Saturday 4th April 2009 - U's 0-1 Forest Green: United fail to see wood for trees
Those who practice Colour Therapy say that green is the colour of balance and harmony and can be helpful in times of stress. In fact they recommend the therapeutic effect of wrapping green silk around the shoulders if one is undergoing some kind of trauma. I'm not making this up, you know.
Green is a balancing colour, situated between the calming 'cool' ones and the stimulating 'warm' ones. Ideal, perhaps, for an unassuming, mid-table side like Forest Green Rovers. But they were anything but helpful to United today; perhaps United would have had more luck if the visitors had been wearing silk shirts. Yellow, by the way, is the colour of intellect. Of course.
Just as the U's have been on fine form recently, unbeaten in twelve matches, so has the little club on the hill from Nailsworth, who had lost only one of their last fourteen league games before today (albeit nine were draws) to pull slowly away from the bottom four, while also securing a place in the final of that most prestigious of all trophies, the Setanta Shield: final at the New Lawn against AFC Telford next Thursday, tickets still available. Lots of tickets, actually.
British Summer Time is now upon us - I know, I heard an ice cream van trilling past my place of work last grey, chilly Monday - and the weekend weather was glorious for United's first Saturday game for three weeks, since in fact they last played a team in green, Northwich Victoria. After the rust-shaking victory at deepest and very darkest Woking on Monday, Our Gary made two changes, handing Simon Ainge (above) his full debut at right-back in place of Jon Challinor, and giving Andy Parkinson his first start since the opening day of the season, dropping Courtney Pitt and moving Robbie Willmott to wide left.
Stadium changes saw the dugouts return to the arrangement that was in place before John Beck changed them in the early Nineties, with home and away dugouts either side of the halfway line and the third one, previously allocated to the visitors, now home to sponsors.
Forest Green have clawed their way up the table with a team devoid of star names, or indeed names anyone has ever heard of, with star man Andy Mangan banging the goals in up front; in fact they had scored nine goals in their last two games, albeit against whipping boys Lewes and Altrincham.
They were, therefore, a side brimming with confidence, plus the fine footballing flair that is the trademark of manager Jim Harvey, and they started the match accordingly, swarming all over United with vim and vigour. They were not afraid to shoot, either, David Brown and Darren Jones blasting wide on 6 and 7.
The hosts recovered initially from their own sixes and sevens, however, with a couple of penetrating forays down the left wing: first Willmott scurried past his marker, cut inside but then had something of a misunderstanding with the supporting Anthony Tonkin, culminating in a miscue into the keeper's arms, then Chris Holroyd surged forward before pulling back for Scott Rendell eight yards out, but instead of putting his laces through the ball he tried for placement and was so far off target that Parkinson saved it from going off for a throw out by the corner flag.
The visitors seemed adept at finding space between United's midfield and back four, with Paul Carden and Jai Reason again making a slow start in the centre, and Phil Bolland did well to foil Mangan when poised to shoot on 11. United responded with a forward foray which culminated in Rendell finding Holroyd with his back to goal, and his turn and shot brought his side a corner.
Rovers interestingly left three men up by the halfway line when defending the flag-kick, as they were to do all afternoon, a refreshingly positive outlook that has doubtless helped them in their climb out of trouble. The kick was cleared to Reason, he found Willmott and his cross was nodded onto the roof of the net by Holroyd.
United were caught out, however, on 14 by the visitors' top scorer. A simple diagonal ball down the middle from David Brown took Mangan away from Bolland, Danny Potter advanced then hesitated, and Mangan knocked it across the keeper and it bounced gently into the far corner of the net. 1-0.
The visitors were now in charge. They chased and harried the U's men, leaving them no time on the ball, but somehow managed to find plenty of time and space themselves. The contest was being won and lost in midfield, where Carden and Reason were struggling to make an impact, while Parkinson and Ainge down the right flank looked exactly like men who had started only a tiny handful of matches all season. Rovers were a yard faster, a yard sharper, a yard stronger, and while Holroyd looked as mobile as ever up front, Rendell seemed off his game and out of touch, unable to win or keep the ball against Rovers' hulking centre-backs.
