Nottingham Forest Under 18s took to the Old Trafford pitch in front of a sell-out crowd for the club’s first ever appearance in the prestigious FA Youth Cup final.
The Reds fielded nine local Nottingham lads, with eight of the squad young enough to be eligible for next season’s competition.
Detlef Esapa Osong, who scored two late goals in the semi-final comeback against Chelsea, started up front alongside full Northern Ireland international Dale Taylor, who also scored in that memorable 3-1 semi-final victory. The youngest player in the Forest side was defender Zach Abbott who is only 16 on Friday.
It was a fantastic occasion on a perfect playing surface with more than 5,700 Forest supporters in good voice on a sunny evening in the north-west.
Playing in the luminous yellow and orange third kit, The Reds kicked off towards the Stretford End but it was United who forced the finest corner within 30 seconds which eventually fell to Robbie Mainoo who forced an early save from Aaron Bott in the Forest goal.
Captain Jamie McDonnell then nearly broke through for Forest down the right and, from the resulting throw in, The Reds won their first corner of the contest. From Taylor’s corner, McDonnell diverted a firm header just wide of Radek Vitek’s right post.
A foul by McDonnell on Isak Hansen gave the hosts a free-kick 35 yards out and, from Sam Murray’s left footed inswinging ball, United captain Rhys Bennett headed firmly past Aaron Bott from near the penalty spot to give Man United the lead.
Forest responded immediately and Josh Powell had a shot blocked inside the area and, immediately afterwards, from Powell’s right wing cross, Taylor acrobatically steered a volley on target that Vitek saved.
The Reds won another corner on 18 minutes and from Powell’s delivery, Justin Hanks headed over the crossbar. Powell then won a free-kick after good play on the right but United cleared.
Forest had responded positively to the early setback and continued to push United back, with Head Coach Steve Cooper and his backroom staff watching on from the stands.
Another Powell free=kick midway through the half caused problems in the United box before a clever ball by Esapa Osong created more pressure but United managed to clear.
A fantastic cross-field pass by Abbott found Powell on the right as the Reds youngsters continued to play with confidence.
Ten minutes before the break, Alejandro Garnacho, United’s player of the year, had a cross-shot from onside the box but it went harmlessly wide for a throw-in but, moments later, the Argentinian’s curling shot from the edge of the box went just wide of Aaron Bott’s goal.
Then, a minute before the break, Forest deservedly drew level. Sam Collins and Josh Powell combined well down the right, as they had all half, with Powell’s low shot from the edge of the box slipping under Radek Vitek in the United goal.
After a minute’s injury time, referee Josh Smith below for half-time after an enjoyable first period with a 1-1 score the least Forest youngsters merited.
HALF-TIME: Manchester United 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Forest were immediately back on the attack at the start of the second half and excellent control by Dale Taylor in the box set up a chance for Kyle McAdam on the edge of the six yard box but Radek Vitek managed to smoother his effort, getting injured in the process. The Reds then won a free kick on the right which caused more problems for United.
The hosts finally got out of their own half and had a number of shots blocked by Reds defenders before Aaron Bott saved from Charlie McNeill and then again from Marc Jurado. United forced successive corners which Forest dealt with before Powell won Forest a corner at the other end in front of the travelling fans.
More Forest pressure resulted in Esapa Osong creating a shooting opportunity inside the box but United again blocked the effort.
Sam Murray then flattened Taylor with a heavy challenge that drew a talking to from referee Josh Smith.
The match was delicately poised as the hour mark was reached with Forest winning another corner that the hosts cleared.
With the match continuing to be played largely in the United half, the hosts Head Coach Travis Binnion made a double substitution on 64 minutes with Maximillian Oyedele replacing Isak Hansen and Joe Hugill replacing Charlie McNeill upfront.
However, it was Forest still pushing forward and, after being released down the right, Powell’s cross was intercepted by Vitek before it could reach Esapa Osong.
With twenty minutes to play United won a corner from which Rhys Bennett again connected with a header but the effort was blocked to safety.
Forest Head Coach Warren Joyce made his first substitution with Ben Perry replacing Sam Collins who appeared to suffer cramp after an energetic display.
Esapa Osong then won the ball back in midfield and when the ball was fed to Powell, his left foot pile-driver was blocked for a throw-in.
On 77 minutes, United controversially won a penalty when Abbott was unable to control a pass from Pharrell Johnson and Alejandro Garnacho nipped in. The young defender brought the Argentinian down seemingly outside the box but referee Smith ruled otherwise and Garnacho sent Aaron Bott the wrong way to put United 2-1 up.
Joe Gardner replaced Justin Hanks and Rhys Bennett then became the first player booked for up-ending Esapa Osong from behind.
Sonny Aljofree replaced Sam Mather for the hosts as the match moved into the last five minutes.
The referee signalled eight minutes of added time as Jamie McDonnell was replaced by Aaron Korpal in The Reds final change of the evening.
Garnacho then ran from deep before firing over Bott’s crossbar, and then four minutes into added on time, another mazy run by the wide man ended with a shot that was unfortunately deflected into his own net by Pharrell Johnson.
It was a cruel outcome on Warren Joyce’s youngsters who had put in a spirited and skilful display that could easily have brought the silverware back to Nottingham at the end of a memorable cup run.
FULL-TIME: Manchester United 3-1 Nottingham Forest
MATCH STATISTICS
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Radek Vitek; Marc Jurado, Rhys Bennett (c), Louis Jackson, Sam Murray; Robbie Mainoo, Dan Gore; Sam Mather (Sonny Aljofree 86’), Isak Hansen (Maximillian Oywdele 64’), Alejandro Garnacho; Charlie McNeill (Joe Hugill 64’)
Substitutes not used: Tom Wooster (gk), Logan Pye, Omari Forson, Ethan Ennis
Bookings: Bennett (82’), Garnacho (90+4’)
Goals: Bennett (13’), Garnacho (pen, 77’), Johnson (go, 90+4’)
Nottingham Forest (3-5-2): Aaron Bott; Ben Hammond, Zach Abbott, Pharrell Johnson; Josh Powell, Justin Hanks (Joe Gardner 81’), Jamie McDonnell (c) (Aaron Korpal 90+1’), Sam Collins (Ben Perry 73’), Kyle McAdam; Detlef Osong, Dale Taylor
Substitutes not used: Alex Akers (gk), Jack Perkins, Jack Thompson, Jack Nadin
Goals: Powell (44’)
Referee: Josh Smith
Attendance: 67,492