Manchester United 5 Burton Albion 0Manchester United rolled out the red carpet for Burton Albion, their players presented them with autographed goodies and their fans afforded them a standing ovation, but there was always an element of fantasy attached to thinking the hospitality would extend to events on the pitch.
The only thing that was generous about Alex Ferguson's players was Louis Saha's finishing on a night when they made light work of Nigel Clough's willing yet limited team.
United will go to Wolves in the fourth round while Burton will reflect on the most illuminating period in the club's history. Their boisterous supporters even went through a series of "oles" when Clough's players indulged in a bit of keep-ball towards the end.
Yet even with most of Ferguson's stars rested or unavailable, there was never any serious risk that the Premiership club, rather than the Conference one, would progress to the next stage.
Burton will gratefully accept their £700,000 share of the pot, but what price the prestige? It was certainly a first that a helicopter followed their team bus en route to the match and, indeed, that they had the backing of 10,500 supporters, the largest away following at Old Trafford since an invasion of Celtic fans for Lou Macari's testimonial back in 1984.
Was this the same Burton Albion who pulled a crowd of 119 for a Birmingham Senior Cup tie against Romulus FC a few weeks ago? Nigel Clough and his players will reflect wistfully on what might have been had Jon Shaw shown the audacity to accept the game's first chance. They will relish those moments when their neat triangular football bridged the gulf between the two clubs, and their supporters, old and new, will always remember the time they questioned whether the mighty Manchester United were "Tamworth in disguise".
Yet it quickly became apparent that, even with a shadow XI, United's hospitality would stretch only so far. By half-time Ferguson's team were 2-0 ahead and Shaw had been forced off the field after an errant elbow from Phil Bardsley. United hardly looked like world-beaters, but the truth is they did not need to.
Fourteenth in the Conference, Burton are unaccustomed to the precise passing and slick interplay that saw Gerard Pique, United's Spanish centre-half, release Kieran Richardson and his left-wing delivery pick out Louis Saha to sweep in the opening goal. The speed of movement must have felt like a blur to the visiting players. When another goal followed after 23 minutes, it became an exercise in damage limitation for Burton.
It was not lost on the crowd that the goal stemmed from a break along the right by the fit-again Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, making his first start at Old Trafford since March 2004. His cross was too deep but Silvestre turned the ball back into the six-yard area where Guiseppe Rossi was loitering with intent to head beyond Saul Deeney. Ferguson believes Rossi is destined for great things and nobody would argue on this evidence.
Saha then lost his footing when clean through but more goals seemed inevitable and so it was after 52 minutes when Burton were caught out by another classy move. This time it was Rossi feeding Richardson, the left-winger scampering towards goal before beating Deeney with a splendid, dipping shot from outside the penalty area.
Despite some neat link-up play in midfield, Burton rarely emerged as an attacking force and Tim Howard, deputising for Edwin van der Sar, went through the entire night without having to save a single shot.
Instead, it had become a question of how many United would score. Saha squandered another one-on-one but Ryan Giggs, a substitute, was not so charitable, finishing adroitly after another Rossi through ball. Burton's fans were still not subdued, even when Rossi scored his second with a lovely half-volley in stoppage time.
MAN UTD: Howard, Bardsley, Pique, Brown (Neville 62), Silvestre, Solskjaer, Fletcher (Giggs 62), O'Shea (Ferdinand 62), Richardson, Rossi, Saha. Subs not used: Van der Sar, van Nistelrooy. Goals: Saha 7, Rossi 23, Richardson 52, Giggs 68, Rossi 90.
BURTON ALBION: Deeney, Sedgemore, Tinson, Austin, Corbett, Chris Hall (Webster 74), Stride, Ducros, Gilroy (Henshaw 86), Shaw (Anderson 26), Harrad. Subs not used: Martin Taylor, Todd. Booked: Stride.
Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).