FGR continued to press forward, Conal Platt firing over on 20, and the amber hordes became increasingly restive in the face of this unexpected turn of events, especially when the news filtered through that Burton were losing at Crawley. United toiled and sweated in the sun, but they appeared to have several less players on the pitch than their impressive opponents.
There was controversy, however, on 27 when United's man most likely to, Holroyd, scooted into the box, knocked the ball round Lee Ayres then was knocked to the ground by the Rovers defender as he attempted to follow suit. It looked for all the world like a stone cold penalty to everyone except ref Tierney, who astonishingly booked the U's man for a dive.
Holroyd had broken clear while FGR had a man down injured on the touchline near halfway, the man in black having waved play on, and one school of thought was that the booking was his way of making up for that. He had already been making a rod for his own back by, in a well-meaning way, waving play on despite bad fouls being committed as long as the wronged team was in possession, then pulling play back if that advantage was lost, but after a while he began to lose track of who had fouled last and who should have the advantage and the players, seeing others getting away with all manner of foul play, began to kick each other with impunity. Mr Tierney was losing control.
Rovers continued to push for a second, winning corner after corner, Bolland stopping Mangan on more than one occasion, but on 35 the U's defensive mainstay was forced to withdraw after a jarring collision with Jones. He was replaced by Challinor, who slotted in at right-back while Ainge moved across to the centre.
Jones shot wide from distance on 37, but the long disruption in play seemed to have benefitted United more as it had broken Rovers' steamrollering rhythm. Perhaps, too, the visitors had begun to feel the pace of their energetic gameplan in the spring heat. The hosts began to find their passes at last, and on 39 Lee Fowler was carded for a trip on Willmott as he threatened to burst into the box.
Reason's free-kick found Tonkin in the area and his snap shot was well turned behind by keeper Terry Burton, but the corner came to nought. Then Brown found his name in the book for bringing Tonkin down on 41, and with some momentum behind them at last, United finished the half the stronger. Right on half-time they were awarded a free-kick just outside the box in the 'D' and the ref made sure the wall was back the full ten yards, ensuring a tempting target. An over-elaborate free-kick saw Willmott and Reason touch it to Hatswell, and his right-footed curler was tipped acrobatically over the bar by Burton.
Overall, though, it had been a less than satisfactory first 45 for United against confident and well-organised opposition. For the third match running they had made a slow start and allowed their opponents to dictate the pace; could they echo the second halves of those matches and start asserting themselves in part two? Burton were two goals down and a man down, Histon were a goal up at Oxford but also a man down. The chase was on.
Early impressions of the second half were good, United taking the game to Rovers. Reason had a shot blocked and within three minutes of the restart there was another FGR name in the book, that of Paul Stonehouse who first fouled Parkinson then kicked the ball away.
The visitors still looked dangerous on the break, however, if United were foolish enough to lose possession in the wrong areas. Potter just beat Mangan to a ball over the top on 51, and Parkinson responded with a shot into Burton's arms three minutes later. But it was United who were building up a head of steam in the heat, and they came their closest yet to parity on 57 when Holroyd's excellent run and cross found Hatswell storming in at the far post, but his powerful diving header cannoned agonisingly off the crossbar. Reason latched onto the rebound but failed to keep his head and blasted well over.
Another swift breakaway from the visitors saw Mangan cut in and fire for goal from a narrow angle, but Potter blocked athletically. On the hour came another card for Rovers, this time Mark Preece the culprit for fouling Rendell, and three minutes later came subs for both sides. Kaid Mohamed replaced Paul Lloyd for the visitors, and Danny Crow replaced Parkinson, who for all his willingness had not looked quite ready for a full comeback just yet. Holroyd moved to wide right.
United continues to get the ball into the box, one delightful interplay between Willmott and Crow seeing the former cross low into a crowded six-yard box and somehow about ten pairs of boots managed to swing and miss. Then Carden's corner from the left found Willmott but he could not get it on target.
