Opening goal key for Ince

Ince had the good grace to admit Blackburn were well beaten by the Red Devils, for whom England colleagues Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney found the net, however he was left frustrated at how the Red Devils got their lead.

"It was disappointing," said Ince, of referee Steve Bennett's decision not to award a foul when Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown clashed with Nemanja Vidic and fell to the ground as Wes Brown nodded the ball into an empty net. "I am not saying we would have won but you never know. We were still in the game at 0-0 when it happened," he added.

"We get all this advice saying the referees are fitter than they have ever been and yet he can't see Vidic put an elbow in my keeper's throat. It was a diabolical decision by the referee."

Sir Alex Ferguson understandably did not share Ince's opinion.

While the United boss admitted he had not seen the incident again, on first viewing he felt the Blackburn goalkeeper should have done better.

The Scot said: "The ball was in the air long enough. It was his ball and he should be taking it.

"They obviously feel Nemanja collided with him but the keeper should have collected it anyway and he didn't."

Ferguson preferred to focus on the performance of Rooney adding: "That was his (Rooney's) best performance of the season for us."