02 February 2007
After their winter break, which included a three weeks at a training camp in Cyprus, the Youth team resumed their league programme with this narrow, but thoroughly deserved win against Hibs at Newtongrange Star’s ground.
Over the ninety minutes, Stevie Campbell’s lads had the better chances and had a goal mysteriously disallowed as well as having what appeared a stonewall penalty rejected.
It wasn’t one-way traffic though and keeper John Gibson playing his first competitive games for almost three months made two outstanding first half saves.
The first of these came after only twelve minutes when he brilliantly touched over a Patrick Beane drive.
However, it was the Tannadice youths who went ahead on 23 minutes when Michael O’Byrne headed home a Marco Andreoni corner.
On the half hour, it was Gibson to the rescue again, diving at the feet of Keegan Ayre to deny the Easter Road youngsters an equaliser.
Four minutes later, his opposite number kept out a John Russell header from Gordon Pope’s free-kick.
Almost immediately on the resumption, Robbie Feeney had the ball in the net, but the referee chalked it off for an alleged handball offence that didn’t appear evident to anyone else.
On the hour mark, Hibs levelled when Patrick Maley fired home a free-kick.
But parity only prevailed for a minute as United orchestrated a superbly worked second.
It started at the back with Neil McMechan and involved, Scott Mathieson, Marco Andreoni and Scott Paterson which enabled John Russell to deliver a cross from which Robbie Feeney knocked home what proved to be the winner.
However, in the very last minute United were denied what looked a clear-cut penalty. Hibs’ Hungarian keeper appeared to haul Chris Jeffrey to the ground, only for the referee to bizarrely award a free-kick against the United substitute!
The United side was in 4-4-2 formation:- Gibson – McMechan, McGrath, O’Byrne, Pope – Milligan (Allan 85), Mathieson, Andreoni, Paterson – Feeney (Jeffrey 66), J Russell. Subs not used: Cannon, O’Hara.
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