Saturday 1st December 2007 - U's 1-0 Weymouth: Release the balls

There is nothing the media likes more than non-League clubs reaching above their perceived station. Cambridge boy Mark Saggers could barely contain his excitement on Radio 5 when he announced that Havant & Waterlooville had achieved an unlikely victory at Notts County, proclaiming that they were one of only two non-League teams definitely through to the heady heights of the Third Round of the Cup.

But who was the other one? I mused. Then it dawned on me: it was us! You see, two and a half seasons in the Blue Vauxhall Premier Conference have not diminished the Mighty U's; at heart we are still a League club, and always will be. It would be nice to actually be IN the League again, though...

Today was the fourth time that United had met Weymouth in the FA Cup, and the first two times (1971 and 1983) it was very much League versus Non-League, with the U's triumphing both times. Not so the last time, all of two years ago, when the Terras beat their now Conference rivals 2-1. But this fixture still has the feeling of those 70s and 80s encounters, and with United riding high on the crest of a wave and Weymouth languishing in lower mid-table, all Abbey eyes were set firmly on the potential glamour of a Third Round tie with A Big Club. And that could only mean one thing: glory hunters!

This elusive breed has not been seen in Newmarket Road for several years, preferring to spend its Saturdays slumped in the armchair watching Soccer Saturday, willing Arsenal/Spurs/West Ham/Chelsea/ManYoo to win while keeping a very small weather eye out for that local team who used to be quite good once. But word had got around; United had decided to tempt fate by handing out vouchers to all attendees today entitling them to entrance for any potential Glamour Game ® in Round Three. And by Jove, it worked. Lapsed Habbinites and Corona-dwellers flocked back to their spiritual home in such numbers that kick-off was put back to 3.15 and the South Habbin was opened specially. Was Dion playing? Where did that ruddy great stand come from at the Allotment End? And were there still bacon rolls for tea?

Over four and a half thousand eventually packed in, the largest attendance of the season, and the stage was set for that old Cup magic. We old cynics could only be alarmed; large crowd, great expectations, Jimmy Quinn presented with Manager of the Month before the game. A recipe for underachievement, surely. The carnival atmosphere was enhanced by the selling of the '2-1, 2-1' DVD around the ground, although the launch of the 2008 club calendar was delayed until another day due to its inclusion of someone called 'Andy' Lewer. Next time, just put Uncle Fester, we'll all know whom you mean...

The weather was chilly, overcast with a whip of a wind, but all was cosy in the packed stands, and Weymouth managed a decent turnout in the South Stand after that seemingly endless journey from the South Coast. Please Lord, don't let there be a replay.

On the back of five consecutive league and cup wins, United made two changes from last week's magnificent victory at Burton, with Courtney Pitt restored to midfield in place of Mark Convery, while the gamble on bringing Mark Albrighton had backfired somewhat in that he had aggravated his injury and was forced to stand down in favour of Gavin Hoyte. The visitors had already drawn 2-2 with the U's at their place this season, but doubtless still harboured memories of their last trip to the Abbey and the savage 7-0 drubbing that had ensued. They lined up in a cautious 4-5-1 formation, thankfully missing United's nemesis, Jefferson Louis, from that meeting at the end of August.

The U's were compelled to attack the NRE in the first half, but set to their task with pace and power, carrying on from last Friday. Inside two minutes Weymouth's Neil Young had felled Scott Rendell like a hurricane, and from the free-kick thirty yards out, Stephen Reed touched it to Hoyte to blast a tremendous rising Exocet which was headed for the top corner until tipped over by a diving Jason Matthews.

It was a good start for the slightly undersized Terras keeper, but his weakness was soon exposed as goal-kick after goal-kick sailed hopelessly out of play over the left-hand touchline. If they were this careless with the balls in tomorrow's Cup draw, neither side would be drawn at all.

The early pattern was set, with Abbey debutant Paul Carden controlling matters from the middle with calm passing, Gleeson and Pitt raiding down the flanks and Rendell and Lee Boylan mobile and alert targets up front. But United had to be alert to the break, and on 10 Michael Morrison was dispossessed out on the right near halfway by Stuart Beavon. The Weymouth striker raced clear and crossed for Paolo Vernazza in the middle, but his unchallenged header was well stopped by Danny Potter low to his left. An early warning that this was not to be the formality that we might have hoped.

