Sunday 28th September 2008 - U's 1-0 Grays: Black and Amber Sabbath
What a very confusing weekend. On the Saturday, Ian Ashbee captained a team playing in black'n'amber to victory at Arsenal (by 'eck, that magic hat's working in overdrive), while U's fans had nothing to do other than chortle at Jeff Stelling's attempts at pronouncing 'Exodus Geohagan' and the results of our friends up the A14, while wondering how Michael Gash is scoring all those goals for Ebbsfleet.
Then on the Sunday, usually a day of quiet contemplation spent with a pint or two, or in B&Q, followed by watching the unfortunate multi-millionaire Premier League players who have to turn out on this day for our televisual delectation, we found ourselves in the shoes of the supporters who follow such teams, with a 3pm kickoff on our day of rest, thankfully at home. We were as confused and disorientated as Newcastle's defence.
Mercifully such befuddlement was forgotten once Fortress Abbey had hoved into view and the familiar matchday routine had kicked in, although that wasn't helped by the PA playing songs called 'In A Broken Dream' followed swiftly by 'All I Have To Do Is Dream' to engender a nagging suspicion that one was, in fact, still in bed and imagining the whole day from the Land of Nod.
United's recent form has been nearer nightmare than dream, with one win and three defeats in their last seven matches, culminating in that lame duck of a performance on Tuesday at Oxford, whose world-beaters promptly went on to lose to previously winless Lewes yesterday. How typical of these small clubs to raise their game against the Mighty U's.
Our Gary made only two changes to midweek's line-up, dropping Lee McEvilly and Robbie Willmott to the bench in favour of Mark Convery and Chris Holroyd. The latter formed a new strike partnership with Danny Crow, while Convery started on the left of midfield with Felino Jardim wide right in front of an unchanged back four, with Anthony Tonkin still accompanying Mark Beesley on the injured list. Thankfully, both players appeared briefly for a pre-match warm-up, indicating that they should be available again sooner rather than later.
Grays, now playing in royal blue rather than their traditional Cambridge blue, arrived at the Abbey fresh from a narrow 2-1 defeat to Stevenage in Thursday's live TV game, and sporting the most consistent away record in the Conference: five games, five defeats. Chairman Micky Woodward had given up his second attempt at managing the side, although he remained in the boardroom after withdrawing a threat to sell up, and new boss Wayne Burnett will take over tomorrow.
These days they are captained by former U's trialist Jamie Stuart, although former skipper Stuart Thurgood has returned on loan after failing to set the Football League alight with Gillingham, but they were missing two defenders injured on Thursday, 38-year-old ex-Ipswich veteran Fabian Wilnis and ex-United tough-tackler Rob Gier.
The second lowest attendance of the season at the Abbey reflected the unusual timing (hands up who turned up on Saturday?) and the atmosphere was easy like Sunday afternoon as the visitors kicked off in warm sunshine. The tone was set for the contest with early U's pressure and stout, organised resistance from Grays, Spurs loanee keeper David Button catching an early chip from Jon Challinor.
The visitors' front two of Sean Rigg and Kieran St Aimie looked reasonably lively, but United's defence looked notably more resilient than on Tuesday, and United enjoyed the better of the early play without making much of a threat to Button's goal, although Holroyd looked particularly up for it with a lot of mazy running.
Danny Potter was forced into his first save on 13, blocking a twenty-yarder from Stuart Elliott, then Convery was fouled by ex-Cambridge City midfielder Mark Molesley and his free-kick set up a shot for Challinor which was deflected away by Stuart.
Ref Smedley had already shown himself to be a fussy character with a little too much unnecessary whistling, but he was not so particular when he penalised Holroyd for a non-foul on Kenny Davis on 15 and allowed Grays to take the free-kick from a spot a good ten yards from where the 'offence' took place. Danny Crow tried to tell the ref the error of his ways, but was rewarded by Elliott cynically smashing the kick into him from a couple of yards, for which grave transgression he received a yellow card for 'not retreating.' Lordy.
Challinor blasted wide from distance a minute later, but there was more controversy on 19 when Holroyd made a tremendous slaloming run into the box, only to be clearly pulled back when about to pull the trigger fifteen yards out. The man in black chose to play the advantage as the ball fell to Crow, but his low shot was expertly tipped around the post by Button, and although in truth he should have scored, it is fair to say everyone with amber sympathies would much rather have just had the penalty. Maybe later.
Convery's corner found Challinor, but that man Button was there again to tip JC's header over, and the moment had passed. Both sides continued to slog busily, if not especially brilliantly, with Grays working hard to close down danger men like Jardim and Holroyd in numbers. The latter helped to set up Paul Carden for a shot from the edge of the box on 27, but Stuart was there again to throw himself in the way, and the front two were sometimes so busy coming deep to help out in the build-up that there was no-one to receive a through ball in the final third, Crow once memorably crossing to exactly the spot where he himself should have been in the middle.
