Saturday 7th March 2009 - U's 2-0 Burton: One Fewer Brewer
"Simple football is the most beautiful. But playing simple football is the hardest thing."
Johan Cruyff knew a thing or two about football, even if he did smoke twenty fags a day until he had a heart attack. He learned his trade under the great Rinus Michels, a coach who believed in trusting the intelligence of his players and combining creativity and destructiveness to create a pleasing whole, as embodied in the Ajax and Netherlands teams he led so inspirationally in the 1970s. And where Cruyff sought simplicity, too many other coaches arrived instead at simplism.
It has been a tough week for the U's, having had to battle to draws against the kick-and-rush merchants of Histon and the kick-and-gouge savages of Crawley, so what a pleasure it was to welcome one of the most pleasing footballing teams in our league, as well (encouragingly) as the most successful, in Burton Albion. Now United could test their mettle in a contest based on skill and teamwork rather than sheer physical force and effort, and in so doing create a spectacle that was pleasing to the eye to boot.
And what added pleasure to welcome two United legends back to the Abbey in Roy McFarland and Martin Butler. Roy was the manager who last led the U's to a promotion, in 1999, and his professionalism and approachability demonstrated that it was possible to be a success and still be a gentleman in this cut-throat game of ours. Martin is quite simply one of the greatest forwards ever to wear the black'n'amber, a shining example to all youngsters for his dedication and work ethic as well as his inspirational striking skills. Having taken over the reins at the Pirelli from Nigel Clough, Big Mac has rescued Butts from the verge of the scrapheap at the age of 34 to play for him again as he did for the U's a decade ago, and if United cannot win the BSP this season, Burton will surely be most of the amber army's second choice.
There was only one change in the United team from Monday, new boy Lee Phillips' injury meaning a recall for Chris Holroyd, but with Danny Crow absent as well (ill) the U's had no striking cover on the bench. There was, however, a place there for Andy Parkinson, a truly cheering sight after his getting crocked in the first week of the season and long recuperation since.
For the visitors, Uncle Roy awarded a first start to Butler in place of leading scorer Greg Pearson, accompanying Shaun Harrad up front, while grand old man Kevin Poole was astoundingly still in goal at the age of 44. Gawd bless him, he's the Queen Mother of the Conference.
Clough junior's team always played good passing football and they have continued this under Roy Mac, but that means they also permit the opposition room to do the same, so United would be able to test their footballing credentials to the full on a pleasantly mild, dry March afternoon.
First corner went to the Cambridge blue-clad visitors on 4, John McGrath's inswinger dealt with efficiently by the U's defence, while the hosts' first flag-kick came five minutes later, former Burtonian Paul Carden's effort finding the unmarked head of Wayne Hatswell, but his downward header bounced harmlessly into Poole's waiting gloves.
Danny Potter made his first save from a Harrad drive on 11, then good work from Courtney Pitt down the left culminated in a cross into the middle which Robbie Willmott met on the run, but his header flew some way wide of the far upright. Keith Gilroy sent a fizzer wide on 14, then play ebbed back up the other end again as a fusillade of U's shots were blocked away.
Burton skipper Michael Simpson fired wide on 19, but for all the pleasing approach play of both sides, neither could as yet find that cutting edge. Harrad and Butler were well marshalled by Hatswell and Phil Bolland, while for United Holroyd, Willmott and Pitt were lively but Scott Rendell looked a little out of sorts, miscontrolling and misdirecting relatively simple passes, while the engine room of Carden and Jai Reason matched their opponents inch for inch.
Just after the half hour the unlikely figure of Bolland gained possession just outside the Burton box, slid it to Holroyd and his cross found Pitt at the far post, but Poole held onto his snap shot well. He must have been at the Sanatogen again.
