BY STEPHEN WOOD ( The Times )

THE scouting report handed to Neil Warnock, the Bury manager, before the Worthington Cup-tie against Manchester United last night finished with the word "help", such had been United's imperious run of form. That was from their full-strength side, however, and the reserve version presented Bury, of the Nationwide League first division, with an altogether poorer proposition at Old Trafford. It took a goal apiece in the second period of extra-time by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik Nevland, two strikers from Norway, to ensure a fourth-round meeting with Nottingham Forest.

Bury have made goalless draws their speciality in the past two seasons and the one achieved in normal time against United was fully deserved. In Lutrel James, a late substitute, they also posed the threat of a potential upset for James, a recent non-contract acquisition from non-league team Hyde United, had the home defence wavering on more than one occasion.

However, Bury's general lack of firepower counted against them in the later stages. It was then that United, who had struggled to show any understanding throughout the contest, upped the ante. Solskjaer had made a habit of shooting straight at Dean Kiely, the Bury goalkeeper but, after 106 minutes, he finally got one right.

Jonathan Greening, 19, a striker making his senior debut, slipped a pass inside and Solskjaer, eager to impress with more important first-team commitments ahead, swung his right boot at the ball from 20 yards. The first-time shot skidded into the bottom corner of the net.

Nine minutes later, Wes Brown, the promising young defender, advanced up the right and curled a low, hopeful centre to the back post, where Nevland pounced to claim his first goal at senior level.

Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said: "It was a good test of how the youngsters who came in could handle the pressure of being expected to win. I thought they managed very well, even though Solskjaer did look like the one most likely to score for us."

Ferguson made ten changes from the team that had drawn with Derby County in the FA Carling Premiership on Saturday, presenting more evidence, if any were needed, that he does not care too much for success in this competition.

He was, however, eager to stress, in the programme notes accompanying the contest last night, that his selection was not about fielding a weakened team, more a case of a big club utilising its resources. Indeed, the players entrusted with avoiding a "shock" exit all had futures to fight for, or points to prove.

Worryingly for Ferguson, they rarely appeared to have the appetite for the task. Perhaps it is not vogue to have the passions aroused by the Worthington Cup, but the lack of atmosphere from the crowd and ambition from the players was, nonetheless, startling. More than 9,000 Bury fans had made the short journey from north Manchester, entitling them to gate receipts of around £450,000, but even they found it hard to celebrate such a drab affair.

Manchester United (4-4-2): R Van der Gouw - M Clegg (sub: , H Berg, D May, J W Brown, 70min) Curtis - M Wilson (sub: P Scholes, 70), P Neville, P Mulryne (sub: E Nevland, 46), J Cruyff - J Greening, O G Solskjaer.

Bury (3-5-2): D Kiely - C Swailes, S Redmond, C Lucketti - A Woodward, M Patterson, L Johnrose, N Daws, D Barrick - T Ellis (sub: L James, 63), L D'Jaffo (sub: A Preece, 58).

Referee: K Burge.