MANCHESTER United clinched their first win of the new season with a hard-fought victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

Darren Fletcher scored his second goal in two games to win the points for Sir Alex Ferguson's men, bundling the ball home from Patrice Evra's cross after 32 minutes.

Of all the players backed to step into Cristiano Ronaldo's goalden boots Fletcher would have been one of the longer odds to answer the goals SOS for the Reds.

But the unsung hero has effectively won all United's four Premier League points this season and not even the World Footballer of the Year-elect has had a goalscoring start to a campaign that Fletcher is having!

'Viva Darren Fletcher' might not have the same exotic ring about it and with all due respect Real Madrid are unlikely to switch their attentions to the Scot next summer but United couldn't do without him this season.

The domestic silverware winners both had a fair bit of repair work to do after the damage of the opening day draw against Newcastle.

It has been fraught at Fratton Park for United in the five years that Pompey have been in the Premier League. Trips to the south coast have yielded just four points from a possible 15 since 2003.

They escaped defeat last August but there was still some trepidation kicking off the trilogy of away adventures United have on the league calendar before playing again at Old Trafford in a months time.

There were even some wild pessimistic fears that United might not have another point to their name by the time they were back in front of their home fans.

After only nine seconds it looked fleetingly like Fergie's side were in for another rough ride as Papa Bouba Diop crashed a shot just past the post.

It would hardly have allayed those concerns that a Pompey, Liverpool and Chelsea treble would bee navigated successfully had the Senegalese midfielder squeezed one home.

But the Reds escaped and Portsmouth were an even more nervous bunch having to convince their home support that the debacle at Stamford Bridge wasn't going to signal an FA Cup hangover.

General

United settled and Fabio Capello in the VIP seats must have watched with growing frustration that of the nine Englishmen on show the one who was dictating the play was the one who doesn't want to wear the white shirt.

Paul Scholes was a comforting general in midfield and also had a 19th minute drive saved by David James as it threatened to swerve and embarrass the England number one.

United's saviour against Newcastle had been the unsung Fletcher, who suffered more than most last season in the midfield dog fight at Old Trafford.

The Scot revealed after his equaliser against the Geordies that it was his plan this season to make more decisive runs into the box when the ball was played out wide.

That was exactly how he'd turned in the leveller nine days ago.

He'd credited the chance to make those improvements to the quality of service provided by Ryan Giggs. He'd registered the assist for United's opening league goal of the campaign but was absent at Fratton Park with a hamstring injury.

Patrice Evra, however, made up for the lopsided Reds look by charging down the left flank at every available opportunity.

The Frenchman's 32nd minute surge produced the ammo for Fletcher to replicate his goal against the Geordies as he darted to the near post.

There was a debate as to whether he actually got the touch that forced Distin into a desperate attempt at a clearance and indeed whether the Portsmouth centre back should be credited with an own goal.

In the end after countless re-runs the evidence came out in favour of the Scot.

If it was touch and go as to who was the dominant force up to that moment the there was no question it was the Premier League champions who took control of this match.

Having shown his frustration that his colleague's assists were not to his liking Wayne Rooney finally managed to urge them into providing an improved supply line.

He profited when he brilliantly turned Kaboul in the first half but lashed his shot just wide. Then a wrong flag from a linesman cost him his first goal of the season when he clinically stroked a through ball past James.

Had Portsmouth had the usual fire in the bell the Liverpudlian might have been chasing the ref at the final whistle regardless of the `Respect Campaign' had the home side engineered an escape from United's grip.

But United were never under any great pressure as they saw them through to the first win of the season.

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