First-half goals from Danny Drinkwater and Ritchie De Laet gave
United’s Reserves a thoroughly-deserved win over Everton at Moss
Lane.
Zoran Tosic struck the woodwork three times and a host of other
chances went begging as United dominated, and the visitors only
sparked into life in the final 15 minutes.
United were ahead after just eight minutes. A neat passing move
was interrupted when Lee Martin trod on the ball on the edge of the
Everton area. Three visiting defenders went for the loose ball,
however, allowing Martin to regain possession, fashion space and
tee up Drinkwater to prod home.
Ten minutes later, the lead was doubled. Magnus Eikrem’s
free-kick deflected off the defensive wall and was looping wide,
until it met the run of De Laet who adjusted brilliantly to cushion
home a header, his first goal for United.
Everton’s forward line seemed content to chance their collective
arm from distance, but rarely called Ben Amos into any action other
than taking subsequent goal kicks. The closest the visitors came to
a first half goal was when Hope Akpan beat Amos to a flighted
free-kick, but headed wastefully over.
Tosic came agonisingly close to opening his United account on
two occasions, but was thwarted by the crossbar both times.
Firstly, his close-range shot was brilliantly tipped onto the frame
of the goal by Lars Stubhaug. A minute before the break, the Serb
fashioned space and curled a right-footer
against the bar from 10 yards.
Ten minutes after the restart, Tosic came close again. Eikrem
embarked on a surging run down the right and picked out his
colleague on the opposite flank, only for the Serb’s volley to
arrow just wide of the far post.
By now, United’s dominance was total, and it took some heroic
defending from the visitors to keep out Drinkwater, whose effort
was saved by substitute keeper Michael Jensen, and Martin, whose
pair of shots were both hacked off the line by Aristote Nsiala.
The visitors briefly rallied in the final 20 minutes, as James
Vaughan first chipped off target with Amos stranded, then drew a
close-range save from the England youth international.
United’s response was merely to crank up the pressure again, and
Drinkwater came close with a low left-footer which Jensen did well
to palm out. Tosic also completed a hat-trick of sorts, drilling a
20-yarder against the far post, but two goals proved comfortably
enough for the Reds.
United: Amos; Eckersley, C Evans, De Laet, Gill; Eikrem
(Galbraith 81), Possebon, Drinkwater, Tosic; Martin (Stewart 71);
Welbeck (James 59).
Subs not used: Devlin, Dudgeon.