Rovers broke again, Stonehouse this time shooting wide, while on 69 Holroyd gained United a free-kick which Reason could only loft into Burton's gloves. Two minutes later a Carden run along the byline saw another low cross cannon around the box, while on 76 Crow's diagonal cross found Reason flying in to sidefoot narrowly wide of the far post.
Crow then found the energy to tackle right back into his own area as Jonathan Smith broke down the right channel. Reason was replaced by Daryl McMahon on 81, the Ipswich loanee clearly carrying an injury, while the visitors wasted as much time as possible in replacing Brown and Platt with Adriano Rigoglioso and Curtis McDonald.
Still the U's pushed for that equaliser. Burton punched a Carden corner to McMahon twenty yards out, and his tremendous blaster was pushed away by the keeper as Crow closed in for the rebound. On 87 Smith was next into the book for a foul on Willmott, Burton clutched a Carden free-kick then Rovers mounted yet another promising breakaway, but Potter foiled Mangan.
Back at the Corona End a superb Willmott cross into a crowded box completely evaded Burton, and with the keeper in no man's land Rendell hooked an excellent lob over his own head which was sailing into the top corner until headed off the line by Preece. Agony.
Burton pushed a Rendell shot around the post, then Carden's corner from the left sailed over everybody's heads and fell to Holroyd unmarked at the far post five yards out, but he only saw it a split second before it arrived and he scuffed wide.
Rendell had another shot blocked away as four added minutes ticked around and there was a hideous muddle on halfway between Ainge and Carden which saw Mangan break clear down the middle, but somehow under pressure from the chasing Ainge, the FGR sharpshooter scuffed into Potter's arms.
Then, with the amber hordes in a frenzy of anxiety, Holroyd skipped past a couple of tackles at full pelt, but with Rendell awaiting a simple through ball, he went for glory himself and blazed wildly over to mass groans from all sides.
That was it; United had shot their bolt. All credit to a decent Rovers side, but the U's should have got something from this game, and would have with a better first half, better quality crossing and better quality finishing. And if the ref had awarded a penalty instead of booking Holroyd, who knows what might have happened.
The amber hordes' frustration was compounded by the news that Burton and Histon had both lost as well, 4-0 and 2-1, and Stevenage had been hammered 4-2 by Kidderminster after being two up, another side who had finished with ten men. Meanwhile, Torquay had sneaked into third place and could now pass United by winning their game in hand.
Five games to go, and it is individual moments which will define seasons now: that missed chance, that piece of individual brilliance, that daft referee's decision, that hideous defensive mistake. Hold on tight. Colours, I fear, will not help us now, although today's Grand National winning jockey sported green silk. Which must mean something, somewhere, to someone...
Statto Corner
Today saw Forest Green's first win at the Abbey in four attempts. Their initial two visits resulted in draws, while last season came United's only victory over Rovers in eight games when they won 2-0 on 23rd February 2008. Of the U's team that day, only three (Potter, Hatswell and Carden) played today, although Anthony Tonkin turned out for Forest Green. Mark Preece was the only FGR player from that game to play for them again this time.
Mark Beesley and Scott Rendell are other future U's who played previously for FGR against United; Wayne Hatswell and Stephen Reed have also turned out for Rovers, but not against the U's. Former Abbey favourites Paul Wanless and Danny Carey-Bertram (ahem) have also played for FGR against United.
Andy Mangan had appeared three times against United before, twice for Accrington Stanley (he scored in their 2-1 Abbey defeat in August 2005) and once for FGR earlier this season.
Rovers' lucky charm, however, is Adriano Rigoglioso. He has now played against United six times, and never finished on the losing side, turning out three times for Morecambe (FA Cup 2000, Conference 2006 twice), once for Doncaster (Football League 2004) and for FGR (February 2007). He has never, however, scored against the U's.
Full debutant Simon Ainge played for Halifax Town in United's 2-1 win at The Shay on 16th February last year, on loan from Bradford City.