The visiting Brewers came their closest to scoring so far on 35 when a melee in the U's box, during which there seemed to be a handball from someone in a blue shirt, culminated in a snap shot from Harrad twelve yards out which was heading into the top of the net until splendidly clawed over the bar by an alert, diving Potter. Simpson and Gilroy took shots from the ensuing corner, but the thin black'n'amber line held firm.
Reason then fouled Andy Corbett and Butler got his head to Ryan Austin's free-kick but could only guide it over the top. Butts had never scored against his former employers in three previous matches, bless him. Still the teams went at each other, probing patiently for that vital opening, and on 42 Hatswell won another header from Carden's corner but could not find a way through the crowd. The first yellow card followed when Harrad tried to break clear but controlled deliberately with his hand.
Only one added minute was indicated, a flowing contest having only been stopped once for the physio's intervention when Greg Reid treated a felled Dan Gleeson, and Reason sent a blaster wide before United were awarded a free-kick for a push by Harrad on Carden. Reason took it, his wicked dipper tipped over by Poole, but that was as near as United could get in an entertaining and enjoyable 45 minutes that had just lacked a smidgeon more goalmouth action.
Half-time was given over to the homecoming heroes Jez George and Matt Walker, who enjoyed a well-deserved and warmly received lap of honour accompanied by hordes of United youngsters after their stupendous walk from Torquay to highlight the iniquities of youth development funding in this country.
United began part two in rousing style, forcing a corner inside the first minute and then gaining a free-kick when John McGrath fouled Rendell, but Reason lifted his effort over both wall and crossbar. There was no doubting that the hosts were in the ascendant, and their pressure finally bore the fruit it merited on 55.
Anthony Tonkin found Pitt out on the left, he cut in onto his right foot and lofted a free-kick towards the far post; a deflection off Tony James sent it looping over his defensive partner Jake Buxton, and it fell perfectly for the lurking Scotty-on-the-spot Rendell behind him to poke home from close range. 1-0.
Uncle Roy reacted positively by introducing a third striker, Pearson, on the hour in place of wide man Corbett and going to 4-3-3, but this move actually benefitted United in that they were afforded even more room in midfield, and as Burton pushed up, the pace of Willmott and Holroyd began to become a major threat as they made to sprint past the opposing back four at every opportunity.
In fact the U's should have doubled their lead within a minute of the substitution. Reason's inch-perfect through ball sent Rendell clear down the right channel, but, entering the box with only Poole to beat, he delayed his shot and when he did pull the trigger the keeper had advanced far enough to block. The rebound fell to Rendell again but this time he was driven wide and his cross-shot was cleared from near the line by Webster as Holroyd closed in. United's top scorer had looked off-colour and out of sorts from the start and surely a fully fit Rendell would have put that one away.
The hosts remained on top, however, as their resolute defence, hard-working midfield, wing-heeled wide men and willing strikers gained a stranglehold on the game to which Burton seemed to have no answer. Holroyd scampered onto a Willmott through ball on 63 but Poole was just able to reach it first, then it was Willmott's turn to sprint clear down the right, but his cross was blocked away for a corner.
Next the tireless Holroyd crossed to the feet of Rendell facing away from goal in the area, but when he tumbled to the ground there were few penalty appeals. Simpson managed a rare shot for the Brewers, a low scudder which Potter did well to hold first time, and on 73 the visitors changed wingers, Gilroy withdrawn in favour of Marc Goodfellow.
But irresistible United were not be denied, and on 76 came the deserved second goal. Reason arrowed a superb diagonal through ball down the middle, and Willmott sprinted from his own half to leave every Burton player trailing in his wake. Robbie did not panic, but waited until he saw the whites of Poole's eyes before slipping it coolly past him, and the ball seemed to take an age until it trundled safely in at the far post to the accompaniment of a slow-motion "...yyyyyyyyyyeeessssss!!!" from the delirious amber hordes. 2-0.
