Riko Robinson nearly provided Forest with an immediate lead after just one minute, but shot wide of Fred Heath’s right post, instead leading to a trading of efforts at either end in the opening stages.
Kalum Thompson, for the hosts, and Jim Thwaites, for United, were responsible for the best early efforts. Set-piece specialist Thwaites shot wide twice from free-kicks, but would prove impactful in a similar situation later in the game. Thompson, a 16-year-old Northern Irish winger already a regular for Forest’s U21s, forced Heath into two decent saves, with the United shot-stopper diving down well to the bottom left corner for the second. But it was Fuad Smith, another U21s regular, who put the hosts ahead, with Forest taking full advantage of a broken-down United counter-attack to race forward. Spencer Sutton, the overlapping left-back, cut back nicely for Smith to convert in the middle of the area.
United trailed at the break, but trademark good manouvering from Gabriel — an U15 playing up for United — earned a left-wing free-kick, from which Thwaites delivered a fine cross for Kukonki to glance home into the bottom right corner.
