U18 REPORT: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets pick up big win away against Red Devils

2022-04-20T08:59:36.886Z

U18 REPORT: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 BURNLEY

Young Clarets pick up big win away against Red Devils

2022-04-20T08:59:36.886Z

Tony Philliskirk’s youth team recorded a 1-0 win away against Manchester United on Tuesday night (April 19) in U18 Northern Premier League action.

Dane McCullough grabbed the only goal of the game midway through the first half, with a resolute defensive performance including some fine stops from goalkeeper Charlie Casper seeing them pick up three points come the full-time whistle.

Philliskirk made just one change to his team from last week’s 2-1 away win at Blackburn Rovers in the East Lancashire derby. Lucas Wane netted the equaliser in that game having come off the bench and earned himself a place from the get-go against United.

Ruari Behan in turn dropped to the Clarets bench alongside the returning Ryan Tioffo and goalkeeper Harry Moss, involved in a matchday squad post-injury for the first time since October. Brad Grant meanwhile dropped out of the squad.

In a Red Devils side who have an FA Youth Cup final against Nottingham Forest to come next month, ex-Burnley midfielder Dan Gore too started on the bench.

First Half

After a positive start to the contest, Burnley registered the first shot on target seven minutes in through Wane before United’s Sam Murray saw a shot held at the other end by Clarets’ ‘keeper Casper.

And after Omari Forson fired wide from the edge of the box for the hosts, Northern Irish full back Dane McCullough handed Philliskirk’s side a lead on 24 minutes with a thunderstrike into the bottom corner from 35 yards out.

Casper was brought into action again soon after, tipping Sam Mather’s free-kick behind for a corner with an acrobatic save, while the Red Devils’ Ethan Ennis also saw an effort go wide of the mark from six yards out.

Before the first half was out, Kade Ratchford struck over for the Clarets while Wane saw a shot well saved by United ‘keeper Eric Hanbury with the last kick of the opening 45 minutes. 1-0 it remained though at the interval.

Second Half

At the restart, Philliskirk’s side started as they had in the first half and saw Joe Smyth-Ferguson bring a save out of Hanbury once again.

Ennis then fired wide for United before Will Hugill flashed an effort narrowly over the bar as Burnley went in search of a second. Ratchford also came close on 67 minutes having worked himself some space to get a shot away.

Ten minutes later, Casper reacted brilliantly to stop Forson’s powerful low drive with a Clarets defender winning a footrace to the follow-up and clearing away.

The three points and clean sheet were secured deep into three minutes of time added on though with a crazy 60 seconds. Forson first hit the post with an overhead kick before Casper denied Manni Norkett at the rebound with a superb save.

And even when United eventually got the ball in the back of the net, they had to force Casper out the way with a shove which saw the goal disallowed.

With two victories in a row, the youth team next return to action on Saturday, April 23, away at Everton in the U18 Northern Premier League. The young Clarets have four games remaining this season but have now already surpassed their points tally from 2020/21.

Burnley: Casper, McCullough (C), Ward, James, Williams, Ratchford, Hugill, Bauress, Wane (Behan ’70), Couch, Smyth-Ferguson (Tioffo ’65)

Unused Subs: Moss, Olopade, Bryan

Manchester United: Hanbury, Jurado, Bennett (C), Aljofree, Murray, Oyedele (Gore ’70), Hansen-Aarøen, Forson, Mather, Hugill (McNeill ’64), Ennis (Norkett ’70)

Unused Subs: Polakowski, Pye

Goals: McCullough, ‘24