Manchester United 1 - 2 Rovers

[Wild Irish Rover]

Am in Ireland where there are a lot of long faces down to Rovers turning the reds over yesterday. AMAZING to read in all of the papers about Rovers and FOOTBALL - not one mention of thuggery, poor play or indiscipline and the best thing - the quote from Fergus' son that Blackburn deserved to win, they came here to win! How the mighty are fallen! Yippee!

[tonygreenbank]

Sorry Tony you must be thinking of another game, the 3-0 game at Old Trafford was on a Saturday. I can still see Mick McGrath opening the scoring now, Douglas absolutely played them off the park but unfortunately missed a penalty that would have made it 4-0, we also played the last twenty minutes effectively down to ten men with Lawther limping on the wing.Happy days.

349263[/snapback]

Thanks Tyrone. The win was a Saturday but why I am confused is that the media keep referring to 1962 but wasnt this game you describe in 1965? I wish I could find my Jarman book of fixtures. On Sky this morning the year of 1967 was mentioned as the last time we won there! Still its great to get so much attention for the right reasons. I heard Kevin Gallagher on Century and he couldnt stop milking the win at Micky Thomas`s expense.

[brfcshabba]

If you want the answer to all the questions about the last time we won at OT

Here

[DanLad]

Gally stopped the other commentators talking rubbish all the way through the game! They couldn't come up with their usually biased tripe as Gally kept stubbing them out.

Gally's quote of the day (in an incredulous and sarcastic Scottish tone) "When you say that Rooney was 'just' offside I take it you mean three yards offside?"

[Dan Furness]

I was chucked out first for that.

Friedel made a save with his feet early on in the second half, so I held the USA flag and chanted with everyone else, Friedel, Friedel etc.

A Policewoman said to me, I want a word, which I agreed to. She told the steward, who took me downstairs then outside.

He told me why, I gave him my point of view, apparently I had been warned about the flag earlier, which I hadn't.

slater_scott was thrown out for exactly the same, he wasn't there when I was thrown out.

Outside, I talked to the head steward there I think that's who he was, had a good laugh with him outside.

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I'd of offered to give them the flag and stay in the ground and kicked up a fuss.

If they wanna throw you out, should make a point to be thrown out for somethin

[Scotty]

The team news before the game was greeted with complete shock and surprise. It seemed Hughes had picked virtually every attacking player we had to play away at Old Trafford!! Bellamy and Dickov up front, Tugay in the centre, Bentley on the right, Gray at left back - all incredibly attacking.

And we started well. For the first ten minutes we took the game to United and looked sharp. We competed well in midfield and always had an outlet ball thanks to Bellamy's intelligent running down the channels. We created a couple of half chances as well but failed to put them away.

But United soon came back at us and, for the next 20 minutes or so, gave us a bit of a going over really. They created chance after chance, not just half chances either, but thankfully their finishing was awful and most of their shots failed to hit the target. But even during this period we weren't out of the game and we managed to create two gilt-edged chances on the break.

The first saw Bellamy running down the right wing and hitting a tremendous cross towards Dickov in the middle. Unfortunately the ball bounced up to an awkward height and all Dickov could really do was throw himself at the ball with a diving header. As a result he couldn't direct as well as he'd like and Van de Sar made a comfortable save. The second chance found Bentley, after a bit of a scramble, in yards of space in the area with just the goalie to beat. It was a good save in the end but Bentley should really have scored.

No worries though as shortly afterwards we did score. Pedersen whipped in a free-kick from the right touchline, a number of players tried, and failed, to get a touch, and the ball drifted gloriously into the far corner of the net.

We saw the rest of the half out fairly comfortably and went in at half-time with the lead.

Hughes tried to shore things up a little at half-time by replacing Tugay with Mokoena, but we all knew that United would come out firing and that's exactly what happened. The introduction of Rooney in particular sparked a spell of United pressure, we failed to hold onto the ball long enough to relieve the defence, and eventually United got their equaliser. A great turn and shot from Rooney was spilled by Friedel, and Van Nistlerooy followed up with a simple tap-in. A rare mistake by Friedel, but why didn't any of our defenders anticipate the rebound?

The thing that impressed me most about this Rovers performance was the way we reacted to the equaliser. Instead of sitting back and clinging on for a point we rolled our sleeves up and took the game back to United. We started passing and running with the ball again, Emerton (on as sub for Bentley) in particular made a difference and gave us an outlet ball, our full-backs continued to push on and link up with the attack, and we genuinely looked the better team again. As a result we fully deserved our winner.

