Under-18s report: Leeds 2-4 Man Utd

Just four minutes of the second half had ticked on when United, who had been camped just outside the Leeds area, grabbed the equaliser, with the diminutive Hoogewerf heading the ball firmly into the net from McNeill’s cross.

That was the perfect response and more was to follow six minutes later when the Under-18s’ goal machine McNeill, with Charlie Savage’s assistance, raised to 20 his total of league goals for the season.

Within three minutes, it was up to 21 as McNeill cracked home a trademark striker’s goal after he had been found by Hoogewerf’s wonderful raking pass. The forward took a touch to control the ball inside the box before unleashing a powerful effort into the opposition corner of the goal.

United looked home and dry and went on to stack up enough chances to have put the result beyond doubt, but that was dealt a blow with eight minutes remaining when Joe Snowden’s right-footed free-kick found a way through the Reds’ defensive wall.

Leeds had been thrown a lifeline but ultimately it was United who bagged maximum points when, in the last minute, Wellens exchanged passes with Omari Forson, before firing past keeper Dani van den Heuvel.