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Academy Match report: Everton u18s 2-2 Manchester United u18s

by Colm Murphy


Just four days on from the reverse fixture, Manchester United u18s closed off the season with the second match of a double header with Everton.

United started strongly and grabbed an early lead in the just the seventh minute. Adam Berry drifted wide to pick up the ball and clip a cross into the box for Ethan Wheatley to attack and nod past the onrushing keeper.

Still in the opening ten minutes, a short corner was taken to Ethan Williams who crossed deep to Reece Munro for a flick-on header that bounced just wide of the post.

Everton’s first chance came when the big target man Martin Sherif brushed Munro aside and it all looked to open up for Sherif, but the striker elected to lay it off to Joshua van Schoor, who sliced it well wide.

Approaching the half hour mark, Coby Ebere took down the ball over top and chopped inside past James Nolan, striking low to be denied by a strong foot from Elyh Harrison.

Everton then worked the ball into the box down the right side with some quick passing to open space for a shot towards the back post, forcing a fingertip save from Harrison to push out for a corner.

In the 40th minute, tight footwork from Williams saw the winger dance past the Everton defenders into the box and onto his left boot to shoot low which was saved well.

A minute later, the Everton keeper couldn’t keep it out this time as Williams played provider with a cross to Jaydan Kamason running into the box and finishing with a bullet of a volley to make it 0-2 going into the break.

Leighton Baines fired his side up at half time and they came out hot with an early chance, a cross to the back post found Jacob Beaumont-Clark who looked to place his finish but big a block from Habeeb Ogunneye was there to deny.

The next cross couldn’t be stopped though. With the ball played into the congested area, Harrison came out flapping and missed the ball, allowing Ebere to tap into an open net.

Shea Lacey was introduced off the bench and his first involvement was to cut in from the right and curl just wide of the back post.

In the 53rd minute, Sherif turned onto his left at the edge of the box and struck the left post.

Lacey was making a good impression and linked with Berry, whose miscontrol inadvertently opened space for him to hit from 18 yards, soaring just over the bar.

Wheatley then raced through the middle past two defenders before having his shot stopped by the keeper’s foot. Jayce Fitzgerald followed up with a bouncing shot into the ground that was spectacularly tipped onto the bar and somehow cleared after what looked an almost certain goal.

United had another big chance in the 74th minute, Williams’ corner to the back post looked like easy finish but Ogunneye and Munro got in each others way and ended up bundling into the ball and missing the chance.

The series of missed chances went on to be rued as Everton struck in the dying seconds of injury time. With the ball bouncing around the edge of the box and United unable to clear, Ebere collected and smashed past Harrison with a powerful shot to end the match 2-2.

The young Reds’ season is now over finishing in a clear third place, 11 points clear of Everton in fourth but 9 points behind Sunderland in second.

United: Harrison, Kamason, Nolan, Munro, Ogunneye, Fitzgerald, McAllister (Musa 75), Missin (Lacey 46), Berry (Scanlon 66), Williams, Wheatley (Murray 90+2)

Unused subs: Myles

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