United' Under-18s began the Premier Academy League
campaign with defeat to Southampton on Saturday at
Carrington.
Paul McGuinness' young Reds got off to a flying
start and took the lead early on, but then conceded three
second-half goals as the south coast visitors claimed all the
points.
United had gone in front in the 17th minute when midfielder Ryan
Tunnicliffe finished well after a neat throughball from William
Keane.
In a fiesty first-half the Reds pushed forward on plenty of
occasions but couldn't add to the lead, and after the break
Southampton clinically took advantage of that.
Just four minutes after the break they got an equaliser, and within
three minutes added a second after Reece Brown conceded a penalty,
which was duly converted past Reds goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
The Reds rallied and pushed for a second goal; Robbie Brady missed
a good opportunity following fine work on the right wing by Nicky
Ajose, while Ravel Morrison went close with an effort from the edge
of the area which went narrowly wide.
Tunnicliffe was denied his second of the day by a superb save from
Southampton's goalkeeper. But in committing men forward in search
of an equaliser, United were vulnerable to counter attacks and the
Saints clinched victory with a superb strike late on.
The defeat will frustrate U18s coach Paul McGuinness, not least
because his side were, for large parts of the game, the better
side.