U21s summary: Forest Green v United

Travis Binnion’s young Reds traded four first-half goals with our fifth-tier counterparts in Gloucestershire, with Malachi Sharpe and Ethan Ennis scoring in-between efforts from Christian Doidge and Harvey Bunker.

The second period was a quieter affair, but United’s substitutes helped us come out on top in the end, when Victor Musa latched on to Ethan Williams’ crossfield pass and fired home.

The home side have made an excellent start to the National League season after relegation from League Two and sit second in the table, although manager Steve Cotterill made 11 changes to the team which won 3-1 at Eastleigh on Saturday.

Despite the alterations they showed their strength in the early stages when the in-form Doidge slotted home his eighth goal of the season, after capitalising on a mistake in midfield, and Bunker almost made it two, although Dermot Mee always seemed to have his shot – which curled wide – covered.

But the young Reds responded well and, after a penalty shout for a coming together involving Sam Mather was rejected by the referee, Sharpe combined with Ennis on the counter, converting the no.9’s low cross to equalise.

Ennis then found the net himself, as he arrowed Habeeb Ogunneye’s pull-back into the top corner, following more good work pieced together by United down the right.

Rovers quickly responded, as Bunker’s shot from the edge of the box went in, via a slight deflection off Jack Kingdon, and Doidge could have added a further noteworthy moment to the opening period, swivelling superbly in the box but shooting wide.

The senior team has never previously played at this ground, and 117 United fans took the opportunity to cheer the youngsters on and tick a new venue off their list. They could be heard throughout and nearly had the chance to celebrate a third goal early in the second half, although Zach Baumann couldn’t direct his close-range effort on target.

Mather was then denied by keeper Jamie Searle while Rovers reminded us of their threat at the other end when Marcel Lavinier squeezed a shot just shy of the far post.

Binnion made all five of his substitutions between the 63rd and 76th minutes and three of our replacements were heavily involved in the winner.

Godwill Kukonki – only just introduced for the tiring Dan Gore – headed a corner clear to Williams, who took on his man and launched an arrowed ball over to Musa, advancing down the right.

When the defender failed to cut it out, the 18-year-old showed great composure to take a moment and pick out the bottom corner, securing all three points for United.

Fixtures against Altrincham, Oldham Athletic and Rochdale will follow in this competition, with the two top-ranked sides in the group progressing to the quarter-finals, to be played in early February.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Mee; Ogunneye (Fredricson 63), Jackson, Kingdon, Rowe; McAllister (Moorhouse 68), Gore (Kukonki 76); Sharpe, Baumann, Mather (Williams 68); Ennis (Musa 68).

Subs not used: Graczyk, Mantato.

Booked: Gore.

Goals: Sharpe 29, Ennis 33, Musa 77.