ROVERS reserves avenged a 3-1 defeat at the hands of United earlier in the season thanks to some nifty footwork from Egil Ostenstad at Bury's Gigg Lane last night.

The Norwegian international -- currently frozen out of Graeme Souness's first team plans -- scored a wonderful winner with a deft piece of finishing in the 56th minute.

And that was the least the visitors deserved on the night after a gritty performance against an experienced United side containing England internationals Phil Neville and Nicky Butt.

"That result wasn't a fluke because I thought we out-fought them on the night," enthused manager Alan Murray.

"I don't mean to sound condescending when I say this but I thought we held them reasonably comfortably in the end.

"It wasn't a great pitch on which to play football but we worked our socks off and I felt we showed more desire and commitment than them over the 90 minutes."

Rovers couldn't have made a better start as they raced into a 1-0 lead inside the opening 60 seconds.

Jimmy Corbett swung over a dangerous corner which caused confusion in the United defence and James Thomas was on hand to nod the loose ball home from four yards.

Inevitably, that prompted a reaction from the Reds as Ben Muirhead fired over after a lightning raid down the left.

Then Ryan Robinson had to react quickly to save an effort from Daniel Nardiello following a slip by the Rovers defence.

Robinson could do nothing about United's equaliser, however, when it eventually arrived just seconds before the break.

Pacy full-back Danny Pugh -- who looked the game's best player on the night -- embarked on an electric run as he cut in from the left, tricking his way past a defender in the process, before cooly slotting a right-foot finish inside Robinson's near post.

Undeterred by that set-back, though, it was Rovers who looked the brighter when the two sides emerged for the second half and their endeavour was rewarded when Ostenstad pounced in clinical fashion .

United keeper Luke Steele looked the favourite to collect a clever through ball but Ostenstad got there first and then outfoxed Steele with an audacious drag-back before finishing emphatically into the empty net.

"That's what Egil's all about," added Murray.

"He showed good anticipation to pinch the ball off the keeper with some clever footwork and then finished it very, very well.

"But it wasn't just about him, it was a good all-round team performance and it's always nice to beat United at whatever level you're playing them at."

UNITED: Steele, P Neville, Pugh, O'Shea, Tierney, Fortune, Muirhead, Butt, Nardiello, Stewart, Djordjic. Subs: Fox (for Butt, 56), Sampson (for Fortune, 56), Williams (for Muirhead, 70) Not used: Rankin, Williams

ROVERS: Robinson, Curtis, Hockenhull, Douglas, Taylor, Greer, O'Brien, Dunning, Thomas, Ostenstad, Corbett. Subs: Watt (for Corbett, 64), Donnelly (for Thomas, 64), Bell (for Ostenstad, 72) Not used: Morgan, Renton

MANCHESTER UNITED RES...1 ROVERS RES...2