Manchester United U18s hit five as Darren Fletcher’s side sweep aside Middlesbrough | OneFootball

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Manchester United U18s faced Middlesbrough U18s on Saturday afternoon at Carrington.

Darren Fletcher’s side looked to keep their good form going, coming into the match with back-to-back 3-0 victories.

Fletcher named an unchanged side from the midweek cup win over Charlton.

First half

United took control of the match from the starting whistle, but the visitors defended resolutely and gave United little space in the final third to work with.

Midway through the first half, Junior Brown’s cutback to Jaume Camacho at the edge of the box was just out of reach of the Spaniard, whose outstretched touch poked the ball into the path of Jay McEvoy, who struck the ball perfectly from 25 yards into the bottom right corner.

Edson Dejonge-Seiros began to find joy on the left wing and almost had an assist when his cross found Brown at the back post, but the right winger’s attempt was saved by Dwain Bernard.

United piled on the pressure and doubled the lead in the 31st minute through an own goal. Camron Mpofu’s wayward shot was blocked up into the air, but calamity ensued as an attempted header back to the keeper bounced off Bernard’s head and into the goal.

Dejonge-Seiros then made it 3-0 before the break, turning on the edge of the box and firing into the bottom right corner after being found by Yuel Helafu.

Second half

The young Red Devils forced another mistake from the Middlesbrough backline shortly after the restart, with a short back pass to the keeper intercepted by Mpofu, who was then dragged down by Bernard for a penalty. Mpofu stepped up and dispatched the penalty into the right corner for his first of the season.

The Scottish youth international had the ball in the back of the net again four minutes later, but a questionable offside call ruled it out after Mpofu slotted in the rebound from McEvoy’s free-kick.

A rare Middlesbrough chance came later in the half, but Charlie Hardy stopped the near-post shot with a strong right foot.

Substitute Douka Nkoto rounded out the scoring in the 90th minute, finishing at the back post from Emmanuel Ziro’s cross to make it 5-0.

United’s U18s are back in action next Saturday when they make the trip to Newcastle.

Match facts

United: Hardy, Helafu (Nganga 67), McCormack (C), Ngwashi (Emsden-James 67), J. Watson, McEvoy, Shah, Brown (D. Nkoto 73), Camacho, Dejonge-Seiros (Ziro 59), Mpofu (Carrick 59)

Unused subs: Z. Watson, Laurie

Goals: McEvoy 23, Own goal 31, Dejonge-Seiros 42, Mpofu (p) 47, D. Nkoto 90