Monday 9th April 2007 - U's 4-2 Dag & Red: Divide And Conga

I've seen the U's
Time after time
Sometimes it's a pleasure
Sometimes it's a crime
And bad mistakes
I've seen a few
We've had our share of embarrassing losses
But we've come through

We aren't the champions, my friends
But we'll keep on fighting till the end
We aren't the champions, we aren't the champions
Don't call us losers 'cause we aren't the champions of the world

I've enjoyed the highs
We've all had a ball
You've brought me goals and glory and everything that goes with it
I thank you all

But the Noughties have been bobbins
No pleasure cruise
Now we face the greatest challenge in our history
And we just cannot lose

We aren't the champions, my friends
But we'll keep on fighting till the end
We aren't the champions, we aren't the champions
Just don't call us losers 'cause we aren't the champions of the world!

Easter Monday was the cue for a parade of the champions at the Abbey in the form of Dagenham & Redbridge, who clinched the title on Saturday after a season of relentless consistency that has left everyone else trailing in their wake. Much like last season's champs, Accrington Stanley, they have done it by sheer teamwork with a line-up devoid of stars, although Paul Benson has made a name for himself by topping the Conference goalscoring charts, and they even sold two of their best players to some team of League Two mid-table no-hopers in January.

No-one at our level will begrudge the Daggers their title, especially when they were robbed of it five years ago by the cheats and chancers of Boston United who were let off with a slap on the wrist instead of the relegation that they deserved. And although they were formed from a gradual amalgam and absorption of other clubs (Leytonstone, Ilford, Walthamstow Avenue), there is nothing of the distasteful whiff of franchising about them that hangs in the air around Milton Keynes.

United retained the same team that was so unlucky to lose at Halifax on Saturday and it was to be hoped that their opponents would be in a relaxed frame of mind following their weekend celebrations. They did make four changes from that which clinched the title, and perhaps wisely left controversial keeper Tony Roberts at home after his inflammatory mouthings to the amber army in the reverse game between the sides back in August. His place was taken by Nicky Eyre, who enjoyed a brief spell at Histon earlier this term.

A little over five hundred made the trip from deepest darkest Essex, not exactly impressive by our own standards but a decent percentage of the average attendance of what is after all still a small non-League club, at least until the end of the season when it will be a small League club. Bless.

Their fans were certainly in good voice and with a good turnout from the home support, it made for a lively atmosphere on a pleasantly warm, intermittently sunny Spring Bank Holiday. Encouragingly, United did not freeze but resumed where they left off on Saturday, playing pleasing passing football with intelligent movement and energy all over the park. The Daggers also looked determined and full of running with no hint of taking their collective foot off the pedal now the title was in the bag.

Dan Gleeson looked particularly inspired and a good run on 5 set up Robbie Simpson for United's first chance, but the big hitman snatched at the chance and blasted over. Simmo had an even better opportunity a minute later, rising unchallenged to meet Courtney Pitt's tantalising inswinging corner, but he could only guide his header straight into Eyre's arms as the amber horde's cries of 'Goal!' stuck in their throats like so many undigested Crème Eggs.

United were on top, but they were in for a rude awakening on 8 when Aidan Collins was harshly adjudged to have fouled Chris Moore out on the Dagenham right. The kick was swung into the box by Sam Saunders, and there was that man Benson, criminally unmarked six yards out, stooping to ram an unequivocal header past the flailing Crichton. 0-1.

"That is why we're going up!" sang the visitors, and if they have been presented with easy tap-ins like that every week, it's no wonder they are the champions. United continued to play their football, but unthinkably, within three minutes the deficit had been doubled. With Michael Morrison off the pitch for treatment, Glen Southam galloped down the left channel pursued by Mark Peters. His low cross into a crowded box was right into the dreaded 'corridor of uncertainty' between back three and keeper, and although there was a hint of own goal about it, Benson was credited with steering it low past Crichton. 0-2!

Oh dear. Earlier in the season, United heads would have sagged lower than John Prescott's fifth chin in the face of such a devastating double blow. But this current side is made of sterner stuff, and with their support remaining, well, supportive, they simply continued to take the game to their opponents as before.

First booking of the day came on 15 for Gleeson, who was penalised by fussy ref Horwood for an innocuous challenge on Southam and received the card for expressing his opinion of the man in black's decision after getting up from receiving treatment from the injury which he received during the challenge.

Dan Chillingworth, fleet-footed as ever, almost wriggled through shortly after but was denied by Eyre's rush from goal, on 17 Simpson sent a header narrowly over the top, and two minutes later more good running by Chilli allowed him to get in a shot which lacked pace and trundled wide of the post.

Dagenham still menaced on the break, Benson forcing a save from Crichton on 20, Rob Wolleaston had a snap shot blocked by Mark Arber on 22, and Saunders blazed wide for the visitors a minute later as the game remained open and entertaining, despite heavy home hearts at being two down.

