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Manchester United U21s travelled to Loughborough College on Friday evening to tackle Nottingham Forest in Premier League 2 motion.
With the season approaching the tip, United had been in search of a end result to make sure they completed inside the prime 16 to advance to the play-offs.
The opening levels noticed the match shuttle as either side appeared to search out their ft and it was Charlie McNeill who created the primary large probability when he chased down a protracted ball to win the ball in Forest’s space earlier than rounding the keeper and hanging in the direction of the open aim however the recovering defender made an impressive aim line clearance.
The match then turned one-way visitors for probably the most half as Forest threatened and United struggled to get any form of passing sport going beneath the press of Warren Joyce’s residence aspect.
The lone spark for United was McNeill who latched onto one other ball earlier than working house into Forest’s field and hanging low however he was denied by a great save.
Forest’s hazard man Detlef Esapa Osong was inflicting all types of hassle, particularly when he drifted out to United’s righthand aspect. Forest’s quantity 9 hit the again of the web simply after the fortieth minute nevertheless it was shortly dominated out for offside.
Osong then got here shut once more simply earlier than the halftime break, forcing a prime save from Elyh Harrison.
Into the second half, it was a lot of the identical as United continued to look sloppy in possession and unable to maintain up with Forest’s depth.
Jaydan Kamason misplaced the ball on the again to provide Forest an opportunity however Sam Murray was readily available to make an necessary block.
Osong then minimize by way of United coming inside from the left to shoot from 10 yards out however he was denied once more by a powerful hand from Harrison.
Substitute Ethan Williams added a little bit of life to the assault for United and offered a pleasant cross for McNeill who poked in the direction of aim, hitting it off the fitting publish.
Late within the match, Osong was performed in behind down the left once more however regardless of many probabilities, he nonetheless couldn’t discover a strategy to beat Harrison in aim who walked away because the clear man of the match.
With the match edging in the direction of a detailed, an over-the-top problem from Jamie Newton on Sam Murray noticed the Forest substitute see a straight pink card in harm time.
Happily, Murray was again on his ft shortly however there was no time for United to make use of the person benefit and the match ended 0-0.
The draw was sufficient to clinch a playoff berth for United although as they continue to be in fifteenth place with one match remaining. A prime 12 end to qualify for the Premier League Worldwide Cup subsequent season continues to be technically inside attain for United however it is going to require outcomes to go their manner on the ultimate matchday.
United: Harrison, Kamason (Kingdon 86), Bennett, Aljofree, Murray, Devaney, Curley (McAllister 63), Scanlon (Williams 63), Oyedele, Mather, McNeill (Biancheri 86)
Unused subs: Plumley
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