Under-23s: Manchester United 2 Swansea City 1
Two goals from striker James Wilson - including a penalty - were enough to see Manchester United’s Under-23s launch the Premier League International Cup campaign on a winning note.
The Reds were pushed all the way by a very good Swansea City team and at no stage could victory have been taken for granted against the lads from South Wales who kept going right up to the very last whistle.
Ricky Sbragia’s United team went into the game boosted by the 1-0 Premier League 2 victory away at Sunderland last weekend. That was the Reds' first win at this level since the opening day of the season, but results alone don’t tell the full story because better outcomes than the scorelines might have indicated have been deserved on several occasions.
It was a chilly afternoon in Leigh, albeit with fluffy clouds and blue skies above as the game started with a good turnout of fans accommodated in the main stand. Six minutes after the kick-off, there was a flurry of activity in United’s area with the Reds' defence battling well to prevent the Swans from taking an early lead.
Both teams looked bright and lively as the game unfolded into an entertaining contest with United’s Charlie Scott and James Wilson almost putting their names on the scoresheet.
Referee Joe Johnson had a quiet word with Swansea’s Jordan Garrick and United’s skipper Joe Riley shortly before half-time after the two had been involved in a flare-up but both players escaped without being shown the yellow card.
In the early moments of the second half, Kenji Gorré, the former United starlet, almost found a route through the Reds' back line with an impressive mazy run.
Ricky Sbragia’s United team went into the game boosted by the 1-0 Premier League 2 victory away at Sunderland last weekend. That was the Reds' first win at this level since the opening day of the season, but results alone don’t tell the full story because better outcomes than the scorelines might have indicated have been deserved on several occasions.
It was a chilly afternoon in Leigh, albeit with fluffy clouds and blue skies above as the game started with a good turnout of fans accommodated in the main stand. Six minutes after the kick-off, there was a flurry of activity in United’s area with the Reds' defence battling well to prevent the Swans from taking an early lead.
Both teams looked bright and lively as the game unfolded into an entertaining contest with United’s Charlie Scott and James Wilson almost putting their names on the scoresheet.
Referee Joe Johnson had a quiet word with Swansea’s Jordan Garrick and United’s skipper Joe Riley shortly before half-time after the two had been involved in a flare-up but both players escaped without being shown the yellow card.
In the early moments of the second half, Kenji Gorré, the former United starlet, almost found a route through the Reds' back line with an impressive mazy run.
Fourteen minutes into the half and United were given the opportunity to break the deadlock when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after Swansea skipper Joe Rodon had been adjudged to have handled the ball. Wilson wasted no time in placing the ball on the spot before neatly slotting it into the net past the diving Lewis Thomas in the visitors’ goal.
Eight minutes later and Wilson found the net again to double United’s advantage with a brilliant angled drive after racing to prevent the ball from going out of play.
This double blast was just the tonic United had been seeking and based on the overall balance of second-half play, it was nothing less than Sbragia's side deserved. The majority of the 1,009 supporters in the stadium were naturally delighted to see the Reds en route to another victory.
Both teams utilised their full quota of three substitutes which included Tyler Reid, another ex-United man, joining the action for the Swans midway through the half.
The visitors eventually pulled one back just before the final whistle, when Gorré scored from the penalty spot after Swansea defender Cian Harries had been felled in the area, but it came too late to prevent a second win in six days for United's Under-23s.
United: O'Hara; Riley, Ercolani, Williams R-S., Mitchell; Sang; Dearnley, Scott (Whelan 87), Hamilton, Kehinde (Boonen 82); Wilson (Bohui 82). Substitutes not used: Johnstone M, Kenyon.
Eight minutes later and Wilson found the net again to double United’s advantage with a brilliant angled drive after racing to prevent the ball from going out of play.
This double blast was just the tonic United had been seeking and based on the overall balance of second-half play, it was nothing less than Sbragia's side deserved. The majority of the 1,009 supporters in the stadium were naturally delighted to see the Reds en route to another victory.
Both teams utilised their full quota of three substitutes which included Tyler Reid, another ex-United man, joining the action for the Swans midway through the half.
The visitors eventually pulled one back just before the final whistle, when Gorré scored from the penalty spot after Swansea defender Cian Harries had been felled in the area, but it came too late to prevent a second win in six days for United's Under-23s.
United: O'Hara; Riley, Ercolani, Williams R-S., Mitchell; Sang; Dearnley, Scott (Whelan 87), Hamilton, Kehinde (Boonen 82); Wilson (Bohui 82). Substitutes not used: Johnstone M, Kenyon.
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