Burton looked well beaten and your correspondent's thoughts turned to a similar occasion in April 2007 when the runaway champions-elect, Dagenham & Redbridge, turned up at the Abbey and were promptly tonked 4-2 by a rampant U's side which even gave them a two-goal lead. No such nonsense tonight, but a team unbeaten in 17 league games since October was being comprehensively taken apart by a marvellous display of quality football from the boys in black'n'amber.
The visitors' miserable day was completed on 82 when Butler chased a ball into the box and arrived just too late to stop Potter coming out and claiming it, but ref Beck (no relation) ruled he had left his foot in and brandished an immediate red card. We all know that Martin Butler is not that sort of player, and any contact with Potter was the result of over-enthusiastic stretching at speed from a player who probably does not have quite the pace he had ten years ago.
But contact had been made, so we were treated to the possibly unique sight of an opposition player, dismissed for violent conduct, being applauded sympathetically from the pitch by the home supporters. Sorry it had to end this way, Butts, and best wishes for the future. Although we would still prefer it if Burton blew up and we could catch them on the final day…
McGrath was also sympathetic and picked up a yellow for his protests. The amber hordes' almost-perfect day was completed on 85 when the splendid Willmott was withdrawn to allow Andy Parkinson to make his first team comeback, almost seven months after he was injured in training two days after the first game of the league season. The crowd arose to acclaim both players.
Burton had nothing left to give, and the U's finished a dominant 45 minutes in the opposition half. Pitt's corner on 89 found the head of Carden on the edge of the box, but he guided his header just over the upright, Pearson had one last header for the visitors which fell wide, then Parkinson almost brought the house down with a fantastic chip from thirty yards which very nearly caught Poole out, the veteran keeper having to make a good save to tip desperately over the bar while almost on his own line.
The final whistle saw all four sides of the ground rise to acclaim a tremendous win full of quality, entertainment and good football which took United to second in the table. This U's team looks capable of beating anyone on its day; now it must do just that, and keep up the standard and the victories against less pure and less obliging footballing sides in the coming weeks. Thankfully we know these boys can scrap and battle as well. The combination of the two would have had even an old Dutch master purring.
Statto Corner
United inflicted Burton's first league defeat since they lost 2-1 at Oxford on 18th October, since when they had gone seventeen BSP games without defeat... although they lost in the FA Cup, FA Trophy, the Setanta Shield and of course the Birmingham Senior Cup.
Today saw United's second largest home attendance (4,377) of the season after the 6,488 who attended on Boxing Day. That figure was only beaten four times last season, too, against Burton in the playoffs (7,276), Histon (7,125), Forest Green (4,797) and Weymouth in the FA Cup (4,552).
Martin Butler played his last game for the U's in the 3-1 FA Cup defeat by Bolton at the Abbey on 29th January 2000. His last United goal was in the previous round, in a 2-1 win at Wrexham. He scored a grand total of 52 goals in 127 appearances in all competitions over two and a half seasons before joining Reading for £750,000.
Butts went on to play three times for Reading against United without scoring, in a 1-1 Abbey draw in April 2001, a 1-0 defeat at the Madejski in September of that year, and in a 3-1 home Worthington Cup win for the U's in September 2002 thanks to the legendary Tudor-Kitson-Youngs-Riza forward line.
Roy McFarland's first game in charge of the U's was on 16th November 1996, in a 3-0 home FA Cup win over Welling United, with goals by Billy Beall, Michael Kyd and Jamie Barnwell. Under his command United came 10th and 16th in Division Three before gaining promotion as runners-up to Brentford, then finished 19th in Division Two in 1999-2000. They were 18th when he was dismissed after a 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers on 24th February 2001. He also appeared once as a player at the Abbey, on 9th August 1980, when in front of a crowd of 9,558 the U's thrashed his Derby side 3-0 with two goals from George Reilly and one from Derrick Christie. Roy's team-mates included ex-U Alan Biley, while the United team included legends such as Steve Spriggs, Tom Finney, Steve Fallon, Roger Gibbins, Malcolm Webster and Lindsay 'Wolfie' Smith.
