Boss Rues Foy's Failure

Sir Alex Ferguson cited a controversial incident involving referee Chris Foy as he assessed United's slender surrender of the Community Shield.

The Reds were aggrieved when Frank Lampard's second goal for Chelsea was allowed to stand, even though Patrice Evra was grounded with a facial injury following an off-the-ball clash with Michael Ballack.

Many observers expected Foy to stop play, to ensure Evra received timely treatment - only moments ago he had done just that, to check on Ballack's condition after another skirmish. Instead, the Blues broke and with their attackers outnumbering the Reds' defenders, Lampard beat Ben Foster in United's goal to make it 2-1.

"That incident cost us the game," lamented Sir Alex after the match.

"(I thought) the referee saw it - he (Ballack) elbowed him (Evra) in the face - and he (Foy) was clearly in line with the actual incident.

"I’m disappointed because he (Foy) stopped the game twice before that for fouls, or for players lying down. Ballack was lying down and he got up within seconds but he (Foy) thought it was serious, a serious foul."

Sir Alex agreed that it remains a grey area in the rules - whether the referee, or the players by kicking the ball out, should take the lead in stopping play.

"We’ve got to a level now where it’s being used as a professional way of getting a game stopped," he added.

Reflecting on the match as a whole, the United boss believes his men missed opportunities to sew up the contest before the break.

"We played well for a lot of the game and we should have put it to bed in the first half," he said.

"The equaliser (by Ricardo Carvalho) was a poor goal from our point of view, I think we should have defended it better. Chelsea at that point had come into the game and were controlling it.

"Their second goal, as we saw, shouldn’t have been allowed. Once they got that goal, Chelsea didn’t look like losing the game. I thought they were in control but we got the equaliser and then penalty kicks… well, we’ve never been that great at penalty kicks. Only once, I think."

Unlike in Moscow 15 months ago, United were second best to Chelsea in the shoot-out - and so first blood, and the first trophy of the season, goes to Carlo Ancelotti's men.

Sir Alex was speaking on Sky Sports.