An experienced Manchester United reserve team travelled to Fylde tonight in the opening pre-season friendly of the 2009/10 campaign.
Billed as Champions v Champions, United's squad included all the regulars but also Anton Bryan who was released at the end of last season. Anton is still looking for a new club, but is still trying to recapture match fitness. As a consequence, he has been allowed to train at the club and was named as one of our substitutes.
Meanwhile, on the teamsheet for AFC Fylde was a familiar name to United fans.....that of Michael Barnes. Barnes started off last term at Northwich Victoria, but after financial difficulties many players were released. Michael then went to Burscough and finally Halifax Town before finding himself without a club.
The build up to the game was spoiled by torrential rain throughout the day and also throughout the match. United lined up in red shirts and black shorts and it was the first chance to see the new kit. A record crowd of 1,390 filled Kellamergh Park to watch the action.
United lined up with many of their loan players back at the club. Tom Heaton started in goal, while James Chester, Craig Cathcart, Sam Hewson, Febian Brandy and Tom Cleverley were all in the starting eleven.
It was noticeable, that Danny Simpson was missing amongst the United party and it was expected that he would be in the squad. Other notable absentees were either injured (Rafael, Obertan, Gray)....with the first team (Tosic, Fabio, Macheda) or on international duty (James, Welbeck, Amos, Drinkwater, Ljajic).
In the first half, United hit the post in the first few minutes and soon settled into a familiar rhythm. Playing in a 451 formation, Brandy was the lone striker with Stewart on the right and Cleverley on the left. However, the opening twenty minutes saw little in the way of action with neither keeper being tested. On 24 minutes, James Chester picked up a knock and was replaced by Oliver Gill. The crowd had little to cheer until the 39th minute when United took the lead. Evans started the move from the back and found Eikrem out wide. He played a nice through ball to Stewart who played a 1:2 in the area with Brandy and then squared the ball for Tom Cleverley to side foot the ball into an empty net from ten yards. It was hard on Fylde who had defended well.....but United had all the possession.
Half-time: AFC Fylde 0 Manchester United 1
United made two substitutions at half time with Zieler replacing Heaton and Norwood replacing Corry Evans.
Both Evans and Norwood are named in the Northern Ireland U-20 team that will play in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup later this month.
United continued to have much of the play and dominated proceedings without really pressing the opposing keeper. On 61 minutes, Fylde had their best chance to score when one of their forward ran through on goal. However, Zieler was alert and made a fine save before a defender cleared the ball from the goalmouth. Then on 75 minutes a long ball over the top of the defence by Ollie Norwood found Fabien Brandy. He squared it to Nick Ajose who hit the post and it was cleared for a corner. Both Ajose and Bryan had come on as subs a few minutes earlier. From the resulting corner the ball was played short to Sam Hewson and he hit a swerving drive from just outside the box. The ball completed deceived the Fylde keeper and hit the back of the net to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. Six minutes later and a boring game suddenly came alive when a streaker decided to warm up proceeding with a lively cameo. Whether or not United's concentration was broken is unknown, but seven minutes from time the home team pulled a goal back in bizarre circumstances. Direct from a corner, all the United defenders left the ball to Zieler who inexplicably let the ball go right through his hands and into the top corner. United saw out the last few minutes comfortably to register the first win of the season.
Full Time: AFC Fylde 1 Manchester United 2
Team:
1. Heaton
2. De Laet
3. Dudgeon
4. Chester
5. Cathcart
6. Evans (capt)
7. Eikrem
8. Hewson
9. Brandy
10. Cleverley
11. Stewart
12. Gill (4) 25'
13. Zieler (1) 46'
14. Norwood (6) 46'
15. Ajose (11) 64'
16. Bryan (7) 64'
Goals: Cleverley 39', Hewson 75'
Attendance: 1390
