U17s REPORT: BURNLEY 4-3 MANCHESTER UNITED

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Young clarets kick-start Premier League Cup campaign with victory over United in seven-goal thriller at Leyland

2021-09-30T08:31:20.092Z

U17s REPORT: BURNLEY 4-3 MANCHESTER UNITED

Young clarets kick-start Premier League Cup campaign with victory over United in seven-goal thriller at Leyland

2021-09-30T08:31:20.092Z

Young clarets kick-start Premier League Cup campaign with victory over United in seven-goal thriller at Leyland

Youth Development coach John Townson and the U17’s began their Premier League Cup campaign with a thrilling 4-3 victory against Manchester United at Leyland.

Goals from Joe Westley and Trevon Bryan pulled the young Clarets level having been two goals down early on, and despite going in behind at the break, Burnley prevailed with second half strikes from both Bryan and Benn Ward.

United started very much on the front foot and raced into a two-goal lead after 15 minutes at the Lancashire FA’s County Ground. Jack Moorhouse got the first with Finlay McAllister adding a second soon after, both from inside the box.

A change of shape for the young Clarets paid off though, as Townson’s side grew into the game and looked for a route back into the contest.

Ryan Tioffo and Ward both had efforts at goal before striker Westley capitalised on a defensive error which Burnley’s high pressing had caused. Westley raced onto an under hit backpass aimed for goalkeeper Eric Hanbury and fired past the shot stopper to halve the deficit.

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And now firmly in the ascendancy, after Joe Ashton hit a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box, Burnley did get their equaliser. In an almost identical situation to the Clarets’ first of the evening, they took full advantage of a weak backpass having chased down the ball.

Bryan was the man to benefit on this occasion, curling a first time shot into the corner of the net having been presented with the opportunity to do so.

But having got themselves back on level terms, Townson’s side paid the price for momentarily switching off towards the end of the first half. A United forward went down under challenge in the box and the referee pointed to the spot, with Manni Norkett converting to hand the Red Devils a half-time lead.

Having trailed twice in the opening 45, the young Clarets weren’t going to give in and came out for the second half determined to claw their way back once more.

U17s REPORT: BURNLEY 4-3 MANCHESTER UNITED - Image 2

Townson brought on Jack Leckie and Rohan Vaughan, brother of U23 defender Ethen, from the bench, but it was Bryan who shone through once again to net his second of the evening, a second equaliser of the night for his side and a third of the night for the team overall with a sublime strike.

Five minutes after the restart, the ball fell to the attacker on the edge of the area and after he had brought the ball down with his chest, Bryan fired his volley into the net leaving ‘keeper Hanbury with no chance.

Bryan almost grabbed his hat trick too before being replaced by Lucas Wane, who provided the assist for the seventh and most important goal of the contest 76 minutes in.

The young Clarets recycled the ball from a corner and found Wane in some space on the right wing. An inch-perfect ball across the face of goal picked out Ward who leapt well and volleyed acrobatically into the net from a yard out.

Burnley had the lead for the first time in the game, and they weren’t going to let it slip. Resolute defending secured the victory and three points, epitomised in the last action of the game by Jack Leckie.

Coming on as a half-time substitute, defender Leckie was in the right place at the right time to head the ball off the line following a scramble in the box in the fourth minute of added time.

A marvellous win for the young Clarets, who will also face Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers in the group stages of this season’s U17 Premier League Cup.

Burnley: Casper, Ashton, Findlow, Ward, James, Sassi (Leckie HT), Tioffo, Bauress, Westley (Vaughan HT), Le Fondre, Bryan (Wane 72’)