United responded with a good spell of pressure. Pitt did well to retrieve a ball that was bouncing out of play and got over a cross that was eventually fired wide by Gleeson, and in another swift break the little wing-back could have sent Boylan clear on goal but chose to ignore his excellent run. Rob Wolleaston tried his luck from another Pitt cross on 13 but scudded one just wide of the far post from the edge of the box.

Then Boylan sent Rendell away, but he shot wide under pressure, and on 19 one of Reed's excellent inswinging corners beat a flailing Matthews but Boylan, just behind him, could not get sufficient purchase with his header to direct it into goal when a taller man would surely have buried it.

Still the hosts flooded forward, still Matthews sent his clearances in the direction of the dugouts. Another good move on 23 saw Reed advance down the middle, but with Pitt sprinting clear to his left, he selfishly chose to shoot from long range into Matthews' welcoming arms. Any concern at the United players' tendency to make the wrong passing decisions was tempered, however, on 26 when United finally took the lead.

A ball down the right flank was seized upon by the lively Rendell and, in a flash, he had flicked it over his marker Justin Roberts and was heading for goal. Roberts gave chase but could do no more than bring the U's striker down clumsily from behind as he burst in the box: stonewall penalty.

Rendell himself stepped up to the spot and, coolness personified, sent Matthews the wrong way to slot home for 1-0. Fifteen goals this season already; what a find this boy is. Just try not to draw too much attention to yourself when the transfer window opens, eh?

After almost half an hour of constant pressure, it was perhaps inevitable that the tempo should drop a little. The visitors threatened with a Vernazza corner on the half hour which seemed to need only a touch to go in, but somehow avoided everyone, and four minutes later Wolleaston launched another blaster that Matthews stopped comfortably.

The edge had definitely gone from United's play, however, with defence and midfield sitting complacently deep and pumping lazy long balls to their hard-working front two, and Weymouth seemed to gain in confidence as the likelihood of last season's avalanche receded like Harry Redknapp's chances of getting the England job. Just give it to Claude Le Roy, I want to see if he's got a new scarf yet.

Beavon set up Gavin McCallum for a lash at goal on 40, over the top, and the latter slid another effort wide three minutes later. The interval came with United in a deserved lead but having coasted the last quarter-hour and in need of reminding that the game was far from over just yet.

Disappointingly, there was no noticeable improvement when part two started and Weymouth, encouraged, began to take the game to United; luckily for the hosts, they had little up front to trouble a doughty black-and-amber defence which looked commanding, especially in the air.

Potter, also comfortingly in control, dealt with Vernazza's corner in the first minute, and a rather disjointed encounter ensued, with the conditions playing their part but United seemingly unable to recreate that early dominance. A Reed corner on 52 eventually fell for Carden, but he slashed wide, and first booking from patient ref Gibbs came three minutes later when Marcus Browning was penalised for an unnecessarily violent aerial challenge on Potter.

United were unable to find their passing game, surrendering possession time and again against an aggressive and hard-working Weymouth side which made up in effort what it lacked in quality, and with Gleeson staying deep and Pitt in wasteful mood, Rendell and Boylan had to make do with a succession of long hoofs rather any quality supply.

Boylan tested Matthews on the hour and Carden placed an effort wide on 62, but change was clearly needed and both sides made a sub on 63. Pitt paid for losing possession once too often and was replaced by Darryl Knights, Reed moving wide left, and Nick Crittenden came on for the visitors' Browning.

Rendell and Boylan continued to occupy the visitors' defence without troubling Matthews, and for all Weymouth's territorial parity they had been unable to cause the United rearguard much in the way of collywobbles, but on 72 JQ made another change as a tiring Boylan was replaced by Leo Fortune-West.

It was the visitors who began to increase the pressure, though, with a growing number of free-kicks and corners, but their cutting edge remained as blunt and lacking in sophistication as a John Prescott left hook. Potter made a decent save from Beavon on 74, then Carden made a superb last-ditch tackle to rob Anton Robinson as he danced around Mark Peters and shaped to shoot from close range.

