HYDE UNITED 0-1 FC UNITED: Reds through to Manchester Premier Cup Final

A first half goal from Adam Gilchrist was enough to give FC United a 1-0 victory over Hyde United on Tuesday evening and booked the Reds place in the Manchester Premier Cup Final for a second consecutive season.

The match wasn’t all plain sailing though, as the home team put a real fight up and without some solid defending towards the end of the game it could have been a different outcome.

After a hard-fought draw at home to Chorley on Friday evening, Tom Greaves decided to change the starting line up making seven changes to the starting XI, with only Allinson, Baird, Glynn and Crawford making it from Friday’s starting line-up.

The Reds (playing in the change colours of blue) made a good start to the game and it was no surprise when they took the lead after sixteen minutes. Kieran Glynn and Jamal Crawford linking up well, before Glynn’s ball into the box was put away by Gilchrist who netted his first goal for the club.

Despite being on top for much of the first half FC couldn’t find a second goal. The best opportunities of the half came in the form of a well taken free-kick from Craig Lindfield which forced a good stop from James Hodges and Sam Tattum’s strong header before the break bounced back off the Hyde crossbar.

Hyde came out fast in the second half and had a great shout for a penalty turned down within the first five minutes as the ball looked to have come off Sam Baird’s hand in the box.

There were a couple of passages of good play from FC, with new loan signing Luke Higham looking like he settled into the team well with his overlapping runs on the left looking a threat throughout.

But it was the home team who came on strongest at the end of the game, a couple of efforts forcing saves from Allinson before a chance at the very end only being denied by Jordan Fagbola who had an impressive evening in the heart of the defence (a defence which has yet to concede a goal in their defence of the trophy).

As the final whistle went one supporter remarked that the game was “one for the purists??? and he wasn’t far wrong. That being said the Reds now have their place in the final as we look to become back to back winners of the trophy.

Next up is the visit of Stockport County to Broadhurst Park, where the visitors will be looking to avenge the 1-0 defeat to a nine man FC United team earlier this season in the FA Cup and end FC’s twelve match unbeaten home run.

Website man of the match: Jordan Fagbola – Was solid at the heart of the defence and his clearance towards the end of the game was as good as a goal in terms of importance.

Report by Craig Phillips