United Youth 3-1 Macclesfield Youth

United’s youngsters made it through to the second round of the FA Youth Cup at Brunton Park tonight after defeating Macclesfield Town 3-1 at Brunton Park in front of around 150 spectators.

The Blues did it the hard they way though as they rattled in three second-half goals from Stephen Hindmarch, Shaun Vipond and Mike Stewardson after going into the break 1-0 behind.

The two sides had looked evenly matched when they draw 2-2 in a League encounter four days ago but it was Carlisle whose high tempo from the start won the day this time around.

On five minutes United continued their sharp start to the game when they carved out an opportunity for right-midfielder Richie Hoban. Left-back Matthew Blake hit an excellent diagonal ball out to Hoban on the wing who cut inside and shot low from the edge of the box but his effort went just wide of the far-post.

Two minutes later though and a pin was stuck in the balloon of United’s bright start as Macclesfield took the lead after some hesistant Cumbrian defending. A throw-in for the Cheshire outfit was only partially cleared to Silkmen centre-back Mike Flynn who headed the ball towards the United by-line.

The Carlisle defence expected the ball to go out of play but centre-forward Danny Egan did well to cut the ball back to the edge of the United box where James Jennings had made a run to. The left-back picked his spot well and side-footed powerfully home into the bottom corner to put the visitors one goal to the good.

The Blues never let their heads go down all evening though and just two minutes later Martin Graham put in a good ball form the right side but United centre-forward Hindmarch mis-timed his header and sent it well wide of Macclesfield keeper Mike Cooper’s far-post.

On 17 minutes it was Vipond who found himself having a shot at goal. The Macclesfield defence were sleeping as Blake threw the ball in to the central midfielder but his half-volley from 22 yards out drifted wide of the near-post.

Just a minute later Hindmarch spread the play beautifully across the park as his 40 yard pass flew over the top of the Silkmen defence, Jennings had spotted the danger though and got his foot to the ball before the onrushing Hoban.

It was all Carlisle now and shortly afterwards Hindmarch was brought down by midfielder Adam Henchcliffe 25 yards out from the Macclesfield goal. Earl stepped up to take the centrally positioned free-kick but his blasted drive flew well over the bar.

Macclesfield came back into the game on 22 minutes when Egan hit a rasping drive from the right-edge of the Carlisle box which United keeper Adam Bradley parried away for a corner. The resultant set-piece was cleared to the "D" by Matty Bell, but it fell straight to Phillip Johnson whose powerfully hit low drive was very well held onto by Bradley.

Sixty seconds later the home side were again pressing forward as Henchcliffe brought down United’s left midfielder Andy Hardman. The free-kick was wasted though as Earl got too much on the ball and sent it over the heads of everyone and out for a goal-kick.

It was a first-half of off-target pot-shots for the Blues as after some more good Carlisle pressure Hoban picked the ball up on the edge of the Macclesfield box, but his right-footed effort went well over the target.

Only a minute on and this time it was Graham coming inside from his right-back spot who hammered a shot over with his weaker left-foot from 20 yards out as the visitors struggled to get out of their own half.

On 28 minutes Hindmarch picked the ball up on the left-hand side and again picked out Hoban well with a long diagonal pass to the right-wing. Hoban cut inside and hit his left-foot shot powerfully but sadly for United it was straight down the throat of Cooper in the Macclesfield goal.

The Blues nearly had the ball in the net from aerial challenges two times in two minutes around the half-hour mark. Firstly Graham hit a deep ball to the back-post which Cooper flapped at but managed to push away from his under his own bar. Then shortly afterwards Earl made good room for himself to get a cross into the far-post which Bainbridge challenged with the keeper for. Cooper did well to hold onto the ball this time as the inconsistent and fussy referee whistled correctly for an infringement by the United striker on the keeper.

It was Hindmarch who was repeatedly at the hub of the forward play for United. On 33 minutes the young forward beat two defenders as he cut across the edge of the Macclesfield box but his right-foot shot was yet another from Carlisle that flew high and wide into the empty Waterworks end.

The under-16 centre-forward was this time the provider two minutes later as he again ran along the visitors’ penalty area and laid a good ball through to the advancing Hoban. By the time United’s winger had taken a touch though the angle was against him and his left-footed effort was easily collected by Cooper.

Hindmarch was again the centre of attention on the 38 minute mark as he just failed to connect with a free-kick floated over the top of a static back-line by Earl. The set-piece had been conceded by Henchcliffe who was having a sticky spell as he brought down Bell.

On 40 minutes Carlisle centre-half Dan Kirkup made a good unchallenged run out of his own half but it was a typical finish from a centre-half as his blasted effort from 35 yards out kept the ballboy in the Waterworks busy.