A cross from the right was half-cleared by United's defence, but we kept the pressue on and forced Scholes to give the ball away on the edge of the area. Gray slipped a pass to Pedersen who rocketed a great shot into the roof of the net from another tight angle. It's becoming his speciality.

We saw the game out fairly comfortably after that and got a win at Old Trafford for the first time in my lifetime.

Let's start at the front. Bellamy was fantastic - my man of the match. He makes some fantastic, intelligent runs and his pace is always a threat on the counter-attack. He works his socks off as well and never let the United defence settle all game. Dickov also worked hard and was ok generally, but still didn't look as sharp as he should. He probably needs a couple more games before getting back to his best.

Bentley did a lot of good things on the ball, should have scored, and used possession well. He seemed to tire in the second half though and was replaced by Emerton - who made a real impact. On the other flank Pedersen had a great game. Apart from his two goals he looked a threat throughout, linked up well with the forwards, and was tidy on the ball.

In the centre Savage did what he always does, worked hard, scrapped for the ball, broke up opposition attacks, and generally unsettled United. Tugay was fairly quiet imo and was subbed at half-time for Mokoena, who defended well in the second half.

Our full-backs attacked superbly throughout and linked up with the forwards at every opportunity. However, I thought both defended poorly at times and United were allowed to put far too many crosses into our box, especially in the first half. Nelsen was, yet again, great in the centre of defence and impresses me more with every game. His partner Zurab also played well, took a couple of knocks for his trouble as well, but battled bravely on for the cause. He's composed on the ball as well and was often the start of our counter-attacks.

Friedel made a mistake for United's goal, but also made a couple of great saves at vital times.

All in all it was a fantastic, totally unexpected, victory. The way we achieved it though was the real surprise. We took the game to United and gave them as good as we got. Sure, they could, and probably should, have scored more goals than they did, but then so should we. Now that we've got our forwards fit, it seems that Hughes may have decided that attack is our best form of defence. If he has it could be an exciting rest of the season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Thanks Tyrone. The win was a Saturday but why I am confused is that the media keep referring to 1962 but wasnt this game you describe  in 1965? I wish I could find my Jarman book of fixtures. On Sky this morning the year of 1967 was mentioned as the last time we won there! Still its great to get so much attention for the right reasons. I heard Kevin Gallagher on Century and he couldnt stop milking the win at Micky Thomas`s expense.

349356[/snapback]

The famous last win was on Saturday the 13th of October 1962, Rovers scorers were Mick McGrath, Mike Harrison,Ian Lawther. The Team was- Else,-Bray,Newton,-Clayton,Woods,McGrath-,Ratcliffe,Lawther,Pickering,Douglas,Harrison.

I've still got a cutting from the following Mondays Manchester Evening News,It's in the form of a cartoon strip about the game and one frame shows a really good caricature of Dougie dribbling in and out of about 6 opponents and generally running United ragged, if I wasn't such a Klutz I'd be able to scan it onto the message board.

The following season was a night match which ended a 2-2 draw, I managed to miss 3 of the 4 goals that night ( could this be the game you refer to ?).

In 1964-65 we lost 3-0 but I didn,t go to that one.This was also a Saturday game.

The following year also a Saturday game in the relegation season, we were losing 2-0 at three quarter time but United's goalkeeper took exception to Mike England at a corner and laid England out, getting himself sent off and conceding a penalty from which Harrison scored. From us being dead and buried it was suddenly game on and we grabbed a scruffy equaliser from a deflected free kick again by Harrison.I hope this brings back some memories.As the years went by there were times when I thought we'd never win there again but yesterday shows than anything is possible in football.

[Kandevil]

Thanks Scotty, cracking post and just what I was looking for in a review of the game.

Nice one!

[thenodrog]

The following year also a Saturday game in the relegation season, we were losing 2-0 at three quarter time but United's goalkeeper took exception to Mike England at a corner and laid England out, getting himself sent off and conceding a penalty from which Harrison scored. From us being dead and buried it was suddenly game on and we grabbed a scruffy equaliser from a deflected free kick again by Harrison.I hope this brings back some memories.

349371[/snapback]

It's brought back 1 for me worse luck .......I rem em stuffing us 4-0 at Ewood.

[Cocker]

This Manc - loving BBC report on the game really is a pile of ignorant garbage.

Sky has a much more balanced report- look at the shots on target statistics. Edwin (sic) was a busy boy.

