U's:2 Red Dragons:0

If you talked to a Man City fan today, they'd probably argue that, after Michael Owen's winning goal in yesterday's Manchester derby, six minutes is a long time in football.

But personally I think they and manager Mark Hughes shouldn't be so ungrateful. So what if the referee's watch was being controlled by Lord Ferguson, at least they got to see their team score three goals in one match. Try going over six hours without a goal, then you've got a reason to complain. These pampered Premiership types don't even know they're born, hmph.

Anyway, yeah, United got back to winning ways on Saturday with a supremely comfortable victory over a woeful Wrexham outfit. Dragons boss Dean Saunders doesn't seem to be the brightest button, having replaced last season's underperforming bunch of premier league youngsters and dodgy foreign imports with, er, another bunch of premier league youngsters and dodgy foreign imports. Big name managers eh, they never learn.

I didn't have to wait long for Wayne Hatswell to end my goal drought. Nine minutes had elapsed when Mani, who has grown a lot since he was in The Stone Roses, chopped down Holroyd just outside the box. Hats took responsibility for the resulting free kick, driving a gently but accurate daisy cutter under the wall and into the corner. Perhaps the Chris Maxwell in the Wrexham goal should've done better, but let's not pick holes, a goal's a goal. 1-0.

Wrexham had already wasted what turned out to be their best chance of the half, with Nathan Fairhurst guiding a diving header over the bar, and other than that it was all United. Willmott drew a superb save from Maxwell with a curling free kick, while Holroyd should have tucked away a low Tonkin cross, but instead guided his shot into the grateful keeper's arms. Referee Kinesley showed himself to be a fairly competent official, but missed an off the ball kick by Mani on Willmott which could have resulted in the big defenders dismissal. Just before half time it could have been 2-0 when Brian Saah climbed to meet a corner from the left, but put his free header just wide.

The visitors were employing a 3-5-2 formation which I always think can be an effective way to play at this level. Their extra midfield man led to them having plenty of second half possession, as United retreated further and further back, with Reason and Carden joining the defenders to form what was virtually a back six. Although this led to a few heart-in-mouth moments, the sheer mass of bodies between Wrexham and Danny Potter's goal meant that Saunders men were reduced to wild efforts from distance. Eventually they switched to a 4-4-2 set up, but this just seemed to play into United's hands, with more and more space becoming available for the likes of Willmott and Holroyd to roam into.

And it was the winger who settled the game with ten minutes to go, picking up a pass from Danny Crow, and cutting in from the left flank to beat Maxwell inside his near post with a low shot. Again Robbie was a peripheral figure for much of the game, and you have to hope that the (hopefully) imminent return of Pitt will see return to the right flank where he is at his most dangerous. Beesley could have added a third at the death, but saw his shot blocked by Neil Taylor.

And so ended a game in which United were never overly stretched, but conversely never looked totally convincing. The defence is solid as ever, but in the second period we spent a lot of time on the back foot, and if we play a similar game against the better teams in the division I think we may run into problems.

Man of the Match: Brian Saah – What a signing, immaculate at the back in tandem with Hatswell.