The visitors had a good spell just before the interval as they managed to keep hold of some possession. Too often for Macclesfield followers they had worked the ball nicely to the edge of United’s box but had either found the final ball lacking or had been stopped by some resolute defending by Kirkup.

A minute from half-time Jennings cut in well from the left-wing and laid the ball into the feet of central midfielder Phillip Johnson. The Macclesfield youngster got a good effort away but Bell did well to block as United knew they couldn’t afford to go 2-0 down.

Bang on the interval whistle though and it was United who had the last chance of the opening period. Earl laid the ball back to Blake who hit a whipped cross into the penalty spot area, Bainbridge got a flicked header on the ball for United but Cooper collected well low down at his far-post.

So a first 45 minutes where Carlisle had been very much on top with Macclesfield looking dangerous on the break through the pacey Robert Whyte. The young striker was starved of good service all night though as the Cheshire outfit kept losing possession in the final third.

United came flying out of the blocks in the second period and found their equaliser within only two minutes of the whistle from a well worked Hindmarch goal.

Vipond touched the ball off to Hardman who made a strong run down the left channel and laid a good pass through to the marauding Hindmarch. The young striker took the ball on well into the Macclesfield box and kept his composure to slot his side-footed effort under Cooper and into the bottom corner from ten yards out.

It was no less than United had deserved after they had attacked the Macclesfield net almost constantly with little success from the opening kick-off.

On 50 minutes Kirkup’s flicked header from a long Blake throw-in was well caught at his back-post by Cooper as United looked to up the pace.

Three minutes later Earl hit a searching ball over the top which Macclesfield centre-half Jonathan Hunt attempted to punt away. His clearance though only hit his defensive partner Flynn and landed straight at the feet of Bainbridge but the United striker snatched at his chance and could only side-foot it over Cooper’s bar from 15 yards out.

After a constant spell of pressure from the Blues they took the lead in the 54^th minute through Vipond. Hoban played the young midfielder in and his shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off Johnson to completely wrong-foot Cooper as it flow into the opposite corner of the Macclesfield net.

Now needing a leveller to take the game to extra-time the Silkmen brought on Matthew Pearson and Luke Edwards for Egan and Matthew Bunting on 56 minutes as they looked to spice up their forward line.

Just before the hour Macclesfield skipper Jennings hit a long ball into the United box from the centre-circle but Whyte was unlucky to see his header fly straight into the arms of Carlisle keeper Bradley.

The away side were having a real crack at it now as time was ticking away on their Youth Cup hopes for the season. On 66 minutes Martin Graham brought down Macclesfield right-back Jordan Walker in full-flight down the United right as the Silkmen threw everyone forward. Graham received a yellow card for the challenge but fortunately for United the set-piece came to nothing as the ball in was headed strongly away by Kirkup.

Carlisle steadily came back into the game though as they looked to exploit the spaces in the Cheshire outfit’s back-line. On 73 minutes Hindmarch and Bainbridge combined well around the edges of the visitors penalty area but Hindmarch found his progress stopped by an excellent block tackle from Macclesfield centre-half Jeffries.

Four minutes later and United were again pressing forward on the break as Hunt brought Bainbridge down 35 yards out from the Silkmen goal. Earl swung a great ball in with his left-foot which just flew past defenders and attackers alike until the unsighted Cooper parried away from his net at the last moment, the danger was then cleared by Johnson who booted upfield.

On 78 minutes the hobbling Kirkup was replaced by Martin Stewart in a straight swap at centre-half for United. Kirkup had been struggling for five minutes after he had landed awkwardly in an aerial challenge with Macclesfield front-man Edwards and was left with little choice but to leave the fray.

Ten minutes from time and it was still the Cumbrians controlling matters. Hindmarch did well down the left-wing and laid the ball off to Bainbridge just inside the Silkmen penalty area, the young forward’s shot was weak though and Cooper easily held it.

Shortly after, Earl picked the ball up 20 yards out and tried a speculative low shot on goal which just sneaked wide of the Macclesfield near-post. As the ball was out of play United made their second change of the match, bringing on Ashley Combe for the hard-working Hoban who seemed to be carrying a knock as he came off.

On 86 minutes Carlisle made their last substitution as Mike Stewardson replaced Bainbridge in a straight swap upfront, it was soon to be super sub Stewardson though as just two minutes after coming on the young striker put the Blues into an unassailable 3-1 lead.

It was Hindmarch again who was at the centre of the play. The young centre-forward was only playing his second full game for the Blues youth team but his work so far has been extremely promising. A tall, rangy striker who has an excellent touch on the ball and a good appreciation of the game he looks a potentially good prospect.