I was referring to clubs. There's a whole bunch of squeaky new grounds and ex=non league places we have never won at (and some we hope we never will have to in the league!)

349197[/snapback]

This made me laugh from the BBC site:-

In an attempt to emulate the two draws they got against United last season, Blackburn boss Mark Hughes opted for the defensive qualities offered by Pedersen over Brett Emerton

If I am right (and I think 100% I am) Ped has played up front before whilst Emerton has played in defence which just proves the above quote to be a pile of old tosh

Edited September 25, 2005 by Cocker

[Claytons Left Boot]

The report on United games in the Sunday Telegraph is normally a half page job with photo and stats etc.

So what happens when the Big City Media Darlings get spanked by the small town outfit?

No photograph and a text which is no more than 3-4 inches in length!

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

The city of Tromso, above the arctic circle, is home to the world's northernmost university and to the Mack Brewery - the northernmost brewery in the world.

It's also the birthplace of a young man who turned 24 just a fortnight ago, with 16 international caps to his name.

With nine minutes to go at the Theatre of Merchandising yesterday, our blonde hero from Norway scored his eleventh goal in 35 appearances for Rovers - not a bad scoring record for a midfielder.

Stuart Ripley, for example, scored just 13 goals in 187 League appearances for Rovers.

In the opening fifteen minutes yesterday Rovers could conceivably have been 2-0 up after some fine attacking play. Tugay, a surprise (but welcome) inclusion in the starting line-up, played a defence-splitting pass which found Bellamy just outside the left-hand corner of the United penalty box.

Bellamy then played a neat disguised reverse pass to Pedersen, making a run into the box. MGP's left-foot cross from the bye-line was struck perhaps a touch too hard for Dickov, who couldn't get his foot on the end of it from less than two yards out. It was a good chance though and a statement of intent early on.

Shortly afterwards, Tugay played a delightful chipped ball over the top of the United defence to find Bellamy in the box, who struck a left-footed half-volley saved by Van der Sar. Unfortunately Bellamy didn't have quite enough time and space to get the ball down on to his favoured right foot.

Scholes then missed a chance from about 12 yards out. Ronaldo's cross on the left-hand side found the diminutive carrot-haired midfielder in the box, but he struck his shot wide of Friedel's goal.

Van Nistelrooy could have had a hat-trick in the first half. He was disgracefully unmarked for a corner - his clear free header fortunately going wide. He also shot wide in the penalty box after some poor defending from Zurab. His best scoring chance was after Fletcher's cross from the right found him in space about 10-12 yards from goal. The Dutchman leant back and blazed his shot over the bar. Poor finishing.

In between those chances for Ruud, David Bentley played a long ball on the deck for Bellamy in space on the right-hand side of the field. Craig's cross was met by a fairly weak diving header from Dickov, saved by Van der Sar. If our 5ft 5in Glaswegian had a bit more pace, perhaps he could have got his boot on the end of the cross instead of going for the diving header.

Later in the first half, Bentley found himself unmarked about 12 yards from goal, but his tame weak shot was comfortably saved by Van der Sar.

With just over half an hour played, a free-kick from MGP on the right-hand side floated above the United defence, taking one bounce before going into the corner of the net. It was no more than we deserved, because Rovers had carved out several good scoring opportunities in the first half.

Nice to see an open attacking game. It could have been about 3-3 at half-time.

Early in the second half, Scholes found himself in the penalty box, but Friedel saved the shot with his left foot. Later, Ronaldo's free-kick from the left-hand side was met by Van Nistelrooy, but he couldn't control the ball properly from no more than a yard or two out, and the ball went wide.

In the opening period of the second half, I felt Rovers sat back a bit too much and invited pressure. We struggled to get a grip in midifeld. Savage was chasing shadows.

Rooney came on ten minutes into the second half and went into the "hole" behind Ruud. I think his favourite position is 'doggy'....

Within a couple of minutes, Van Nistelrooy scored a tap-in from Rooney's shot. Friedel should perhaps have done better with the shot. 1-1.

Shortly afterwards, Rio "100 grand a week isn't enough" Ferdinand then made a forward run into the Rovers box. The chipped shot from the greedy Peckham parasite fortunately went over the bar.

With nine minutes to go, Scholes' poor pass was intercepted by Michael Gray just outside the United box. Gray slid the ball to MGP who calmy slotted the ball into the roof of the net.

In the final minutes of the game, Rooney blasted the ball wide after Friedel was stranded following a punched clearance. United resorted to route one football, pumping long balls into the air. One of those long balls found Giggs, who crossed the ball to Rooney - unmarked in the box. His header went wide.

