Class of 92 watch United XI see off Salford City

Pre-season friendly | 26 July 2016 | Moor Lane | Scorers: Allen 21pen | Wilson 3, Harrop 64 77, Kehinde 80, Mitchell 83

Manchester United's Reserves went on a second-half goal spree to claim a comfortable 5-1 victory against Salford City at Moor Lane on Tuesday evening.

There was very little to choose between the teams at the break, with both having found the net once, but it was a completely different story by the time the referee blew the final whistle.

Salford City are the club that gained almost cult status after United’s class of ’92, in the personage of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Ryan Giggs caused a stir when they started backing the now Conference North club.

The club’s television coverage in last season’s FA Cup also captured the nation’s imagination on the back of the fascinating documentary that highlighted the involvement and commitment of United’s former stars.

It is more than a year since Warren Joyce last brought his side here and played out a 3-3 draw in front of Moor Lane’s enthusiastic locals. And there was an even better turn-out this time around for the Reds’ visit to the tiny enclosure that is located not far from United’s legendary Cliff training ground on Lower Broughton Road.

Salfordians are fiercely proud of their city, and the Ammies, (Salford City’s nickname), and they leave visitors in no doubt when singing the club’s anthem, ‘Dirty Old Town’, which is a rather less than flattering little ditty about Greater Manchester’s other city.

United made just one change, Matty Willock in for Tosin Kehinde, to the side which started the game at Altrincham four days earlier. It took United 33 minutes to find the net against Altrincham but, in this pre-season friendly, they improved on that with half an hour to spare.

Willock provided the assist and striker James Wilson made no mistake with a confident finish past keeper Jay Lynch. Salford didn’t allow the early goal to unsettle them and, soon after, James Poole went close to finding the leveller.

The same player was brought down by Dean Henderson, in the 21st minute, and Richie Allen stepped forward to place his spot-kick wide of the United keeper.

United upped the pace after the equaliser and were inches from regaining the lead when both Sean Goss and Scott McTominay both struck the frame of Lynch’s goal. McTominay later had his name taken just before the break as punishment for an over-zealous challenge on Craig King.

Wilson appeared to have restored United’s lead with a cracking drive, five minutes after restart, but Lynch did well to push the ball away to safety. Moments later, Henderson was thrust into action to stop Matthew Warburton’s shot from finding the net.

Josh Harrop replaced Willock on the hour and, within four minutes, had lashed home a blistering shot to put United back in front. Five minutes later, United almost stretched their lead when Harrop’s shot thumped against crossbar.

Harrop had certainly caught the eye since taking the field and, in the 77th minute, he grabbed his second goal of the night with an audacious chip over Lynch’s outstretched arms to give United a two-goal advantage.

Kehinde added a fourth goal for United in the 80th minute and Demetri Mitchell, within seconds of taking the field as a substitute, banged home the fifth.

United: Henderson; Riley (Olosunde 82), Love, Poole, Blackett; El Fitouri, Willock (Harrop 60), Weir (Mitchell 82); McTominay (Redmond 46); Wilson (Kehinde 75) Subs not used: O’Hara, Scott, Doughty, Dearnley, Gribbin.