Albion held to thrilling draw at Manchester United

Albion had to settle for a point in Premier League 2 on Saturday as they drew 3-3 with Manchester United in a hotly contested match.

Radek Vitek had to be at his very best in the opening exchanges as he initially kept out Jack Hinshelwood’s driven effort from the edge of the box. Andrew Moran seemed certain to fire home the rebound, but the keeper somehow scrambled across to deny the Irishman.

James Beadle had to be equally good at the other end when Charlie Savage’s cross was met by Shola Shoretire inside the six-yard box, but his header was straight into the midriff of the Albion keeper, before Beadle denied Isak Hansen-Aaröen when he got through one-v-one.

Albion were undone in the 21st minute though as Kobbie Mainoo fired in on the half-volley from Shoretire’s corner.

Moran looked as if he had equalised five minutes later as he acrobatically steered home from a tight angle, but the flag went up for offside.

United's joy was shortlived as Todd Miller curled home an emphatic equaliser on the half hour mark. Furlong got in down the left and picked out Ferguson in the middle, he teed up Todd who bent it into the top right corner with a first-time finish.

United were inches away from an immediate response as Savage’s fabulous bending effort from 25 yards smacked the inside of the left post, but bounced away from danger much to Beadle’s relief.

It brought an end to a pulsating first half where neither team could have begrudged the other for going in at the break in the lead.

Vitek’s heroics continued in the second half when he somehow kept out Hinshelwood’s header from close range, but he would be beaten for the second time moments later. United failed to clear an Albion corner into the box and Antef Tsoungui was able find the bottom right corner with a bobbling effort.

The frantic nature of the game continued though as United levelled in the 55th minute. This time it was Albion this time who couldn’t clear their lines and Mainoo fired home from close range for his second of the day.

Ferguson was near enough gifted his first and Albion's third of the afternoon. A ball downfield was miss-controlled by Vitek who was only ten yards inside his own half. Albion's striker pinched possession, ran through on goal and rolled it into an empty net. 

The goal was the Irishman's fifth of the Premier League 2 campaign and came after he was nominated for the league's Player of the Month award for September on Friday.

Albion's hopes of seeing out the game were sadly extinguished with eight minutes to go after Shoretire's curling cross was headed in by Bjorn Hardley.

United might have even felt hard done by not to snatch all three points as Marc Jurado's bending effort towards the bottom left corner was tipped around the post by Beadle in added time.

Albion line-up: Beadle, Offiah (Nilsson 85), Tsoungui, Van Hecke, Furlong, Spong, Hinshelwood, Peupion, Moran, Miller (Barrington 63), Ferguson.

Subs: Cahill, Chouchane, Barrington, Wilson, Nilsson.