Pre Season Friendly: Dunfermline 0 Man. United 4

Pre-season friendly
East End Park, Wed 8 August
DUNFERMLINE 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 4 Eagles (23), Giggs (35), Rooney (60 & 87)

United notched a comfortable victory over Dunfermline in Scott Thomson’s testimonial, winning 4-0 through goals from Chris Eagles, Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney (2).

First team coach Mike Phelan guided a strong Reds side to victory at East End Park, with one of the highlights being a 90-minute appearance from midfielder Paul Scholes.

Scholes’ surprise run-out came just two weeks after a knee operation, and is a massive boost ahead of the new season. So too, was the 65-minute appearance of Owen Hargreaves, who turned in a solid display on his first United start.

Chris Eagles was within inches of putting United ahead after 13 minutes, only for Ryan Giggs’ inswinging cross to be deflected away from the youngster just before he could head home.

Pars winger Morrison fired a neat volley over Tomasz Kuszcak’s crossbar seven minutes later to underline that the hosts were not simply making up the numbers against their more illustrious opponents.

The Reds’ class told as they moved ahead after 23 minutes, however, and sadly man of the hour Thomson was involved, missing Giggs’ slotted through-ball and allowing Eagles time to clip home a calm finish.

Wayne Rooney was proving a constant thorn in the hosts’ side, and it was his inch-perfect pass which gave Giggs the chance to double United’s advantage in the 35th minute with an impudent chip over goalkeeper Murdoch.

It was the Welsh veteran’s second goal in successive pre-season outings after his Community Shield strike, and he was involved again just before half-time as he released Fletcher, only for the Scot to drag his shot wide.

Rooney drove a shot wide just before the interval, but he had to wait only 15 minutes of the second period before getting his goal. The England striker coolly slotted home a penalty after Fletcher had been brought down by Murdoch.

A second was almost forthcoming shortly afterwards as Rooney brilliantly diverted Sean Evans’ cross goalwards, only for a super one-handed save from substitute keeper McKenzie.

The game continued at an energetic pace before Rooney wrapped up the victory three minutes from time, racing through and clipping home after being inexplicably gifted possession by McManus.

The evening’s final highlight came in the final minute as Thomson was substituted in order to receive a rousing ovation, which was duly forthcoming.

While the Pars veteran was the undoubted man of the hour, United can be more than happy with the added bonus of a decent workout ahead of Sunday’s season opener against Reading.

Team Line-ups
Dunfermline Athletic: Murdoch (McKenzie, 65); McGuire (Shields, 46), Bamba (Wilson, 57), Thomson (Burchill, 90), Woods (Muirhead, 46); Williamson (Harper, 46), Phinn, Simmons (Young, 46), O. Morrison (McManus, 46); Crawford, Hamilton (Glass, 65).

Manchester United: Kuszczak; Bardsley, Brown (A Eckersley, 46), Pique, Silvestre; Eagles, Fletcher, Scholes, Hargreaves (S Evans, 65); Rooney, Giggs (Eikrem, 79).
Subs not used: van der Sar.