United overcame a decent Blackburn Rovers side and difficult
conditions at Carrington to sign off the 2008/09 Academy League
season with a fine victory.
Nicky Ajose scored with a superb second-half shot to settle an
entertaining game for Paul McGuinness’ young team, having created
goals in the first period for debutant Jesse Lingard and his strike
partner Joshua King.
Lingard’s goal came after just six minutes; receiving Ajose’s
measured pass into the area, the new boy wrongfooted two Blackburn
players including the goalkeeper Swann before slotting the ball
home.
Despite this early setback, Blackburn went on to dominate much
of the first half and use the swirling winds to their advantage
with some long-range shots testing United keeper Conor Devlin. One
such effort from Banton in the 15th minute beat the young Irishman,
only to strike the crossbar.
Rovers only had to wait a while longer for the first of their
two equalisers, Banton slipping the ball into the box for Tom
Hitchcock to finish with a low shot inside Devlin’s left-hand
post.
The scores stayed level at 1-1 until one minute before the break
when Ajose raced to the right-wing byline and cut the ball back
across the six-yard box for King to convert at the far post, albeit
off the keeper who parried the shot but ultimately couldn’t prevent
it crossing the line.
If United’s 2-1 lead was slightly against the run of play, then
Rovers addressed this when Hitchcock grabbed his second goal
shortly after half-time, stretching out a foot to poke Banton’s
left-wing cross beyond Devlin’s dive.
The best goal was saved until last, Ajose firing in a stunning
25-yard shot midway through the second half to win the match 3-2
for the Reds and provide a memorable end to the season for some
promising young players.
United: Devlin; Brown, Thorpe, Wootton, Fryers; Ajose, Brady,
Cole, Gorman; Lingard, King. Subs: Morrison, Giverin, Keane,
Barmby, Gorre.