And on 24 those hearts were lifted as if the spirit of Geoff Capes had entered into their chests and hoisted them on high. The big East Anglian muscleman's equivalent on the field, Mark Peters, was the man of the moment as he rose to meet Pitt's corner like he was on an invisible pogo stick to plant an unstoppable header past Eyre and the man on the line. 1-2.

The Abbey noise rose another notch as self-belief flooded everyone in amber. Simpson latched onto a Danny Brown through ball to power down the left channel, but with Stephen Smith and Chilli cantering through the middle in expectation, he could not get his cross past the first man, Saunders.

Wolleaston sent a shot into Eyre's gloves on 27, and a minute later Gleeson's wickedly curling cross looked like drifting into goal until tipped around the post by the Daggers keeper. The ensuing corner was cleared only to Smith, but his careful volley sailed a couple of yards over the bar.

Now it was all United, their midfield trinity dominating possession and feeding wide men Gleeson and Pitt, who had willing outlets in the two forwards whose mobility and strength looked far more troubling to the champions' defence that it did to that of Halifax on Saturday.

Chilli tested Eyre with a header from a Pitt cross on the half hour, and two minutes later the front pairing struck gold. Wolleaston's intelligent ball over the top found both men onside thanks to a straggling Daggers defender, and Chilli drew his man wide before squaring to the unmarked Simpson in the middle; his strike partner made no mistake, ramming home from close range past the helpless keeper. 2-2!

The atmosphere rose again from 'spicy' to 'vindaloo' as the rampant U's scented blood against their reeling opponents. Chilli saw a shot blocked by Jake Leberl on 35, and seconds later a glorious Smith ball down the left flank sent Pitt away clear. His first touch was a little heavy, but there was no-one ahead of him, and the wee wing wizard scampered unhindered into the area before lashing a glorious low shot past Eyre before he could blink and into the far corner of the net. Classic: 3-2!

One of the Daggers' most vociferous supporters in the South Stand had greeted United's previous goals by standing up and miming a 'going down' gesture with both arms, like a mutant kangaroo. But when Pitt's stunner flew in, even he felt moved to stand and applaud generously and sincerely.

Still United kept their collective foot on the pedal, and looked about to score every time they ventured forward. More nifty footwork by Gleeson set up Chilli on 40 for a low skimmer just stopped by Eyre, and a minute later the United striker essayed another shot which looked for all the world to come off a Dagenham hand, to no interest from the man with the whistle.

Another coruscating Pitt run down the left on 43 climaxed in a fizzing cross which flew across the six-yard box and evaded Simpson's lunging boot by a matter of inches. This was great stuff. The front two continued to terrorise the visitors' defence, both having shots blocked as the half ran down, and Chilli sent a header into Eyre's hands from another Pitt cross.

Last action of the 45 was a free-kick resulting from a foul on Simpson by Paolo Vernazza, but Pitt was inaccurate for a change and curled over the wall but over the bar too. Then the half was over, a breathless classic that had seemed to last for twice as long and had been even more enjoyable. Absolutely thrilling stuff which the amber hordes had not wanted to end, but at the same time they needed to finish just to get their collective breath back.

Surely the second half could not be as exciting as that. What was so heartening was that the champions were not cruising, they had come to give United a game and been thoroughly outplayed by a devastating team performance which had just shrugged aside the two-goal lead it had initially surrendered. There is nothing headier than unfettered hope.

Neither manager deemed any changes necessary for part two. Arber fouled Chilli out on the right on 48 and Pitt bent in the first of several teasing free-kicks which was just stopped from finding a United head at the far post by a soaring Eyre.

There was rare danger, however, for the home goal a minute later when Saunders swung a corner across from the left, Morrison inadvertently helped it on and Leberl rose unchallenged at the far post to somehow head over from five yards out.

Early exchanges were fairly even, Daggers' boss John Still clearly unhappy with the way his team had been trampled underfoot in the first half, but any remaining amber apprehension was allayed on 54 by another brilliant goal. United were awarded a free-kick near halfway and Brown took it quickly, sending Wolleaston sprinting down the left flank. Reaching the box, he looked up to see only Chilli and four defenders square, so he simply cut inside his marker and fired an unstoppable shot across Eyre and in at the far post. Superb stuff: 4-2!

The away support looked resigned to its team's fate but was determined to party anyway, and a long conga line made its way across the front of the South Stand as the amber hordes staged their own celebrations. Pitt tested Eyre with another free-kick on 56, then Gleeson rampaged into the area from deep and appeared to be clearly fouled, but the referee's peculiar hand signals did not mean 'penalty.' The U's support responded with some hand signals of their own.

The contest gradually began to settle down, although Simpson made a lively contribution on 66 when he broke down the left channel, beat two opponents then flashed an ambitious long-ranger wide of the far post. Then Collins joined in the fun, picking up on a loose ball to lash a low trundler wide of the post from the 'D.'

