Parliamentary Correspondent Rob Merrick takes a look at Gordon Brown's cup-winning performance at the Despatch Box.

IT was the day when the Wayne Rooney of British politics came off the subs' bench in an heroic bid to turn the match around as the final whistle nears.

Just as football's wunderkid is kept in reserve until the decisive part of the game, so Gordon Brown has been out of sight while the Tories won the early skirmishes of the election campaign.

Nervous Labour MPs have bitten their nails as the Chancellor's inferior replacements scored embarrassing own goals - allowing Michael Howard's underdogs to seize an early lead.

Now here was their hero -- perhaps we should call him Brooney? -- joining the fray at last, striking fear into an Opposition which has never tackled him successfully.

Just as no-one really knows what goes on in the team dressing room, so mystery surrounds Brooney's non-appearance until deep into the match.

One version says manager Blair has dumped him for refusing to play a team game, prefering to bring in his long-term rival Alan 'Jackie' Milburn to lead the line.

Another insists Brooney has been sulking at his shock demotion, refusing to take off his tracksuit despite his manager's pleadings as the new tactics backfired.

Whatever the truth, the long-awaited appearance was accompanied by deafening cheers from the terraces. Here was someone who could hit the target.

It wasn't always pretty, free-flowing stuff, as Brooney first got bogged down in economic growth targets, interest rate comparisons, debt ratios and net borrowing.

But there was a footballing joke to lighten the mood. With growth in 50 successive quarters, Brooney declared he was better than Arsenal, whose unbeaten run stumbled at the 50th hurdle.

Then the Opposition was being bombarded with well-aimed strikes from every angle - over education spending, extra cash for children and, most of all, help for pensioners.

The roar that greeted the news that every pensioner was to get a £200 election bribe - sorry, council tax refund - signalled that the relieved fans believed victory would now be theirs.

The manager nodded delightedly as his star player stamped his authority on the contest, but the grin became fixed as the cheers echoed around the stadium.

No-one is allowed to be more popular than the boss. Furthermore, this manager knows Brooney intends to pick his own position in the team before too long. And he wants to be at No.10.