15/3/06 11:54 AM  來源: http://tinyurl.com/oo9jc

United Crushed By Strong Latics

FA Barclays Premier Reserve League North
Robin Park Arena, Weds March 15, 2006

Wigan Athletic 4 - 0 Manchester United
Ziegler (8), Connolly (19), Mahon (60), Johansson (76)

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United Reserves slipped to a shock hammering against lowly Wigan Athletic
on Wednesday night.

Two goals in each half from the hosts, who named an extremely strong side,
saw Rene Meulensteen's side crash to their fifth league defeat of the season.

The second string have now gone three games without a win and have
played a game more than second-placed Middlesbrough and three more
than third-placed Villa, although United still have a five point advantage.

Despite what would follow, United started brightly as Giuseppe Rossi and
Markus Neumayr both put presentable close-range chances wide of the Wigan
goal before the hosts moved into the lead on eight minutes.

Luke Steele was fortunately only booked after handling the ball outside
the area, but on-loan Spurs winger Reto Ziegler fired the resultant
 free-kick past Steele's despairing dive.

Irish international striker David Connolly made it 2-0 on 19 minutes,
beating United's offside trap before coolly slotting past Steele and
into the far corner.

Connolly then somehow missed from five yards before Rossi stabbed United's
best first-half chance well over the bar from close-range.

Meulensteen shuffled his side around with the half-time introduction of
Kieran Lee and Phil Marsh, the latter of whom partnered Rossi upfront.

It was the Italian striker who had United's first chance of the second-half,
dragging a left-footed effort wide of Scott Flinders' goal.

Academy student Michael Barnes conceded a penalty after 52 minutes, but was
rescued as Steele superbly parried Gavin Mahon's kick.

That was short respite, however, as Wigan continued to press and buried the
game.

Mahon recovered from his personal disappointment with a powerful third,
before Swedish striker Andreas Johansson added the fourth via a huge
deflection off Gerard Pique.

Kieran Lee saw a fine right-footed effort brilliantly tipped round the
post by Flinders, who denied United even the slightest consolation on
a miserable night for Meulensteen's side.

United:
Steele, Bardsley, Evra (K Lee, 46), M Howard, Vidic (Marsh, 46), Gibson,
Neumayr, Pique, Barnes, Rossi, Fortune.Substitutes: Zieler, Moran, Mullan.



Report by Steve Bartram.