Rovers fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Manchester United, but that didn't tell the whole tale at Old Trafford.

After a slow start from both sides, Wayne Rooney put the hosts in front just past the midway point of the first half, but Rovers hit back thanks to a fine goal from Roque Santa Cruz.

Renewed after the half-time, Rovers came out much the stronger side Keith Andrews saw a point blank header saved, then they went even close when Ryan Nelsen struck the foot of the post and Diouf's rebound was saved.

Those missed chances proved pivotal as Cristiano Ronaldo, who perhaps should have been on the pitch after an off the ball incident with David Dunn, slammed home a free-kick just past the hour mark.

But there was to be further drama when Morten Gamst Pedersen was pushed over in the area by Rafael, but referee Howard Webb took no action.

The home side were penned back for long periods by Rovers, but Allardyce's side couldn't get that vital second goal their performance certainly warranted.

Sam Allardyce had made three changes to the side that faced Aston Villa in the league at Ewood a fortnight earlier. Two of those changes meant league debuts as Gaël Givet came in for Chris Samba at the heart of the Rovers defence, and El-Hadji Diouf started on the right of a five man midfield. Roque Santa Cruz had to plough a lonely furrow up front with Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy only on the bench.

It was the Frenchman Givet who caught the eye early on, within the first ten minutes the man on loan from Marseille, twice made important blocks on Cristiano Ronaldo and a third to deny Rooney as the home side attempted to grab an early goal.

But despite Ronaldo looking lively, Rovers were managing to contain their hosts with comparative ease, whilst at the other end Ryan Nelsen headed wide at the near post from a David Dunn corner kick.

As the half wore on United came more into the game, a wonderful Ronaldo centre was only cleared as far as Evra, but his low shot from the corner of the area flashed narrowly wide.

The deadlock was broken on 23 minutes with a simplistic move, with the eyes of the Rovers defenders on Ronaldo it was his fellow Portuguese team-mate Nani who took full advantage, feeding a teasing centre that Nelsen almost cut out, but Wayne Rooney was on hand to fire home from six yards out past Robinson.

With no team having scored against Sir Alex Ferguson's side in the league since the beginning of November, the uphill task for Rovers suddenly looked more onerous. But quick thinking and a cool head saw Rovers stun the home team with a well-taken leveller just nine minutes later.

It was Andre Ooijer who seized the initiative whilst Nani and Scholes dithered, intercepting a pass on the halfway line between the two United players, the Dutch international drove towards goal, with options available his through ball picked out Roque Santa Cruz perfectly, the Paraguayan holding off the attentions of Rio Ferdinand before rounding goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak and slipping the ball home from an acute angle.

Not since Sami Nasri's strike at the Emirates back on November 8th has a United defence conceded a goal in the League.

The home side threatened to hit back quickly, putting the Rovers back line under pressure, but they stood firm. On the stroke of half-time United did have the ball in the back of the net from a Johnny Evans header, from Nani's corner but it was ruled out for a push on Ryan Nelsen by Ronaldo.

Justice had been served however as the corner should never have been allowed, the last touch clearly coming off Rafael rather than Morten Gamst Pedersen.

With renewed belief, Rovers came out in the second half and took the game to the league leaders with a spell of pressure that had the home fans showing grumbling of discontent with what their team was offering.

It took some desperate defending from Patrice Evra to stop Pedersen's low centre from the left finding El-Hadji Diouf at the back post, then moments later Keith Andrews wasted a glorious opportunity from a Pedersen throw, the Rovers midfielder escaping the clutches of his marker to win a free header six yards out, but he could only direct it straight at Kuszczak.

Rovers continued to lay siege and three chances within a minute should have seen them take the lead. Morten Gamst Pedersen saw strike from the edge of the area touched round the post, then from the following corner kick Ryan Nelsen fired through the crowded area only to see his low effort strike the foot of the post, from the rebound, Diouf saw his shot comfortably saved.

Unimpressed with the showing from his side, Ferguson prepared to bring Tevez and Vidic to strengthen United. But it was at the other end where controversy reigned.

TV replays showed Ronaldo kicking out at David Dunn after being tackled, but nothing was given from referee Howard Webb. A minute later however Webb was reaching for his yellow card to show Ronaldo after the United forward's swan-dive into the area following Givet's nonexistent challenge. It really should have been a red.

And that proved to be pivotal as just sixty seconds later, Andrews' crude challenge on Evra on the corner in the area resulted in a United free-kick to which Ronaldo duly slammed the ball home with fantastic technique.

But the controversy didn't stop there, just seven minutes later, this end-to-end encounter threw up another talking point, Stephen Warnock released Pedersen into the area before the Norwegian was brought to the turf by the arms of Rafael. To a man the Rovers players pleaded penalty, Rafael pleaded his innocence, Webb was unmoved, no penalty kick.

Tugay came on for the tiring David Dunn, whilst Benni McCarthy replaced Vince Grella as Rovers looked to add more firepower in the remaining ten minutes.

With Rovers camped far upfield looking for a leveller, they were almost caught out on the break, with the ever-impressive Rooney the architect. Twice shooting narrowly over, whilst also teeing up Berbatov for a headed chance that the Bulgarian should have converted.

But it was Rovers who were exerting the greater pressure, the groans from the home fans as four additional minutes was shown told the story, the league leaders were hanging on.

But try as they might, Rovers couldn't find the goal their play more than warranted. A late corner saw Paul Robinson join his team-mates in the opposition box, but as is more often the case at Old Trafford the rub of the green just wasn't there.

Sam Allardyce and his charges can take a lot of heart from this display, certainly something to build on for the remaining fight this campaign.

MAN UTD: Kuszczak, Rafael, Evans (sub Vidic 61 mins), Ferdinand (c), Evra, Nani (sub Tevez 61 mins), Carrick, Scholes (sub Giggs 82 mins), Ronaldo, Berbatov, Rooney.

Subs not used: Foster (GK), Welbeck, Fabio, Fletcher.

ROVERS: Robinson, Ooijer, Nelsen (c), Givet, Warnock, Diouf (sub Treacy 82 mins), Andrews, Grella (sub McCarthy 79 mins), Dunn (sub Tugay 74 mins), Pedersen, Santa Cruz.

Subs not used: Brown (GK), Khizanishvili, Mokoena, Roberts

Booked: Ronaldo, Berbatov (Man Utd), Andrews, Givet (Rovers).

Attendance: 75,000