Manchester United Reserves 1 Blackburn Rovers Reserves 1

A CONTROVERSIAL late equaliser from United's Jonathan Greening robbed Rovers of a richly deserved victory in an incident-packed clash at Gigg Lane last night.

Greening's looping cross-shot in the 86th minute looked to have been stopped by keeper Alan Fettis on the line only for the referee's assistant to flag for a goal.

That sparked furious protests from Fettis and defender Keith Brown who raced over to the touchline to remonstrate with the official.

Both were promptly sent off - Fettis shown a straight red and Brown a second yellow - marring an otherwise excellent performance from Terry Daracott's young guns.

Only Lee Roche out of United's 16-man squad had never played in the first team at Old Trafford before.

Yet despite the presence of the likes of Nicky Butt, Teddy Sheringham, Jordi Cruyff and Raimond Van Der Gouw, Rovers refused to be intimadated.

Brown, James Thomas and Leam Richardson all missed great chances in the first half before United found their feet and the dangerous Sheringham just failed to hit the target with two free headers.

But it was Rovers who deservedly went ahead on 51 minutes when Richardson fed Gary Hamilton and the lively front man weaved past a couple of challenges before dispatching a cool finish beyond Van Der Gouw.

Hamilton and Thomas (twice) then both missed good chances to seal it before Greening popped up from the left flank with his controversial leveller.

Rovers team: Fettis, McNamee, Richardson, McKinlay, Brown, Murphy, Johnson, Gill, Hamilton, Thomas, O'Brien SUBS: Scates (for McKinlay, 67 mins) Hind (for O'Brien, 87) not used: Corbett, McAvoy, Fitzpatrick.

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