Match Reports

United strike late to end unbeaten run

Under-23s concede in second half added time in 2-1 defeat.

By BHAFC • 18 September 2021

By MUFC/John Peters
Lorent Tolaj scored his second goal of the Premier League 2 campaign.

Andrew Crofts' under-23s suffered late heartbreak on Saturday as Manchester United scored a 91st minute winner.

Albion went behind two minutes before half-time at Leigh Sports Village Stadium in an end-to-end match, after James Furlong upended Anthony Elanga in the penalty area and United were awarded a spot-kick.

Elanga blasted into the top left corner from 12-yards, beating Tom McGill who had denied United on a number of occasions up until that point.

Lorent Tolaj made just two appearances last season due to injury, but the Swiss striker has hit the ground running this campaign and equalised for Albion on the hour mark with his second goal of the season.

Marc Leonard played the forward in with a well weighted pass and the 19-year-old’s first-time effort into the bottom left corner justly restored parity.

Albion looked set to extend their unbeaten run in Premier League 2 to five games, but the hosts had other ideas as the ball fell slightly fortuitously in the Albion area for Zidane Iqbal, but luck played little part in the finish – an unerring drive across the face of goal into the bottom left corner.

It was United's first win of the season and the defeat dropped Albion down to second in PL2. They are next in action on Friday at home to Leicester City.

Albion: McGill, Packham, Furlong, Hinchy (Ferguson 74), Turns, Offiah, Sarmiento (Peupion 46), Spong, Moran, Tolaj, Leonard.

Unused subs: Desbois, Nilsson, Miller.