"England's greatest ever striker" according to some United fans. While Sven Goran Eriksson has compared him to Pele. What a load of bollax!

Wayne has scored just 13 Premiership goals for United in 35 appearances. At Goodison Park he scored 15 goals in his entire Everton career. He's a bad-tempered abrasive Scouse chav from a dysfunctional family in Croxteth. Over the last few weeks he's been lucky not to get sent off in Belfast for an elbow in the face, and seven days later was sent off for stupidity against Villareal.

When Rovers recorded their last win at Old Trafford in 1962, the Beatles were having their first top 40 hit, General Motors installed the world's first industrial robot, and the skies over London were darkened by heavy smog.

Last Sunday the skies over East Lancashire were darkened by the stench of Rovers' abysmal performance against Newcastle. In contrast, the performance yesterday at Old Trafford, and the way we went about it - was a breath of fresh air.

Perhaps Hughes had listened to some of the concerns that fans had expressed after that wretched Newcastle game. Supporters urged him to ditch the defensive negative tactics, introduce 4-4-2, and play with greater attacking verve going forward. We did that yesterday and it was refreshing to see.

Meanwhile, the natives at the Old Trafford Bucaneers are getting restless. Many angry calls to the radio phone-ins after the game - some openly wondering whether Ferguson's time should be up at the end of the season and the baton passed on to Martin O'Neill.

Out of the so-called "Class of 92" - Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, Butt and the Nevilles - only one of those started the match yesterday - and it was Paul Scholes whose sloppy pass led to Pedersen's winner.

Prior to the yesterday's game, Scholes told the media that if United couldn't win their next two games against little Blackburn and Fulham, then they wouldn't deserve to win the title. The United era of Premiership dominance looks to be over. Unfortunately Chelsea are almost equally as repulsive IMO.

Out of the rest of the "Class of 92", Gary Neville is currently injured. Brother Phil went to Goodison Park for regular football and has ended up in a relegation battle rather than a Champions League team. Giggs was on the subs bench yesterday and hasn't started a Premiership match so far this season.

Personally I think Ferguson has demoted the hirstute Welshman to the bench prematurely. Giggs is still hugely talented and I'd put him ahead of that little chinky - sorry Korean - Ji-Sung Park.

After the match, Hughes said: "We came here with a positive attitude and possibly surprised a few people with our line-up. I felt there were opportunities to cause Manchester United some problems, and thats how it panned out."

More of the same please Sparky....

I must say I was very impressed with Sir Alex afterwards, he was extremely complimentary towards Rovers.

That makes a very rare change Modi. Last season the arrogant Scotsman berated Rovers for "time-wasting" in our 0-0 draw with them at Old Trafford. I can't remember him saying many nice things about Rovers before.

Compliments from Sir Alex are about as rare as a blonde virgin in Essex.

why did the Rovers kid with the Stars and Stripes get chucked out? 

One wonders if the kid had been flying an African flag in support of Mokoena, whether the stewards would have been so quick to throw him out....

Bunch of dictatorial barstewards. They are clearly over-sensitive to anything relating to America after the bearded gnome took over.

[jim mk2]

It's brought back 1 for me worse luck .......I rem em stuffing us 4-0 at Ewood.

349400[/snapback]

Don't you mean the 5-0 thrashing they gave us at Ewood in 1965-66, the year we were relegated from the old first division ?

Dennis Law at his imperious best.

[roversmum]

QUOTE(preston blue @ Sep 25 2005, 08:57 )

why did the Rovers kid with the Stars and Stripes get chucked out?

One wonders if the kid had been flying an African flag in support of Mokoena, whether the stewards would have been so quick to throw him out....

Bunch of dictatorial barstewards. They are clearly over-sensitive to anything relating to America after the bearded gnome took over.

I have yet to make a trip to Mould Trafford (the footy one). I've a mind to go next season with a USA flag with a Rovers Crest in the middle.

[DudeAbides]

[Shaddy]

Is it allowed to thank Souness for buying MGP?

[fumofumo]

I'm keeping a copy of the match!

Torrent Link

[Flopsy]

Did anyone notice Gray's reaction when MGP's shot hits the net for the 2nd?

The way he clutches his head, one would think that he just scored an own goal 

349209[/snapback]

Yes - i think gray thinks MGP's missed it or VdS's saved it

[DudeAbides]

[Blue blood]

Absolutely fantastic. To be fair the papers I've read have given Rovers some credit, although it is dwarfed by what's wrong with manure (answer a rampent rovers side hit harder then they did).

