A Manchester United supporter who vowed not to cut his hair until the club won five consecutive matches will have to wait longer after a dramatic 1-1 draw with West Ham ended the Red Devils’ winning streak on 10 February.
Frank Ilett, known on social media as The United Strand, has been growing his hair for a year and a half after promising to continue until United secured five wins in a row. Despite Benjamin Sesko’s 96th-minute equalizer at the London Stadium, the result still falls short of the victory required to complete Ilett’s challenge.
United arrived at the match having won four successive games under Michael Carrick, with Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur appearing to set up the perfect opportunity for Ilett to finally get a trim. Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes scored the goals against Spurs following impressive wins over Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.
However, relegation-threatened West Ham proved to be the stumbling block that prevented United from reaching the five-game milestone. Tomas Soucek’s 50th-minute goal put the Hammers ahead as they looked set to secure three crucial points in their survival battle.
United’s frustration mounted when Casemiro had a goal disallowed during the match, with the Brazilian midfielder seeing his effort ruled out as the visitors pushed for an equalizer. The disallowed goal appeared to sum up United’s struggles before Sesko’s dramatic late intervention.
The Slovenian striker rescued a point deep into stoppage time, firing home in the 96th minute to level the scores and deny West Ham all three points. However, the draw means United’s winning streak ends at four matches, forcing Ilett’s challenge to reset.
Ilett has pledged to donate his hair to the Little Princess Trust once he is able to cut it, with the charity providing wigs for children who have lost their hair through cancer treatment. The supporter’s challenge has gained significant attention on social media, with followers tracking United’s results to see when he might finally be able to make the donation.
The result means United’s four-match winning run comes to an end despite avoiding defeat. Ilett will now need to wait for another sequence of five consecutive victories before he can cut his hair and fulfill his promise to the Little Princess Trust.
For West Ham, the late concession represents a blow to their Premier League survival hopes, with two dropped points potentially proving costly in their battle to avoid relegation. The Hammers had defended resolutely for much of the match before Sesko’s late strike denied them victory.
United’s draw represents a setback in their campaign under Carrick, who had overseen an impressive run of form before the trip to East London. The late equalizer at least extended their unbeaten run to five matches, though the dropped points mean Ilett’s distinctive hairstyle will remain for the foreseeable future.
The supporter’s hair will continue to grow as he awaits United’s next attempt to string together five wins in succession, with his appearance serving as a visible reminder of the challenge still ahead for the Red Devils.
