The balance of play levelled out as the match progressed and both sides were responsible for producing an open and attack-based contest.

However, the first half was marred when 16-year-old Spanish youngster Mateo Mejia, who moved to United from Real Zaragoza in the summer, suffered what appeared to serious injury to his right leg.



All of United’s medical team, as well as ambulance paramedics, attended to him for almost 10 minutes before he was taken by stretcher to the sanctuary of the Academy building.



Ten minutes into the second half and the visitors made the breakthrough when Sam Packham’s free-kick was put away by central defender Clark-Eden.



This meant that United would probably have to score twice to stay in the competition and that mission looked even more precarious when Jack Spong struck an upright from the edge of the area.