It set up something of a grandstand finish, one in which both sides threatened before the eventual goal that completed the scoring. First, visiting forward Dylan Jones pulled a shot wide on the turn before substitute Gabriele Biancheri combined well with Scanlon and powered a close-range strike wide of the near post.

Biancheri came close, but it was another introduction from the bench that wrapped things up for United as far as the scoreline was concerned. Jack Fletcher, on to play with his brother Tyler in midfield, coolly slotted home Mather's latest low centre from the left, after the winger had played a neat one-two and got back to the ball to deliver another decisive low pass.

MATCH DETAILS

Starting XI: Murdock, Kamason, Devaney (c), Armer, Amass, T. Fletcher, Ennis (J. Fletcher 75), Baumann, Obi (Biancheri 75), Scanlon, Mather.

Unused subs: Byrne-Hughes, McAllister, Fitzgerald.

Booked: Devaney, Armer.

Goals: Obi 14, Armer 23, Ennis 53, J. Fletcher 81 | Towler 21, Mundle-Smith 70.