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Match Report: United 4 Barnet 1 |  | |
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26/10/05 9:04 PM
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United Youngsters Hit Four Past Ten-Man Barnet
Carling Cup Third Round
Manchester United 4
Barnet 1
Old Trafford, 26 October 2005
Barnet's hopes of a Carling Cup shock at Old Trafford against a young and impressive United side were dashed after just two minutes as the Bees capitulated in a moment of bizarre judgement from their goalkeeper Ross Flitney.
In the back of the minds of Barnet's players there must have been the thought that their big day out at Old Trafford could end in heartbreak. They could not possibly, however, have envisaged it would happen in such a way.
Flitney, for a reason only he will be able to explain, came out of his area and caught what had seemed a relatively harmless through-ball. Perhaps it was nerves playing on such a big stage, maybe he mis-judged his positioning. Either way it rather harshly earned him a red card.
It was a start neither side wanted. For United, this was the chance to test some of the young players against physical Football League opposition. For Barnet, it was their big night. The referee could have been more forgiving, but played to the letter of the law and sent off the Bees goalkeeper.
Flitney trudged off despondantly to a standing ovation, while there is sympathy also for Louie Soares, the Barnet defender who was sacrificed to bring on substitute goalkeeper Scott Tynan.
From the resulting free-kick - rubbing salt into the wounds of the 4,500 travelling fans - Liam Miller brilliantly found the top corner with a curling effort. The first thing Tynan did was was to pick the ball out of the net.
Yet more heartbreak was to follow. First Bees striker Guiliano Grazioli had a goal disallowed for offside, then after 19 minutes Richardson added to United's lead, rather fortuitously from a free-kick.
Richardson had been denied moments earlier by Tynan from a centrally-positioned set-piece. This time he arced in a delivery from wide on the right. It was clearly intended as a cross, but the ball evaded everyone's touch, including Tynan's. 2-0 United.
Sir Alex had made eleven changes to the team that drew with Tottenham on Saturday, highlighting his intention to use the Carling Cup to give returning first-team players and, most notably, youth a chance.
First-teamers Wes Brown, Tim Howard and Liam Miller were given their first domestic starts of the season, while debuts were handed to Lee Martin (18), Ritchie Jones (19) and Adam Eckersley (20).
Gerard Pique (18), Giuseppe Rossi (18), and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (19) were all handed their first starts of the season as well, making defender Phil Bardsley and Kieran Richardson, playing left midfield, look like old pros.
Albeit facing ten men, United's youngsters acquitted themselves well, playing with confidence and not afraid to show their skill and take players on. Blake, Martin and Rossi were all lively, while Ritchie Jones looked comfortable alongside Miller in the centre of midfield.
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One move after ten minutes epitomised the confidence these young players have gained from playing in the successful Reserves side that won four trophies last season.
Rossi controlled the ball perfectly 30 yards from goal, swivelled and passed instinctively out to Martin on the right. The former Wimbledon teenager shifted the ball forward with a turn of pace and arrowed in a low cross towards Blake. The 19-year-old frontman, who returned from a broken leg only last month, unfortunately couldn't connect with his shot and side-footed wide. However, it was the self-assurance of each player that was most pleasing to see.
There was fluidity in United's attacks and some exciting passing and movement off the ball throughout the first half. The second half in much the same fashion with Sir Alex sticking with the same eleven that finished the first 45. And it took just five minutes to make it 3-0.
Martin hassled Barnet left-back Adam Gross and, after impressively keeping the ball in play, he drilled in a low cross towards Rossi. The Italian striker took the pass into his stride and showed his striker's instinct, incisively poking his shot past Tynan into the bottom right corner.
The Reds continued to control the game, but Barnet were to have their moment of glory, even if it was only a consolatory strike.
Unfortunately for United it came about due to a mistake from one of the night's most consistent performers. Gerard Pique, who had looked at home alongside Wes Brown, signalled for his defensive partner to leave the ball but then slipped, allowing Dean Sinclair a clear run at Howard. Sinclair rounded the American stopper, who was barely involved all night, and gave the Bees supporters something to cheer about.
Northern Irish midfielder Darron Gibson, who turned 18 the day before this game, was handed his Reds debut late on, replacing the injured Lee Martin, who was stretchered off after sliding into the advertising boards. Martin hurt his back in the incident but the injury isn't thought to be serious.
Blake then rounded off the scoring for the night when he latchedonto a rare loose touch from Rossi. With typical striking instinct, Blake demanded his Italian strike-partner leave the ball to him, rounded Tynan with a nimble turn and rolled the ball into the empty net.
Victory and some promising displays from the kids - a good night's work.
Team Line-ups
United: Howard, Bardsley, Brown, Pique, Eckersley, Martin (Gibson, 76), Miller, R. Jones, Richardson, Rossi, Blake.
Subs not used: Steele (GK), Smith, Park, Silvestre.
Barnet: Flitney, Bailey, Hendon (c), Gross, King, Sinclair, Lee (Batt, 87), Soares (Tynan, 3), Strevens, Grazioli (Hatch, 76), Yakuba.
Subs not used: Charles, Graham.
Report by Ben Hibbs, at Old Trafford.
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