FA Youth Cup Final: Manchester United Youth 3 Blackburn Rovers Youth 1 - Peter White reports

RED-HOT finishing was the difference at Old Trafford last night, as Manchester United staged yet another trophy presentation - collecting the Lancashire FA Youth Cup for professional clubs.

Blackburn Rovers had dominated the first half only to be pegged back at 1-1 when United scored from their only real chance of the opening 45 minutes.

Then, with Rovers' ace marksman James Thomas having to be substituted at the interval, they lost their bite and United bared their teeth to grab two early goals in the second period and clinch another cup final conquest.

It was a similar story to last season when United's youngsters pipped Rovers 3-2 at Ewood, despite having less of the play.

But, even though they were defeated again last night, the young Rovers can take plenty of credit from their campaigns in the two major knockout tournaments.

They reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup - the club's best effort for 38 years - and the outcome might have been different last night if Welsh whizz kid Thomas had not picked up an injury when he was fouled just before half time.

With a good following in the crowd of 4,293, Rovers again impressed with the quality of some of their football but goalscorer Thomas's absence after the break and failure to bring Damien Duff into play enough blunted their cutting edge. Defensively, they looked very solid in the first half, with Martin Taylor and Keith Brown dominant figures down the middle.

And the midfield buzzed effectively, with David Dunn showing his outstanding capacity for getting forward into good shooting positions.

But, while the front three of Duff, Thomas and Damien Johnson caused problems before the break, United clamped down on the wingers in the second half and losing Thomas upset the balance.

It took the young Wales under-21 star only three minutes to give Rovers a major lift with the opening goal, his fourth of the competition.

Luke Staton, who saw plenty of the ball, found Duff on the left and one of his trademark crosses picked out Thomas to plant a firm header past Adam Sadler in the United goal.

Rovers looked very comfortable but, with their first serious threat, United equalised on 24 minutes. The ball was worked nicely on their right between Stuart Brightwell and Mark Wilson and the latter's near-post cross was clinically finished by Alex Notman for his sixth goal in only three games in the tournament.

Still Rovers were much the more effective side and Sadler twice had to stop fierce drives from Dunn as well as breathing a sigh of relief when a Brown header went just the wrong side of the post.

But the injury to Thomas and two rapid-fire examples of the Red's efficiency in front of goal turned the game on its head.

Five minutes after the interval, a completely mis-hit shot fell perfectly for Jamie Wood at the far post and his finish was, in contrast, clinical. Within two minutes, United had the comfort of a two-goal lead when Rovers were beaten down the middle for Wilson to produce another perfect lesson in finishing with a well-struck right-foot shot across the keeper.

There was sympathy for Gareth Stewart, who had seen little action yet had been forced to collect the ball from the back of the net three times.

Rovers didn't give up but they never really convinced that they were going to get back into it.

Headers from Taylor and substitute Lee Fitzpatrick were the closest they came to putting United, who had central defender Wesley Brown to thank for a rock-solid display, under pressure.

MAN UTD: Sadler, Curtis, Higginbotham, Millard, Brown, Ford, Wellens, Wilson, Notman, Wood, Brightwell (sub Naylor 82).

ROVERS: Stewart, Trudgill, Taylor, Brown, Brewer, Staton (Connolly 87 mins), Watkins (Fitzpatrick 70 mins), Dunn, Johnson, Thomas (McAvoy 46 mins), Duff.

REF: D Allison (Lancaster).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.