Knight Strikes Late To Earn U23s A Point
The Foxes were tasked with bouncing back from an early setback as Callum Gribbin converted from distance after Max Bramley had raced out to clear the ball.
Ethan Hamilton then sent a header wide from Gribbin’s corner, while Bramley got down well shortly after to hold onto Tosin Kehinde’s low drive.
At the other end, Layton Ndukwu’s curling 20-yard free kick clipped the top of Kieran O’Hara’s net as the game approached the half-hour mark in Leigh.
Ndukwu did brilliantly shortly after to block Kehinde’s effort from just inside the box, before Charlie Scott side-footed just wide of Bramley’s upright.
Lamine Kaba Sherif had the final opportunity of the first period, as he had a low, left-footed strike turned away after connecting well 20 yards from goal.
In the opening stages of the second period, Scott blasted wide from range, Josh Gordon had a strike blocked and Bramley, unsighted in the heavy fog, did well to hold onto skipper Joe Riley’s placed effort from distance.
Bramley was on hand again with 57 minutes gone, this time to pull off an excellent stop to deny Gribbin.
That save proved to be pivotal, as with just 13 minutes to play, Josh Knight turned George Thomas’ cross home with a superb flick to make it 1-1.
Sam Hughes had a chance to win it shortly after, but City had to settle for a point against the 2015/16 Premier League 2 champions.
Major moment
Trailing 1-0 following Callum Gribbin’s fifth-minute strike, the Foxes had to show their mettle against Ricky Sbragia’s men.
With time running out, they did exactly that, as Josh Knight netted his fifth goal of the season to claim a point for his side.
Who impressed?
George Thomas, who has scored five times for the Development Squad this term, has put in some impressive performances since joining the Foxes in the summer from Coventry City.
His excellent cross for team-mate Josh Knight at Leigh Sports Village was just another example of contribution to the Under-23s’ cause this campaign.
Where do we stand?
After Premier League 2 leaders Liverpool were beaten on Friday, City’s point against Manchester United sees them remain second, five points off the top of the table.
Coming up
The Foxes return to action on Thursday 21 December, as they host Barnsley at Holmes Park in the Premier League Cup (7pm kick-off) – their final fixture of 2017.
The details…
Man Utd: O’Hara, Riley (c), Mitchell, Ercolani, Williams, Sang, Gribbin (Dearnley 85), Scott (Bohui 84), Wilson (Boonen 90), Hamilton, Kehinde
Subs not used: Richardson, Warren
Goal: Gribbin 5
City: Bramley, Johnson (Dewsbury-Hall 63), Wood, Kaba Sherif, Knight, Choudhury (c), Hughes, Thomas, Eppiah (Martis 63), Ndukwu, Gordon (Uche Rubio 74)
Subs not used: Iversen, Leshabela
Goal: Knight 77
Referee: Matthew Diciccio