Throwing caution to the not inconsiderable wind against a United side stuck in a rut of mediocrity, Weymouth introduced second striker Stuart Douglas on 78 in place of Vernazza, his long locks hanging down his back and obscuring his name like a large bunch of liquorice. Knights produced a decent run a minute later, but his shot was underwhelming with LFW well placed for a pass.

The tackles were flying thick and fast, and Carden was fortunate to escape plastic censure when he was fouled by Douglas on halfway and followed through studs-up after the free-kick had already been given United's way. The Weymouth players responded with some outrage but Douglas had not been badly hurt and Mr Gibbs contented himself with a little chat with the players involved. At least it made a change from some of the card-happy maniacs in black we have endured this season.

Both sides again made simultaneous changes on 85, Convery replacing a Wolleaston who had all but disappeared in the second half, while Conal Platt came on for the visitors' McCallum.

The last few minutes were almost all Weymouth, with Potter and his defence standing firm resolutely. United won header after header from the corners and free-kicks which rained in, and Douglas exemplified the visitors' frustration when booked for dissent as the four added minutes began. The hosts held out when, and we have said this time and time again this term, they might not have done last season, and that coveted place in Round Three was theirs.

Better opposition than Weymouth might have tested them more, but they will not get away with playing well for just one-third of a match again and JQ will no doubt address the change in mental attitude that came over his charges once they went one up. Nervous about the possibilities in the next round? Well at least it will be nice to be able to take some interest for a change when they release the balls from that velvet bag on Sunday afternoon. Long may this adventure of a season continue!

Statto Corner
The impressive attendance of 4,552 was the fortieth highest ever FA Cup attendance at the Abbey. It was, however, lower than United's other two home Cup encounters with Weymouth, with 4,643 [38th] in 1971 and 5,019 [32nd] in 1983.

The best-ever FA Cup crowd at the Wembley of the Fens was a capacity 12,000 against Aston Villa in January 1980, when United drew 1-1 in a Fourth Round encounter against a line-up including Brian Little, Dennis Mortimer and Gordon Cowans. The U's went down 4-1 in the replay in front of the second largest attendance which has ever watched a Cambridge United side, 36,835. The largest of all was also for an FA Cup tie: it was of course the 42,973 at Highbury in March 1991.

If you think the current United defence is hard, though, just look at that back four from 1980: Chris Turner, Dave Stringer, Steve Fallon and Wolfie Smith. Add to that the likes of Finney, Spriggs, O'Neill, Gibbins and Reilly, and you have a bunch of blokes with whom you'd cheerfully go to war. But NOT against!

Player Ratings
Potter 8. A six-foot tall security blanket.
Morrison 8. Consistent strength and defensive quality.
Peters 8. More aerial dominance than King Kong atop the Empire State Building.
Hoyte 8. Simply a colossus.
Gleeson 7. Consistently solid, although played more as a right-back than a wing-back in the second half.
Wolleaston 6. Off-day for the maestro.
Carden 8. Cool, quality passer and one brilliant last-ditch tackle to boot.
Reed 7. Nice delivery on corners, not enough involvement in open play.
Pitt 6. Another frustrating afternoon after a promising start, with too much possession wasted.
Boylan 7. Always mobile and menacing, but not served very well by his colleagues.
Rendell 8. Led the line splendidly, just didn't get enough of the ball in part two.

Knights 6. Scurried busily without really hurting the opposition.
Fortune-West 6. Strong presence, but supply line was weak.
Convery 6. Filled in adequately for last five minutes.

Match Summary
United played well for half an hour, then sleepwalked through the next sixty minutes but still managed to overcome a willing but limited Weymouth side to get through to the glamour of the Third Round of the FA Cup for the first time in five seasons. One suspects a little more quality will be required next time around.

Man of the Match
Gavin Hoyte. The big man seems to improve every time he make an appearance and his towering, no-nonsense approach was just the ticket to see United through today.

Ref Watch
Gibbs 8. Didn't get everything right, but it's always good to see a referee who communicates with the players, is sparing with the cards and tries to keep the game flowing. Probably not officious enough to make it to the Premiership.

Non-League Player's Name of the Week
Dulwich Hamlet's positively virginal Anton Innocent.

Soundtrack of the Day
Siouxsie 'Here Comes That Day

Andrew Bennett

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