A few thoughts:

Bellamy is class and on this performance is going to get some decent service.

Savage, when the onus on him to attack and be crative is diminished, looks far more acomplished and a much better player. Additionally with Mokeana we have two very good defensive midfielders based on this performance. Maybe a 4-5-1 with these two and Tugs to do his stuff might be the best balanced 4-5-1.

If only Tugay were 5 years younger. Finding a successor for Tugs is arguably one of the most important tasks that Hughes has, especially with Bellamy in the team.

What a difference having attacking full backs makes. Although not their primary function IMO it gave us the extra edge that can be all important and get you points, especially in games like this. If only we could merge the better qualities of Matteo and Gray. Perhaps Hughes should not be so quick to give up on Gray?

Emerton played well - having some consistent non-injury-prone competition could be just what is needed to get the best out of Emerton.

Pederson - on his way to cementing his place in rovers folklore.

To be honest I thought Hughes had made a big mistake going for 4-4-2, and though at times we were fortunate that United were wasteful in front of goal, there was no denying we deserved something from the game. Ferguson was out thought and manure out fought. Here's to climbing up the table.

[adopted scouser]

I'm keeping a copy of the match! 

Torrent Link

349446[/snapback]

Downloading it now, one for the dvd player I think !

[den]

In 1964-65 we lost 3-0 but I didn,t go to that one.This was also a Saturday game.

The following year also a Saturday game in the relegation season, we were losing 2-0 at three quarter time but United's goalkeeper took exception to Mike England at a corner and laid England out, getting himself sent off and conceding a penalty from which Harrison scored. From us being dead and buried it was suddenly game on and we grabbed a scruffy equaliser from a deflected free kick again by Harrison.I hope this brings back some memories.As the years went by there were times when I thought we'd never win there again but yesterday shows than anything is possible in football.

349371[/snapback]

I think the 3-0 game was Bests' first season for Man Utd. He was up against Keith Newton. No doubt about it, Besty was a genius.

I was on for the 2-2 draw as well. Harry Gregg was the United keeper who got sent off for whacking Mike England.

Finally, yep, it was 0-5 against the scum at Ewood. Denis Law at his best on that night.

[Nayef]

OUI OUI OUI!!!

Sitting in a cafe here in Paris in my old haunt Place de la Sorbonne when I got a text about us leading 1-0 at HT and that Chelski had conceded a goal. Wasn't sure which was a bigger surprise.

When I got a text stating simply Man Utd 1 - 2 Blackburn, I looked for the nearest internet cafe after asking him whether he typed that in right.

So we lose 3-0 at home to Newcastle gift wrapping first goals for Messeurs Shearer and Owen.

And then go do the inevitable. And we appear to have leapfrogged many in the table as well...

My drinks tasted that little bit sweeter last night at the Bastille.

Cheers Scotty for your match report!

[doctorryan]

QUOTE(Rover4ever @ Sep 24 2005, 13:56 )

Did anyone notice Gray's reaction when MGP's shot hits the net for the 2nd?

The way he clutches his head, one would think that he just scored an own goal 

I honestly think he was going: "Oh my God! What a shot!" 

Wow.

I've watched it twice now and imo Gray's first  thought was that MGP had hit the side netting.

349311[/snapback]

Yes - i think gray thinks MGP's missed it or VdS's saved it

349447[/snapback]

You 2 are nuts. I just took another few looks at it. He's reacting the same way we all did when Morty put the winner in against Burnley. It was a great shot into a tight spot from a tough angle. Under those circumstances, in that stadium; we'd all be reacting the same way.

Funny side note; I was screaming so loud (basically a large amount of expletives directed towards ManU players and supporters in the stands) yesterday morning (it was morning here in the US of course) after Morty's second goal that I didn't notice the ManU leaning idiot in the summarizer's chair suggest that it might have been offside. What a joke.

Pound sand ManU.

[philipl]

I heard that offside comment as well. From the sideways on camera, Silvestre is a yard behind the Manc line and played MGP well onside.

The offside comment didn't get repeated after that angle was shown in the replays of the goal.

This is pretty equitable comment from a Manc web site. "Only EvdS saved Man U from a rout"

Ferguson is 4/1 for the sack at William Hills by the way. Oh how sweet if Glazer Utd don't qualify for the Champs League this season.

Edited September 25, 2005 by philipl