Then came United's best chance yet, as Simpson made a perfectly timed run from the centre circle onto Wolleaston's through ball to gallop through one-on-one with Eyre. His first touch wasn't great, but as Eyre advanced it seemed he must slip it past him for number five; but the Daggers custodian got a touch to send the shot wide for a corner.

The visitors needed to change something if they were to get anything from their rampant hosts, and on 68 they changed strikers, introducing Ben Strevens for Moore. The sub got his first chance in a scramble from a corner four minutes later, but his close-range flick was seized upon by a sprawling Crichton.

Pitt scampered clear down the left on 73 in another cutting break, but was then felled by a lumberjack of a tackle by Saunders, who was booked for his, or rather Courtney's, pains. The contest began to peter out a little after a turbocharged first hour and the visitors made two further changes, Jamie Taylor for Southam on 74 and Sam Sloma for Saunders five minutes later.

As proceedings began to wind down, Craig Hughes replaced Chilli on 81 to warm and deserved applause after another tremendous exhibition of the striker's art, and who would have thought those words would have been appropriate when he re-signed those long months ago?

United retained their shape and kept working and it was obvious that there was no way back for the champions elect. David Bridges and Darren Quinton made brief cameos in added time for Gleeson and Smith, the other two home town boys who fully deserved their standing ovations, then it was all over to uproarious cheers on all sides. The 'Magnificent Seven' DVD sold out of its first pressing before kickoff; at this rate there will be further volumes to come!

This was United's fourth excellent, cohesive display in a row, and although Halifax proved that this will not always be enough, it is sufficient to give everyone who cares for this club enormous heart for the battles yet to come. Survival is achievable, and if we can do it in this sort of style, so much the better. As for Dagenham... good luck for next season, you deserve it, and letâ's hope your defence can cope better than it did today!

Player Ratings
Crichton 7. Looked safe and could do little about either goal that flew past him.
Gleeson 9. An absolute revelation.
A.Collins 8. The epitome of no-nonsense defending.
Peters 9. United's rock-solid foundation.
Morrison 8. Mr Consistency.
Pitt 9. A special talent who scored a quite superb goal.
Wolleaston 8. Now doing it on a consistent basis and what a cracker he scored.
Brown 9. The glue that holds the whole side together.
Smith 8. Fully deserves his run in the team.
Chillingworth 8. Has never played better than in his last few games. Great combination with Simmo.
R.Simpson 9. The whole attack revolves around him, and doesn't he deliver.

Hughes 6. Game was won by the time he came on but kept the Daggers occupied.
Bridges 6. Barely time to touch the ball.
Quinton 6. Not sure if he did touch the ball.

Match Summary
The marvellous Mighty U's gave the champions two goals start then gave them a lesson in exhilarating attacking football which could have yielded even more than the four goals which they scored in a magical half-hour of football. Three more repeats of this and safety will be secured.

Man of the Match
Dan Gleeson. It would be no exaggeration to say that United's tremendous recent form would not have been possible without Dan's tireless work up and down the right flank, defending with the reliability of a metronome and getting more adventurous and dangerous going forward with every match. An absolutely vital cog in the U's mean machine.

Ref Watch
Horwood 6. Pernickety fusspot who awarded far too many unnecessary free-kicks, except in the penalty area.

Soundtrack of the Day
Pull Tiger Tail 'Let's Lightning'

Andrew Bennett

Now talk about it on the message board!

Previous match reports:
Halifax 1-0 U's
U's 7-0 Weymouth
Crawley 1-1 U's
U's 0-5 York
Stafford 1-2 U's
U's 1-1 Forest Green
U's 2-2 Southport
Morecambe 2-2 U's
U's 2-0 Grays
Oxford 1-1 U's
U's 3-0 Woking
Rushden & Diamonds 3-1 U's
Stevenage 4-1 U's
U's 0-1 Stafford
U's 1-2 Burton
U's 0-1 Rushden & Diamonds
Histon 5-0 U's(FA Trophy 1st round)
Woking 0-1 U's
U's 0-2 St Albans
U's 1-3 Morecambe
U's 3-0 Gravesend
Grays 1-1 U's
Northwich 2-0 U's (FA Cup Qual)
U's 0-3 Oxford
U's 1-2 Crawley
U's 2-2 Altrincham
Burton 2-1 U's
U's 1-0 Stevenage
U's 1-1 Kidderminster
Forest Green 1-1 U's
U's 1-3 Exeter
Dagenham 2-0 U's
U's 1-2 Halifax
St Albans 1-1 U's
U's 0-1 Northwich Victoria

Pre-season match reports:
Histon 0-0 U's (3-4 on pens)
U's 1-3 Norwich
Fakenham 0-7 U's
Enfield FC 0-2 U's
Cambridge City 0-2 U's
U's 4-4 Ipswich
U's 0-4 West Ham
Bury Town 1-2 U's
Leyton 0-3 U's

The views expressed on this page are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cambridge United Football Club or the webmaster.