The tackling was firm but rarely dirty, although Jardim received a clattering from Elliott on the half hour. Hatswell took the free-kick from 25 yards out, but went for placement rather than power and drifted it over the wall and past the far post. Next to bring the little Dutchman down was Ishmael Welsh, and Convery's ensuing free-kick into a crowded area was pawed by an under-pressure Button only as far as the penalty spot; Phil Bolland spun and shot like the Microsoft paperclip, but fired narrowly wide.
United's probing was a mixture of down the wings and through the middle, and Holroyd breached the stout Grays rearguard on 38 with a coruscating turn and run down the latter channel; with Crow to his left and Jardim gambolling up in support unmarked to his right, the U's striker went straight for goal and drilled a low shot just wide of the near post.
Three minutes later more probing resulted in a home corner, which Convery arced over to the far post where Jardim tried a bicycle kick which sent the ball over the top. Final action of the half was a booking for St Aimie for a foul on Dan Gleeson, and United retired to the dressing room after an energetic and committed 45 minutes in which they had enjoyed the better of the possession but had just lacked that killer touch in front of goal which would have broken the deadlock. For doughty Grays, it was, so far, mission accomplished.
It was the visitors, in fact, who started part two the better, with some challenging deliveries into the box that Potter, Hatswell and Bolland did well to repel. A Molesley free-kick on 48 found Sam Sloma whose shot was blocked by Danny Brown's granite-like form, and United continued to stand firm.
Having used the advantage rule almost too liberally so far, the man in black blotted his copybook on 52 when Holroyd sprinted clear from a Molesley challenge only to be stopped in his tracks so the latter could be booked, but United were now beginning to respond to their visitors' early challenge. And on 55 they came their nearest yet to breaking the deadlock.
Convery's set-piece delivery was of consistent quality all afternoon, and this time his corner found Hatswell near the penalty spot, rising to head goalward; Crow was quickest to react and flicked goalward with his right foot, and the ball was headed for the roof of the net until Button made an excellent save to tip over. The follow-up flag-kick produced more chaos in the box, and Danny Brown of all people popped up to see his shot parried onto the bar by the Grays custodian's fingernails. (He was wearing fingerless gloves, honest).
St Aimie had been pushing his luck after his first-half booking, and after a lecture from the ref (he was very fond of those) he was withdrawn on 58 in favour of Jonny Dixon, who left Aldershot for Brighton for £55,000 in January but has failed to make an impression in Sussex and is now on loan at the New Rec.
United threatened again with a straightforward ball down the middle from Bolland, to which Crow latched on, only to be crudely shoved to the ground from behind by Gavin Dayes; the Grays defender was only shown yellow as Stuart was also in attendance. Convery took the free-kick, but his curler aimed at the top corner was always sailing too high.
There was an unexpected stoppage on 65 when ref Smedley was forced to withdraw and replaced by fourth official Graham Bielby, a chap so vertically challenged that even Convery towered over him. The stoppage lasted several minutes, whose significance would reveal itself later. Just like Tales of the Unexpected, this, isn't it?
Holroyd's speed and trickery came to the fore again on 72, when he cut inside and saw his powerful shot blocked by Stuart, but change was clearly needed to avoid a goalless draw, or worse, a last-minute defeat a la Torquay. Grays replaced Molesley with Barry Cogan, then Dayes with Stefan Bailey, and in between Lee McEvilly was finally unleashed in place of Jardim, just after one last run and blocked shot from the Dutchman.
United did not go to 4-3-3 this time, but Holroyd withdrew to replace Jardim on the right wing so that Big Mac could accompany Crow up front. Grays' fresh legs brought them fresh impetus, too, Thurgood stinging Potter's gloves on 82, then the hosts responded with a Holroyd run to the byline followed by a cross to the unmarked Challinor ten yards out, but the ball fell just behind him and by the time he had sorted his feet out, the visitors' defence had closed him down.
Back came Grays, Riggs trying a curler wide on 84, then the stand-in ref frustrated the amber army by stopping Holroyd in his tracks so he could book Cogan for a foul on the United man. The U's huffed and puffed, but Grays' stout resistance looked impassable and the afternoon was beginning to look like a bigger waste of time than a David Blaine stunt.
Robbie Willmott came on for Crow, Holroyd resuming up front as five minutes' added time was indicated, due mainly of course to the ref exchange. United pressed, and a minute from the end, with the ball ping-ponging around the packed Grays box, Challinor arrowed a long throw in, Hatswell rose to challenge with Cogan, and the replacement ref indicated a handball: penalty!
There had certainly been some sort of contact, but exactly what it was hard to tell in a split second; however, Mr Bielby had enjoyed a good view of the incident, so we reluctantly (ahem!) took his word for it. McEvilly strode up to take his first spot-kick since that vital one in the playoff semi at Burton. His finish was confident, unerring, hammered high into the net while Button dived the other way. 1-0!
There was barely time for Grays to mount one last attack, then it was all over; relief for United, heartbreak for the visitors. In truth, the U's had just about deserved it, having enjoyed better possession and certainly forcing the better chances and saves from the keeper. Grays had, however, been spirited and difficult opponents, and will surely break their away duck sooner than later.
