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Manchester United u21s met Altrincham on Tuesday night in the National League Cup having opened the competition with a win over Forest Green Rovers last month.
Despite being a young side against senior opposition, United looked in control from the off and took the lead in just the 16th minute.
In a devastating counter attack, Jack Moorhouse picked up the ball deep in United’s half before charging upfield, dodging a number of challenges on the way to lay off the ball for Ethan Ennis to curl into the far corner.
Ethan Ennis gives our U21s the lead at Altrincham 🚀
Watch the National League Cup clash live on #MUTV ⤵️#MUFC || #MUAcademy
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 19, 2024
Altrincham looked for a response with Tylor Golden afforded space to drive inside from the left back position, curling a shot toward the bottom right corner which required a big save from Dermot Mee to keep out of the goal.
Louis Jackson then had a mishap with a turnover at the back but United were quick to get behind the ball with Jack Kingdon’s block conceding a corner.
From the resulting corner, United countered at blistering speed down the right wing with Harry Amass, who crossed low across the box to Amir Ibragimov to shoot. But his attempt was blocked before Ennis picked up the ball for a near carbon copy finish into the top right corner.
Another beautiful goal from Ethan Ennis who finds space to curl it into the top right corner after a deflected shot from Amir Ibragimov
0-2#mufc #MUAcademy pic.twitter.com/8rRIecGX2l
— Charlie Sutton (@SuttonBroadcast) November 19, 2024
Just before the break, Ennis cut in from the left wing again looking for his hat-trick but he scuffed his effort into the ground for an easy collection for the keeper, leaving the score 0-2 at the half.
Substitutions at the break for Altrincham took the pace out of the game but United remained on top throughout the second half.
In the 70th minute, the Red Devils won possession high up the pitch, with Ibragimov laying off to Musa whose shot was deflected up in the air and tipped onto the bar by the keeper. But Ibragimov was the only one following in for the rebound for an easy finish to make it 0-3.
Ennis sealed his hat-trick and the three points in the 90th minute when he was played through by Ashton Missin to expertly scoop the ball over the outrushing keeper.
The win puts United on top of the group after two matches, with two to come against Rochdale and Oldham.
United: Mee, Ogunneye, Jackson, Kingdon, Amass, Rowe, Moorhouse (McAllister 58), Mather (Missin 71), Ibragimov (Thwaites 84), Ennis, Musa (Bradbury 84)
Unused subs: Myles, Kamason, Munro