Full-time report as United beat rivals in friendly
United staged a superb second-half comeback to beat local rivals 3-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly this afternoon at the training ground. Trailing 2-0 at half time, goals from Carlton Morris, Junior Brown and James Roberts ensured that the U's came out on top of a fine game that also saw Ryan Clarke and Andy Whing come through full 90 minutes after injury.
United gave several players a chance to get time on the pitch after being on the first-team bench for recent games. Alfie Potter, Jon Meades, Michael Raynes, Brown and Morris all featured, alongside youngsters Miles Welch-Hayes, Sam Long, Josh Ashby and Sam Humphreys.
It was the returning duo of Clarke and Whing whom most eyes were on though, and both did well in a fast-tempoed game played in brilliant sunshine. Clarke had no chance with the opener on 14 minutes as striker Connor Waldon broke the offside trap and finished neatly past the stranded keeper.
United came back and saw Meades dribble past three challenges before his 24th-minute shot was blocked, but they were 2-0 down after half an hour when George Barker was brought down by Long and picked himself up to drill an accurate penalty beyond Clarke.
Two-nil down at the break, United had a golden chance three minutes into the second half as Potter robbed the keeper and fed Morris, only for the striker to lift his shot over the bar. However, the striker made amends on 61 with a fine finish as United got themselves back into the game. Whing stormed into a typical tackle to win the ball and fed Brown. His deft touch freed Morris who hammered in a shot from the edge of the box which flashed into the net off the inside of the right-hand post.
The Yellows were now on top and on 67 were back on level terms as Morris powered to the line and cut the ball back for Brown, who guided the ball into the roof of the net at the near post to make it 2-2. The recovery was complete on 79 as Roberts underlined his potential by bustling past two defenders and slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner with deadly accuracy to make it 3-2.
A splendid fight back in a fine game that was as competitive as any meeting between the two clubs always is.
United
Clarke, Welch-Hayes, Raynes (Cundy 70), Long, Meades, Whing, Ashby, Potter, Brown (Roberts 70), Humphreys (Jakubiak 46), Morris