Ben Foster completed 90 minutes on his return from knee
surgery on Thursday evening, as United's Reserves registered a
hard-fought win over Middlesbrough's second string with goals from
Sam Hewson and Chris Eagles.
The England international goalkeeper turned in a
solid display and showed no apparent ill-effects of his first
competitive outing since his final loan appearance for Watford
10 months ago.
Foster was rarely tested by Boro's forwards in a scrappy match, but
looked alert and was sharply off his line on a number of occasions.
When he was finally beaten, it was by a controversial second half
penalty from Boro's Graham Owens.
That spot kick cancelled out Hewson's fine opener for United, a
goal which was the outstanding moment in a scrappy first 45
minutes. The Reds' skipper was on hand to convert after Danny
Welbeck had fired Chris Eagles' neat pass goalwards.
Ten minutes after the break, Owens rattled the frame of Foster's
goal with a superb 25 yard free-kick, but the Reds goalkeeper
almost had a hand in United doubling their advantage six minutes
later.
Foster picked out Danny Welbeck with a mammoth clearance and,
although the England youth striker managed to head past goalkeeper
Brad Jones, his effort was cleared off the line by Seb Hines.
The visitors were handed a route back into the match on 68 minutes
when Danny Simpson was harshly ruled to have handled inside the
area, and Owens hammered the spot kick in off the bar.
Hewson then lashed a volley just wide and Eagles drove wide from
25 yards as United sought to regain their lead. Eagles' effort
proved to be a valuable sighter as, six minutes from time, he had a
more successful effort from similar range.
Picking the ball up from substitute Anton Bryan, the winger worked
his way infield and, ignoring the runs of Welbeck and Tom
Cleverley, lashed a superb 30 yard effort in off Jones' left-hand
post.
It was the latest in a long line of special goals from Eagles this
season, but he almost topped the lot three minutes later. From a
free-kick 25 yards out, Welbeck flicked the ball up for Eagles to
volley, and Jones had to fling himself to his left to claw the ball
round the post.
Eagles then slipped a fine cross back to Welbeck in injury time,
but the promising young striker could only clip his shot wide of
the near post.
The two goals were enough in the end, however, to register a first
win in four games for the Reserves, while Foster provided the
evening's main positive with a long-awaited return to action.
United: Foster; Simpson, Pique, Chester,
Eckersley; Cleverley, Hewson, Possebon (C Evans 75), Eagles; Fagan
(Bryan 78), Welbeck.
Subs not used: Zieler, Lea, James.