There is no doubt that United have missed the guile and subtle prompting of Mark Beesley, and when he plays well, the whole team plays well. In a tight, competitive division, he could make all the difference to a team which was OK today but rarely more than that. Perhaps his return will begin to turn our dreams into reality. We will soon find out... hopefully before another Sunday comes.
Statto Corner
United today continued an impressive, if intermittent, run in Sunday matches at the Abbey. Their first and most famous Sabbath game was an FA Cup Third Round tie against Oldham on 6th January 1974, the first football match to be staged by an English professional club on a Sunday, due to its 11.30am kick-off; Oldham's supporters coaches had to leave at two in the morning to make it.
Saturday had become just another working day due to the three-day week designed to ration usage of power, and midweek games were impossible to stage due to the banning of floodlights for the same reason, so a few clubs hit on the idea of Sunday football to maximise attendances.
Due to the Sunday Observance Act, United were not allowed to charge admission, so they got around that by making the purchase of a programme compulsory and increasing its price to match normal admission prices. They were rewarded with a tremendous crowd of 8,479, and the match finished in a thrilling 2-2 draw; the U's eventually lost in a second replay staged at Nottingham Forest's City Ground.
Since then, United have played twelve league matches at the Abbey on the Sabbath (including today), winning seven and drawing three; the last before today was back on 29th December 1991, a 1-0 home defeat by Watford. They have also staged two home playoff games on that day, against Maidstone in 1990 and Leicester in 1992, both of which ended in draws.
In Sunday away games, United have won seven and drawn five out of eighteen matches, all league encounters except for one FA Cup tie at Maidstone in 1986. Everyone will remember the two Sunday matches the U's have played at neutral venues: the LDV Final of 2002 and, of course, last season's playoff final. I need remind no-one of the results in those two games, unfortunately...
Player Ratings
Potter 7. Not his busiest day by a long way, but did all he had to do efficiently.
Gleeson 7. Steady if unspectacular.
Bolland 7. Rarely troubled in his usual unruffled style.
Hatswell 8. All-action man.
Brown 7. Thoroughly cool and looked comfortable at left-back.
Jardim 7. Needed to see more of the ball, but had several good moments without creating any great danger.
Carden 8. Back to something approaching his best, his cover play was immaculate apart from one misplaced pass near the end.
Challinor 7. Lent Carden decent support down the middle, and got forward pretty well in the second half.
Convery 7. Left-wing is by no means his best position, but he remained busy and involved throughout.
Crow 7. Forced one fine save from the keeper and form continues to improve along with his fitness.
Holroyd 8. A real livewire up front and looked most likely to make something happen.
McEvilly 7. Super-cool penalty saved the day.
Willmott 6. Only on the pitch during added time.
Match Summary
United just about deserved their hard-fought win, but needed a last-minute penalty to get it after ninety minutes of huffage and puffage. The pieces are falling into place, but the jigsaw is not quite complete yet; filling that Mark Beesley-shaped space will certainly help.
Man of the Match
Wayne Hatswell. Always in control defensively, and lent good support in attacking situations too.
Refs Watch
Smedley 6. Pernickety fusspot who stopped play far too many times for minor clashes and pointless lectures, but at least he made good use of the advantage rule...
Bielby 6. ...unlike his pint-sized replacement, who must have skipped that page when he read the rule book. Still, thanks for the penalty, littl'un.
Becky's World of Wit and Wisdom
"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." [Sunderland, 1/9/92]
Hello... Goodbye
We have four birthday boys today. Martin McNeil (1980) became a regular in the team at the turn of the century while still a teenager, but somewhere along the line he went off the rails and gave up professional football for the exciting world of banking. He still plays, for Soham Town Rangers.
Striker Steve Pyle (1963) was one of the influx of bright young Geordie talent that came to the Abbey in the early-to-mid Eighties. Unfortunately his emergence coincided with the dismal Ryan-Shellito era, which prematurely curtailed so many youngsters' careers, and after eight goals in 69 appearances, he drifted back to the North East where he became a prolific non-League goalscorer for the likes of Blyth Spartans, North Shields and Gateshead.
Ray Walker was, spookily, born on the same day as Steve Pyle in the same town - North Shields - and so perhaps even in the same hospital. Walker was a classy midfielder who played five games on loan for United from Port Vale in 1994 while recuperating from injury, then stayed in the Potteries area with Leek Town and Newcastle Town.
Tony Tuddenham (1956) was a Norfolk boy who enjoyed a brief spell for the U's at right-back in the mid-1970s before moving on to Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge City.
Midfielder Paul Smith made his United debut on this day in 1974 in the worst possible circumstances, a 6-0 drubbing at Darlington. He stuck around for two seasons, though, before entering the welcoming arms of our neighbours at Milton Road.
The legendary Lindsay 'Wolfie's gonna get ya' Smith played the last game of his first spell at the Abbey on this day in 1982 in a 2-1 defeat at Shrewsbury, before joining Plymouth for £20,000. He helped them to the FA Cup semi-final in 1984 against Watford, where he marked his former U's colleague George Reilly. Wolfie eventually returned to his spiritual home in August 1986.
Soundtrack of the Day
Dananananaykroyd 'Pink Sabbath'
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
More Match Photos
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