A day of firsts at Bramall Lane as United beat Preston 1-0 which made it an 'almost perfect' day for new boss Gary Speed.

On Speed's first home game as manager, debutant Jean Calve found the net for the first time ever to record the first win of the campaign and make his second press conference a much happier affair:

"The lads tried to keep playing the right way all the way through. There was a little spell in the second-half when they hadn't scored and they could have lost a little confidence and tried to force things, but they didn't and I thought they deserved to win.

"Preston caused us a few problems through King and Keith Treacy who hit the bar with a free-kick which could have changed the game, so to get a clean sheet as well was fantastic as well."

With Chris Morgan missing the game owing to a calf strain and not risked after a scan showed a slight tear, Kyle Nosworthy and Kyle Bartley were paired in centre defence alongside the debutant full-backs:

"The back five were excellent, especially as they hadn't played together before. Nyron and Kyle were solid and Calve and Jordan tucked in like ducks taking to water - the defence was as safe as houses."

Calve's 30 yarder into the top corner came out of the blue and the fact that it was his first ever professional goal was as surprising as the fact that he immediately collapsed in a heap:

"It was a brilliant strike but his leg seized up whilst the ball was hitting the net because he had cramp - I thought it was just a unique celebration!

"I can't take full credit for him being here because he was on trial when Blackie was here and we liked what he offered then. We took him because he is good going forward and I didn't consider it a risk putting him in, although his lack of match fitness probably led to the cramp.

"He has great feet and put lots of crosses in which we need but we will work on getting more bodies in there to meet them."