MANCHESTER UNITED RES 3
NEWCASTLE UNITED RES 1
Premier Reserve League
Marston's Arena, Northwich
Thursday, March 27, 2008

Craig Hope reports from Marston's Arena ...

MANCHESTER United struck three times in just six minutes to condemn the Magpies to a first defeat in five outings at the home of Northwich Victoria.

Shola Ameobi's loan switch to Stoke City meant Adam Sadler was forced to shuffle his pack at the eleventh hour with Dutch youngster Frank Wiafe Danquah coming in.

Peter Ramage was also included for his second successive start having returned from cruciate ligament damage and he was joined in defence by Senegal new boy Lamine Diatta.

But it was the hosts who almost broke the deadlock after just five minutes, Chris Eagles' low drive turned around the post by a full-stretch Fraser Forster.

Gosforth-born Mark Doninger was to be forced off because of illness midway through the first-half but not before he had tested England stopper Ben Foster with a dipping free-kick from distance.

Congloese midfielder Kazenga LuaLua then saw a similar effort saved by the Red Devils stopper after 25 minutes.

The Geordies were well in control and Wesley Ngo Baheng should have netted for the fourth consecutive game when he left marker James Chester for dead 30 yards out.

The young French star burst through on goal but couldn't find the finish to match his clever turn and dragged his shot wide of Foster's frame.

But that elusive opener eventually came on 38 minutes, James Marwood hitting Tamas Kadar's high cross into the turf before the lurking Jonny Godsmark turned home from 12 yards.

It was the 18-year-old's ninth strike of the season and further evidence of the talent which saw him rewarded with a first professional deal earlier this month.

Newcastle had keeper Forster to thank for preserving their lead until the break as he fisted clear a stinging Eagles drive three minutes before the interval.

But Forster's target was breached nine minutes after the restart, Italian forward Federico Macheda converting Mikael Silvestre's left-wing centre from close range.

Man Utd had the lead with two minutes, striker Danny Welbeck producing a moment of sublime skill to spin away from two defenders before firing into the roof of the net.

And the shell-shocked were trailing by two goals soon after, Welbeck and Eagles (60) combining on the edge of the area with the latter coolly slotting home past a helpless Forster.

With last week's dramatic late comeback at Bolton in mind, Sadler's side refused to give in and Ngo Baheng almost halved the deficit when he sent a low shot skidding across the face of goal after 74 minutes.

But the home side held on and will now travel to the North East for Monday's reverse fixture which will bring the curtain down on the second-string season.

MUFC: Ben Foster, Corry Evans (Robert Brady, 46) Mikael Silvestre, Richard Eckersley, James Chester, Ritchie Jones, Chris Eagles, Rodrigo Possebon (Danny Galbraith, 41) Danny Welbeck, Federico Macheda, Tom Cleverley
Subs not used: Oliver Norwood, Ron-Robert Zieler, Magnus Eikrem

NUFC: Fraser Forster, Peter Ramage, Tamas Kadar, Lamine Diatta, Ben Tozer, Jonny Godsmark, Mark Doninger (Darren Lough, 29) (Callum Morris 78), Frank Wiafe Danquah (Patrick McLaughlin, 82) James Marwood, Wesley Ngo Baheng, Kazenga LuaLua
Subs not used: Max Johnson, Shane Ferguson