Swindon Town earn special Youth Cup win v Manchester United

Ameen tucked away two goals during an impressive first-half display for Swindon to see them have a lead to protect in the second half.

Town are still to concede a goal in this competition and an organised and dogged defensive effort meant that it stayed that way despite United trying their level best to find a way through.

Swindon are into the fifth round of this competition for the first time since 2007/08 and await the winners of Gillingham against Sunderland in the next round.

Town started out with a clear plan to try and hurry United on the ball, with Josh Keyes pushing alongside Ameen to form a front four out of possession. It unsettled the visitors and nearly resulted in an embarrassing moment for Elyh Harrison as he had to hack a clearance off his own goal line with a red shirt in hot pursuit.

Coles chases after the ball (Image: Rob Noyes)

After eight minutes the Red Devils demonstrated the first signs of their class as play was switched twice before Habeeb Ogbunleye found Jack Fletcher on the edge of the box. His quick feet saw him roulette away from one defender before Sonny Hart got in position to block his shot.

After absorbing the early pressure, Swindon took the lead after 14 minutes. Jaxon Brown and Logan Coles combined well down the right and swung a ball into the far post. George Alston was in position to play the ball back across the face of goal where Ameen tapped home from a yard out.

This plot point wasn’t in the script and having to improvise rattled United and they soon gave the ball away cheaply on the edge of the area. Brown seized upon the ball, and he was afforded the space to curl an effort narrowly over the crossbar.

Ameen celebrates his goal

The visitors did regain their composure and some of their skill began to become evident. Ashton Missin weaved beyond three or four defenders as he cut in from the right and he played Habeeb Ogbunleye through on goal, but as he tried to finish the assistant referee raised his flag.

For all their good play, United were struggling to fashion any good chances during the first half. Twice Ethan Williams got into good areas on the edge of the box but was denied by great defending from Sonny Hart and Joel McGregor to mean that Redman Evans’ shirt remained clean.

The goalkeeper’s first real act came after 32 minutes when Williams whipped a free-kick from the edge of the area against the wall. The ball deflected closer to the crowd of bodies in the middle, but Evans was quick off his line to take control of the situation.

Swindon still had some bite about them as Brown charged after a through ball and the clearance was only as far as Alston. He laid the ball back to Brown, but his shot curled well wide of the mark.

After 38 minutes it got even better for Swindon as Brown slipped Ameen in behind. He used his body well to create space before burying his finish into the top corner.

Ameen celebrates his goal (Image: Rob Noyes)

Town got into the break with their two-goal lead and in position for a memorable night for the academy. They were good value for their lead, with a very disciplined performance defensively being complimented by clinical attacking at the other end.

Ameen’s night could have got even better just after the break as space opened up for him to drive through the middle of midfield. He took aim from the edge of the area but never caught hold of the shot and it trickled wide of the mark.

Swindon had another big chance within five minutes of the second half as Ameen slipped Alston into the area. With just the goalkeeper to beat, his shot was too close to Harrison and he was able to save it.

Keyes goes in for a tackle (Image: Rob Noyes)

United began to take control of proceedings and had a good opportunity as the ball dropped to Fletcher in the middle after a cross and his fizzing strike was beaten behind by Evans.

Just after the hour mark a long ball over the top presented an opportunity to Alston midway inside the United half with Harrison off his line. The ball did not quite bounce enough but he attempted a lob that dropped wide of the near post.

The tireless effort at the back persisted for Town as Ethan Wheatley looked to find space on the edge of the area with a drag back, but as he cocked his right leg, there was Harley Hunt with a timely block.

United had all the possession they could have asked for in the second half, but try as they might there were no holes to be found in Town’s rear-guard and that was enough for a memorable night to end with a special victory.

Ameen netted twice for Town (Image: Rob Noyes)

STFC starting XI: Evans, McGregor, Chard, Stewart, Hart, Hunt, Coles, Brown, Ameen, Keyes, Alston.

STFC substitutes: Myers, Hutt, Gonzalez, Adams, McCormick, Obodo, Britchford-Stanley.

MUFC starting XI: Harrison, Ogbunleye, Amass, Kingdom, Jackson, Devaney, Missin, Fitzgerald, Wheatley, Fletcher, Williams.

MUFC substitutes: Munro, Myles, Mantato, McAllister, Curley, Scanlon, Musa.