Paul McGuinness' under-18s made a stunning start to the
new Academy season with a dramatic, last-gasp victory over Chelsea
at Cobham.
John Cofie struck with virtually the final kick of the game to take
the win, capping earlier goals from Sean McGinty and Michael
Keane as the Reds roared back from a two-goal deficit in typically
defiant fashion.
An absorbing game ebbed and flowed from the first whistle. United
missed opportunities to forge ahead through Jesse Lingard and Etzaz
Hussain, and that profligacy was punished when Milan Lalkovic
pipped Sam Johnstone to a loose ball and slotted home.
Having taken the lead against the run of play, Chelsea began to
dominate and doubled their lead when Philipp Prosinek capped a fine
passing move with an emphatic header.
Within seconds of the restart, however, United halved the arrears
when left-back McGinty smashed home an angled effort from just
outside the Chelsea area.
The second half followed the same end-to-end pattern as the first,
as Bobby Devyne wasted a decent opening for hosts, before Larnell
Cole's fierce effort was saved by Blues goalkeeper Jamal
Blackman.
Chelsea seemed the likelier to grab the game's fourth goal, as
Devyne forced a solid save from Johstone and substitute Mesca
curled just over the bar, but United snatched parity with 17
minutes remaining.
Ryan Tunnicliffe's burst into the area created a on hand to roll
home the finish and haul the Reds level.
Both teams poured forward in the dying stages in a big to snatch
victory, and United edged a thrilling encounter in injury-time. Tom
Thorpe's approach play fed Cofie, who confidently finished to
secure a stunning victory for the Reds.
United starting XI: Johnstone; M Keane,
Fornasier, Thorpe, McGinty; Hussain, Tunnicliffe, Cole, Lawrence,
Lingard; Cofie.