U18s: United 1 Huddersfield 0

22/09/2007 12:23, Report by Nick Coppack

FA Premier Academy League
Saturday 22 September

MANCHESTER UNITED 1
(Curran)

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0


A second-half strike from Chris Curran was all that settled United and Huddersfield Town's Academy teams at the Trafford Training Centre on Saturday.

It's the Reds' fourth win in a row and completes a Yorkshire hat-trick for Paul McGuinness's team after victories against Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday in the previous weeks.

United were well on top for much of the match and could have won by a larger margin had the visitors' goalkeeper not been in such inspired form. The Reds also wasted a first-half opportunity from the penalty spot, with Jimmy Derbyshire blasting high over the bar from 12 yards. Many of the other early chances came from distance, including one particularly vicious effort that rattled the woodwork.

The breakthrough eventually came mid-way through the second period, when Joe Dudgeon's quick throw allowed Danny Welbeck to charge into the box. Welbeck's shot was parried out by the Huddersfield goalkeeper, but Curran was on hand at the far post to volley in United's winner.

It was the Reds' sixth goal of the season and Curran became the sixth different scorer. Meanwhile, at the other end, United have now gone four games without conceding.

Former United defender and MUTV commentator Arthur Albiston said the result will please the players immensely.

"It's a great result. There's a lot of satisfaction when you win 1-0. The boys have had to battle very hard and dig in to earn this result. It hasn't been easy," he said.

"I think United deserved to win and they could even have gone ahead earlier in the first half. They played ever so well, it was a satisfying result and we saw some good performances."

United: Woods, Moffatt (McCormack 74), Dudgeon, Evans C, Gill, Drinkwater, Curran (Eikrem 74), Norwood, Bryan, Welbeck, Derbyshire (Stewart 74)