Pre Season Friendly: Doncaster Rovers 0 Man. U 2

Keepmoat Stadium, 3 August 2007

DONCASTER ROVERS 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 Gibson, S. Evans

New signing Anderson helped United to a 2-0 win over Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium on Friday evening.

The Brazilian played his first game in a red shirt and impressed throughout his 45-minute run-out. He slotted in behind United's lone striker for the evening, fellow 19-year-old Fraizer Campbell, one of a number of young players given their chance to impress ahead of the new season.

Another of those was Darron Gibson who opened the scoring with a superb 20-yard drive twenty minutes from time having seen his earlier effort smack against the crossbar. Sean Evans wrapped up proceedings a minute from time with an equally impressive left-foot effort.

Sir Alex Ferguson will have been encouraged by some solid displays throughout the ninety minutes. Gerard Pique played his first game for the Reds since returning from his loan spell at Real Zaragoza. Jonny Evans joined him in the centre of defence, with Phil Bardsley and skipper-for-the-night Mikael Silvestre filling the defensive flanks.

Darren Fletcher anchored a midfield that also included Lee Martin and goalscorers Gibson and Evans, while Sir Alex relied on the teenage front pairing of Anderson and Campbell.

The League One hosts, who lost out to the blue half of Manchester in a pre-season clash last month, fielded a near full-strength side which included former Reds Mark Wilson and Richie Wellens.

All eyes were on Anderson during the first half and the Brazilian did his utmost to get himself involved in proceedings with some tireless running and impressive passing.

Nevertheless, it was Doncaster who fashioned the first real opening of the match on ten minutes. Martin Woods took aim from 20 yards with a low drive, but Tomasz Kuszczak saved well down to his left.Two minutes later United went close through Gibson. Picking up possession 25 yards out after Campbell's neat lay-off, the midfielder struck a delicious left-foot shot which crashed off Neil Sullivan's crossbar and away to safety.

Doncaster looked certain to take the lead on 16 minutes when Kuszczak failed to collect a corner. The ball dropped to James Hayter four yards out, but Sean Evans somehow managed to block the ball on the line.

United turned defence into attack immediately as the lively Campbell powered forward before laying a pass inside to Lee Martin. But the midfielder, who had scored a fine goal a week earlier in United's final Asia Tour game, struck his shot straight at Sullivan.

The former Wimbledon stopper, who famously saw David Beckham's half-way effort loop in over his head at Selhurst Park nearly eleven years ago, was called into action again just after the half hour. He was up to the test however, turning away Campbell's sliding effort.

As a lively first period drew to a close, Woods curled in a dangerous free-kick onto the head of skipper Adam Lockwood, only for Kuszczak to tip the ball brilliantly over the bar.

The Polish stopper was called into action again ten minutes after the re-start when substitute Mark McCammon bulldozed his way through on goal. The Rovers striker failed to connect properly with the ball as Kuszczak bravely dived off his line to try and divert the danger. The ball dropped to Antony Griffith who, with the goal gaping, blasted over.

By the time the clock hit the hour mark Sir Alex had used six of his seven substitutes. One of those, Dong Fangzhuo, set up Campbell on 66 minutes after a neat one-two between the pair. Unfortunately, the Reds' striker dragged his shot wide of substitute keeper Ben Smith's right-hand post.

Four minutes later United made the breakthrough. Ritchie Jones' corner was cleared by the Doncaster defence but only to the feet of Gibson. The Irishman made space for himself with a neat turn onto his left foot before unleashing an unstoppable drive past the helpless Smith.

Doncaster responded well and almost drew level on 77 minutes when Bruce Dyer's curling shot shaved Kuszczak's right-hand post.

United doubled their lead a minute from time when Sean Evans blasted a left-foot rocket past Smith after neat play from Dong and Campbell in the build-up.

The victory made it four wins out of six pre-season games for the Reds and it's one that United's youth brigade can be very proud of.

United: Kuszczak, Bardsley, Pique (Shawcross 46), J. Evans (Simpson 50), Silvestre (c) (Eckersley 59), Martin (Jones 59), Fletcher (Lea 59), Gibson, S. Evans, Anderson (Dong 46), Campbell.

Subs not used: Heaton