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Very disappointing result. Last year's runnerups bounced in the round stages. Not good.

Here's the match report and U18 coach Paul McGuinness's comments on the match.

Youth Cup: United 1 Carlisle 2

United were unfortunate to be knocked out of the FA Youth Cup at the round stage after dominating possession against Carlisle at the Victoria Ground on Wednesday.

An early penalty for the visitors and a brilliant second strike put the Cumbrians 2-0 ahead after half an hour, and it proved too big a task to overcome.

Danny Welbeck pulled a goal back just before the interval, but despite a second-half spent almost permanently in Carlisle’s half the Reds couldn’t make the pressure count.

The Reds were behind after 12 minutes when United goalkeeper Ben Amos brought down Carlisle striker Gary Madine inside the area. The Blues striker dusted himself down and neatly converted his spot-kick.

Having gone behind in the previous round against Brighton, this wasn’t uncharted territory for the young Reds. And McGuinness’ young charges picked away at the Carlisle defence.

After a twisting run on the edge of the box, striker Federico Macheda forced a smart save with a thumping shot just before the half hour mark. Minutes later Reds skipper Corry Evans hit the post with a left-footed strike.

The Reds dominated possession and their passing was crisp and controlled. However Carlisle struck again against the run of play when Steve Hindmarch hit a stunning, swerving volley from 25 yards that Amos had no chance of stopping.

The Reds kids kept plugging away and eventually Welbeck produced some magic of his own to pull a goal back. Twisting and turning inside the area, he escaped his marker before rifling a low left-footed shot inside the near post. It arrived three minutes before half-time, the perfect set up for the second half.

United continued to dominate after the break, constantly pressing Carlisle, who quickly began to tire and subsequently retreat. With 25 minutes of the half remaining the visitors were desperate, all players bar one striker behind the ball and defenders hoofing it clear.

All it needed was the goal United’s possession deserved. Macheda had a powerful drive saved from the edge of the area on 75 minutes, and seconds later Danny Galbraith tested the keeper with a curling free-kick.

The Reds did have the ball in the back of the net after a wonderful free-flowing attacking move, but Galbraith was denied an equaliser after slightly mistiming his run to be caught offside.

The difficulty was finding a way through. Not even some tight, intricate passing of the highest order could pick a route through Carlisle’s crowded penalty area. Although the Reds never really made enough use of attacking down the flanks.

Credit to Carlisle, who defended their lead valiantly. The Reds can feel proud of some of the football played, but the overriding feeling will be of a chance missed. This young team was capable of going a long way in youth's football's most prestigious competition.

United: Amos; Moffatt, James, Gill, Stewart (Galbraith); Eikrem (Norwood), C.Evans, Drinkwater, Bryan; Welbeck, Macheda.
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McGuinness: Cup exit disappointing

Paul McGuinness was disappointed that United's Under-18s couldn't make their possession count as the Reds crashed of the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday.

The Reds went two goals down to Carlisle before pulling one back before half time. But they couldn't turn their dominant possession into the crucial equalising goal in the second half.

"You have to give credit to opposition, they deserved to go through," the U18s boss told MUTV. "We didn't take advantage of our possession. And to have the chances we had and not to take them wasn't good enough.

"We made basic mistakes in the build-up to Carlisle's goals. We played some good football after that, but we didn't carry that into the second half. We didn't test the goalkeeper enough.

"We had loads of possession and even played some good passing football, but we were too narrow. We didn't use the width well enough and didn't get enough crosses in."

McGuinness says his young players have passed up a big chance to impress on youth football's biggest stage.

"The defeat puts us back two steps," he added. "We've missed an opportunity to do well in this competition. The players now have to lift themselves. It's a big defeat and at this club sometimes that's a burden you have to carry."
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