Friend sent this to me from the official Manchester United site....
United Masters miss out
Manchester United’s ‘old-boys’ will not be involved in this season’s Masters Grand final in Birmingham in September after failing to win the 2006 North West title at the MEN Arena in central Manchester on Sunday.
The Reds were required to win their final ‘mini-league’ game against Manchester City, but it was the Blues who triumphed to book their place in the final against Liverpool.
City needed just a draw to join Liverpool in the evening’s finale, but it looked as though they would miss out after Andy Ritchie had blasted United into a 2-0 lead.
United fans in the half-full 17,000 capacity arena were really starting to enjoy the evening, but then it all turned sour. David Oldfield scored to give the Blues fresh hope and then Wayne Biggins struck twice to give City a 3-2 win and end United’s hopes.
United’s over 35s - including 35-year-old spring chicken Lee Sharpe - opened the evening with a 2-2 draw against Everton with Ritchie and Clayton Blackmore the scorers. Blackmore bagged another couple against Liverpool, but it wasn’t enough as the Anfield Reds ran out 3-2 winners.
City had also tripped up against Liverpool, but beaten Everton 3-2 to set up the showdown against United.
Goalkeeper Fraser Digby was undoubtedly United’s star of the evening with a string of spectacular saves. Time after time he flung himself full length across his goal to prevent theball from crossing the line. Without Digby’s heroics City would have more than likely claimed a far bigger victory against the Reds and United could well have finished bottom of the group.
Liverpool deservedly booked their place in the national final with an impressive record on the night, which they crowned with a 7-3 victory against City in the final.
United Masters: Fraser Digby, Alan McLoughlin, Clayton Blackmore, Russell Beardsmore, Mike Duxbury, Lee Martin, Sammy McIlroy, Lee Sharpe, Andy Ritchie.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=351088&page=1
