No hiding place in chamber of horrors

Sir Alex Ferguson - the same Sir Alex who once sought out a pioneering American surgeon to rescue Walsh's career at United - went as far as to offer Bradford boss Jim Jefferies his regrets, even as Sheringham and his team-mates were celebrating their fortune with just a hint of pent-up relief.

Jefferies, who promoted 32-year-old Walsh ahead of transfer-listed England prospect Matt Clarke a month ago, said: 'Alex came over when the goal went in and said it was an awful thing to happen, that he would never wish that on any goalkeeper, especially Gary.

'It was a bad mistake. He knows it was costly and he knows it changed the game. He'll feel that a big hole should open up and swallow him, and he'll be very low for a time. All I can do to give him a boost is assure him he'll be between the sticks next week.

'In the dressing-room his head was in his hands and he had the old towel over his head. He couldn't face anybody. He didn't try to make any excuses, he said there were none. But he's a good goalkeeper and that's the first mistake he's made since he came in.

'Our mistake was in accepting it. Everybody was stunned but when that happens you have to pick yourselves up and hit back. We felt a bit sorry for ourselves instead and conceded a second goal soon after.'

Bradford centre half Robert Molenaar, who did more than most to restrict United for 70 minutes that defied the Premiership table, pointed out: 'Gary did well in the first half when Ryan Giggs was through. He saved us then. It was always going to take a wonder goal like Ricard's or a mistake, and unfortunately that was the case.

'Gary is absolutely gutted. These things are a goalkeeper's nightmare and as the last line of defence it's always a risky job. We are going to make sure he picks himself up. He was at fault, but these things happen and we can't linger on such incidents.

'We looked so disjointed against Sunderland on Boxing Day, we were definitely going to go down. Now we play as a unit, everybody is tuned in. We don't look like a team that's going to be relegated. With a little luck, we can still pull it off.'

The power of positive thinking is a wonderful thing but it should blind nobody to the clear truth that Manchester United and Bradford City are far more than merely 20 places apart in the Premiership table. No matter how hard Bradford worked - and they did - United had the hallmark of quality and toiled just as honestly, too.

Ominously for the rest, it is all coming together for the champions, in that part of the season Ferguson regards as the title proving ground. They will take a break in the Spanish sun this week while mere mortals set out the cones for muddy five-a-sides.

Jaap Stam looked remarkably like the finished article in his first game since September and Achilles surgery, Andy Cole had an uplifting 15 minutes, and - Giggs having turned Andy O'Brien inside out to fire in off a post - Chadwick crowned a superb cameo from the bench by hitting David Beckham's slide-rule pass beyond Walsh for his first United goal.

'Workmanlike', Sir Alex called it after a bit of thought, but Beckham and Roy Keane are hardly your everyday hod carriers, nor Giggs and Sheringham your average wrecking crew. Jefferies, who has gambled on largely dispensing with flair to keep Bradford up, would love such workaday performances.

Disappointed as he was by Sheringham's crucial opening goal, he said: 'He got his reward, as top players and top teams do. He never gives in, he chases everything, and any young player can take a lesson there from Teddy. Never give up the ghost - you put people under pressure all the time and Gary was the victim this time.'

Fabien Barthez escaped his moment of potential embarrassment in the first half when Dean Windass almost arrogantly launched a 40-yard dipper that United's goalkeeper managed to turn over his bar while looking suit-ably flustered. Walsh, 10 years at Old Trafford and facing United for the first time, was not so fortunate.