Today's attendance was 3,245. The only previous occasion when this exact crowd was recorded at the Abbey was on 21st April 1976. Reading were the visitors for the penultimate Division Four game of the season and needed a draw to clinch promotion; goals from the legendary Robin Friday and Brian Carnaby put them 2-1 ahead win a quarter of an hour, Steve Spriggs notching for the hosts, and it looked all up for United when Brendon Batson was dismissed for retaliation against the niggling Friday. Steve Fallon, however, secured a draw for the ten-man U's, and Reading had the point they wanted. Their team that day also included outspoken future pundit and author, Eamon Dunphy.
Player Ratings
Potter 7. Caught out for the goal, otherwise fine.
Ainge 5. Difficult full debut, especially as he had to play in two different positions, and hopefully can only get better.
Bolland 6. Also caught out for the goal and forced to withdraw after only 35 minutes.
Hatswell 7. Did his doughty best as usual.
Tonkin 7. Maintained a decent standard.
Parkinson 5. Struggled to get into the game; perhaps still too early to expect a full 90 minutes from him.
Carden 6. Some way from his usual dominant self.
Reason 6. As subdued as his midfield partner and there must be questions about his fitness.
Willmott 6. Equal parts promising and frustrating.
Holroyd 7. Always busy and a potential threat.
Rendell 5. One of his poorest games for United, weak in the air, dominated by the Rovers defence, and this time could not find his customary goal.
Challinor 6. Good, solid game as stand-in right-back.
Crow 6. Plenty of good touches during build-up play, although rarely in the box.
McMahon 6. Decent last ten minutes.
Match Summary
A third consecutive slow start this time cost United dear as the woodwork, profligate finishing and some last-ditch defending saw an impressive Forest Green side gain a smash-and-grab win to consign the U's to their first defeat since 22nd January. The chase is still on, but we are running out of track.
Man of the Match
Chris Holroyd. No-one truly shone for United, but his pace and movement never stopped asking the visitors questions.
Ref Watch
Tierney 4. Disastrous first half in which he more or less lost control in a well-meaning attempt to keep the game flowing, improved somewhat in part two when he just gave the free-kicks as he saw them. His decision to book Holroyd for diving was, however, laughable.
Becky's World of Wit and Wisdom
"Look at the funny side of your difficulties; impersonal contemplation is the secret of laughter and perspective. Most of all, learn to laugh at yourself; meet each day with a sense of humour. Laughter is the best medicine for a long and happy life. He who laughs... lasts!!" [Bristol Rovers, 28/2/92]
Hello... Goodbye
Probably a not so happy birthday today for Neil Lyne (1970). One of Ian Atkins' least successful signings for the U's, costing £75,000 from Shrewsbury in January 1993, he never settled at the Abbey, starting just five games and coming on as sub an additional twelve times without scoring, and he was allowed to leave for Hereford in less than a year. He was assistant manager to Phil Gilchrist at Woking until both were sacked on Thursday following the Cards' 5-1 home defeat by Kidderminster. Almost inevitably, they won today, 1-0 at Barrow.
Possibly an even worse signing was today's other birthday boy, James Meredith (1988). The young Australian was signed on loan from Derby in October 2006 and endured a torrid debut, a 3-0 home defeat by Oxford in which he was given the runaround by Yemi Odubade. One more match, a 2-0 FA Cup defeat at Northwich, and he was sent back to Derby. He was last sighted on loan to AFC Telford from Shrewsbury. That Oxford side, by the way, included the above-mentioned Phil Gilchrist.
This day in 1988 saw the United debut of one of our finest and toughest centre-backs, Phil Chapple, in a 2-1 defeat at Rochdale, after joining on a free transfer from Norwich. He quickly became a regular and also gained the captaincy the next season, becoming the first and so far only U's skipper to lift a trophy at Wembley in the 1990 Division Four playoff final. He fell out with John Beck later that year and was transfer-listed, but remained during those glory years until he was sold to Charlton for £100,000 in August 1993. He ended up at Peterborough, but hey, nobody's perfect.
Soundtrack of the Day
Delphic 'Counterpoint'
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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