PICTURES

WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"Utd had this games wrapped up with 1/2 an hour to go. That was until Blackburn fought back and nearly earned a draw. If Sherwood hadn't elbowed Beckham, Blackburn could have fought a third."

MATCH REPORT

By David Anderson, PA Sport

Blackburn's 10 men just failed to pull off their own remake of the Great Escape against Manchester United at Old Trafford. United appeared to be cantering to a comfortable victory after Paul Scholes put them 3-0 up after 58 minutes, especially as Rovers skipper Tim Sherwood had already been sent off for elbowing David Beckham.

But Roy Hodgson's relegation-haunted side battled their way back into the game and United were relieved to hear referee Mike Reed blow for full time. United manager Alex Ferguson will not have been impressed after watching his side almost snatch a draw from the jaws of victory.

In comparison to the game's frantic finale the opening exchanges were tame. Blackburn striker Kevin Davies, who last scored in January against United, sent Peter Schmeichel scurrying backwards with a speculative lob, but it dropped onto the roof of his net.

United were struggling to find their flowing movement of recent weeks, but Andy Cole, who was overlooked again by England coach Glenn Hoddle yesterday, should have given them the lead in the 20th minute. Stephane Henchoz's misplaced header put John Filan in trouble and when Cole dispossessed the Rovers goalkeeper he proceeded to blast the ball against the woodwork from close range with only Henchoz to beat on the line.

Cole tried again with a deflected effort, which Filan easily saved before Scholes showed him how it's done when he scored on the half hour. Dwight Yorke won the ball from Christian Dailly midway inside the Rovers half and released Scholes on the left and he tucked the ball home past Filan, who managed to hurt himself attempting a save.

Davies went close again before Cole spurned another opportunity when he weakly directed a free header at Filan from Jesper Blomqvist's cross. But once again Yorke made up for his strike partner when he collected Nicky Butt's pass to rifle home his 10th goal of the season in the 43rd minute from close range.

United were purring now and Henchoz survived a penalty appeal for handball before Beckham fired a 30-yard effort just over the bar. The chances of a Rovers comeback appeared even more remote in the 48th minute when Sherwood was dismissed for elbowing Beckham when the United midfielder had attempted to take the ball from his hands after play had stopped for a free-kick.

Blackburn responded by bringing on Dario Marcolin for Damien Duff and their plight worsened when Callum Davidson came off injured to be replaced by Gary Croft. Scholes netted United's third - his sixth of the season - in the 58th minute when he made room for himself on the right before firing home.

Marcolin added to Rovers' anguish when he blazed over from eight yards out. Scholes came off to be replaced by Jordi Cruyff in the 62nd minute with the game seemingly won. But in the final quarter of the game Rovers launched a stirring fightback. First, Marcolin made amends for his earlier miss when he fired home his first goal for Rovers in the 66th minute.

Then seven minutes later Nathan Blake headed home their second with his first goal for Rovers since his £4.25million move from Bolton. Cruyff pulled up with a hamstring injury and 10 minutes from time he was replaced by Roy Keane who was sent on to steady United's nerves.

Still Rovers pushed forward, but United held out to deny what would have been a sensational comeback.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

England look set to lose Paul Scholes for their friendly against the Czech Republic after the Manchester United midfielder was injured against Blackburn today. Scholes scored twice in the 3-2 victory but suffered a hamstring strain. United boss Alex Ferguson said: "Scholes is a doubt but we have to send him down."

United substitutes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jordi Cruyff also suffered hamstring injuries as Blackburn, 3-0 down, took United to the wire - despite being down to ten men. Rovers were trailing 2-0 when captain Tim Sherwood was dismissed in the 48th minute for raising his forearm to United midfielder David Beckham and the visitors fell further behind before they mounted a brave but unsuccessful comeback.

And angry Blackburn boss Roy Hodgson accused Sherwood of costing his side three points. When Hodgson was asked if he would be fining Sherwood he fumed: "Don't tell me that Tim Sherwood after all these years has not realised he has made a crucial error. Don't tell me that Tim Sherwood hasn't realised that he's cost us three points today and possibly three points in the future. If he's got to get a fine to realise that then it's a sad, sad world. If the club want to fine him, the club can fine him, but I really don't care one way or the other."

Hodgson refused to take any comfort from his side's fightback because the defeat means they remain deep in relegation trouble.

"I don't take any satisfaction from it whatsoever," he said. "We made two bad errors in the first half which costs us two goals. With some good decision-making we could have won this game, but we didn't and we got a man sent off. So we have to accept the glittering second prize which says we did quite well really with 10 men to get back to 3-2, but I'm not in the mood to accept any compliments like that."

Ferguson also felt Sherwood's red card had been needless.

"The TV said he elbowed Beckham and I know there was contact but I'm not certain exactly what," he said. "It was silly because there was nothing happening in the game to suggest it was getting out of control."

Ferguson was also displeased with his players for easing up when they were 3-0 ahead.

"It was a careless performance," he said. "From a winning position where it looked as it we could score a few goals they took their foot of the pedal."

Ferguson felt that the badly cut up pitch, which will be mostly re-turfed tomorrow, was partly to blame for his side's patchy performance. He also blamed the surface for the injuries to Scholes, Solskjaer and Cruyff.

Scholes and Dwight Yorke fired United into a 2-0 half-time lead before Sherwood was sent off. Scholes netted again to make it 3-0 after 58 minutes before Rovers fought back with goals from Dario Marcolin and Nathan Blake.

TEAMS

Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, P Neville, Curtis, Stam, Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Blomqvist, Cole, Yorke.
Subs: Cruyff for Scholes, Solskjaer for Blomqvist.
Scorers: Scholes (32, 58), Yorke (44)

Blackburn Rovers: Filan, Kenna, Davidson, Peacock, Henchoz, Sherwood, Duff, Dailly, Marcolin, Blake, Davies.
Subs: Croft for Davidson, Gallacher for Davies, Marcolin for Duff.
Scorers: Marcolin (65), Blake (74)
Sent Off:: Sherwood (48)

Referee: M Reed