Andy Parkinson's only previous league game for the U's was in the season's opener at Northwich on 9th September, a 1-0 away win. Today was far from his first appearance at the Abbey, however, having participated in three pre-season friendlies against West Ham, Coventry and Everton, and also as an opponent for Tranmere in April 2002 (2-1 to the U's courtesy of David Bridges and Tom Youngs) and for Grimsby in September 2004; the visitors won 2-0 and Parkinson notched the first goal for a team which included future United loanee Stacy Coldicott.
Player Ratings
Potter 7. No hint of any errors today, and he was well protected by his defence all afternoon.
Gleeson 7. Not at his very best, but did a good, steady job.
Bolland 8. Commanding from start to finish.
Hatswell 8. His usual reliable self.
Tonkin 8. Sound at the back and a menace pushing forward.
Willmott 8. Excellent effort, topped off by a classic breakaway goal.
Carden 9. Covered every proverbial blade of grass. And most of the real ones, too.
Reason 9. Absolute top quality.
Pitt 8. Constant threat.
Holroyd 9. His pace, positioning and positive, up-and-at-'em approach was a joy to behold, and must have been murder for the Burton defence to play against.
Rendell 7. Strange one. Played as if he were suffering from some sort of a virus, lacking in his normal strength and looking off colour and out of touch. Kept going manfully though, and was rewarded with a poacher's goal. Would surely have been withdrawn had United had any strikers on the bench.
Parkinson 8. What a pleasure to see him back, and he showed his class with a brilliant lob tipped over the bar before the end.
Match Summary
A fabulous display of attacking passing football brought the leaders' long unbeaten run to a decisive end as United matched them then outplayed them in a glorious second half. The standard has now been set, and if they can keep this up, a thrilling finish to the season is in store.
Man of the Match
Jai Reason. In a quality football match that suited him down to the ground, the Ipswich loanee and Paul Carden dominated proceedings from the middle in a display that married coolness in possession and accurate passing with tough tackling and a great work ethic. Sign him up, now!
Ref Watch
Beck 7. Decent effort, although awarded rather too many soft and unnecessary free-kicks for the slightest of contacts, but was reasonably unobtrusive and sparing with the cards, although his red for Butler was a little harsh.
Becky's World of Wit and Wisdom
"History is more or less bunk. It's tradition. We don't want tradition. We want to live for the present and the only history worth a tinker's damn is the history we make today." [Brentford, 4/9/92]
Hello... Goodbye
Alan Moore was born on this day in 1927. After a pro career which included Coventry and Nottingham Forest, he was appointed U's player-coach in December 1959 then took over from Bill Craig as player-manager in February '60. For the following season he persuaded the board into the historic and momentous decision of making the entire first team squad fully professional (they had only had five full-timers the previous term), and he rewarded them with promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in 1961, clinched with a 3-1 win at Burton Albion.
The next season, Moore led the U's to the Southern League Cup and the East Anglian Cup, and in 1962-63 United reached new heights in finishing league runners-up to Cambridge City, but he surprisingly resigned on 1st October 1963. He remained in the area until his passing in April last year, and his importance in the history of this club should never be forgotten.
Roly Horrey and Mel Slack were born within a year of each other (1943 and 1944) and both their United careers straddled the end of the Southern League days and the beginning of the club's spell in the Football League. Horrey, a winger, scored 28 goals in 137 games in all competitions before moving on to Chelmsford in 1972, while Slack, a midfielder, was a regular in United's first Division Four season but was then released and moved on to Cambridge City.
Stacy Coldicott played the last of his four games on loan from Hereford on this day in 2006, in a 1-1 home draw with Grays. Main contender for 'most metrosexual United player's forename', just ahead of Jody Craddock and Parys Okai, he is now joint owner of a website called 'shouldhavemadeit.co.uk' which offers to help non-League players to realise their potential.
Soundtrack of the Day
Kings of Leon 'Revelry'
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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