Stevenage 3-1 U's: Wrong number
Thursday 30th April 2009 - Stevenage 3-1 U's: Wrong number
When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going. The build-up music at the Tippex Stadium (is that right?) was not exactly subtle in its messages: We Will Rock You, Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, Heroes, Supersonic, Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny). But it was Billy Ocean's 23-year-old pop-soul hit which eventually summed up a typically tumultuous A505 derby to kick off another round of those dreaded promotion playoffs.
When the regular season finishes, and the champions have said their goodbyes, all thoughts of form and history go out of the window; a whole new, very short season has begun, a knock-out mini-league of four teams who must forget all that has gone before and prepare themselves for a brand new start, and, most important of all, have to hit the ground running. There can only be one winner now, and league placings are now utterly irrelevant.
The amber faithful, as ever, flocked to Stevenage in noisy, good-natured numbers, a support base which so deserves a return to its rightful place in the Football League. The hosts for the second time in just over three weeks again abandoned any attempt at making people sit in their allocated seat, this time taking the tickets from them upon entrance, and the ground soon filled to comfortably their largest attendance of the season, 4,446. In fact they had only topped the 3,000 mark twice previously, but as their manager stated in his eloquent programme notes, it will not be the team with the biggest fanbase or budget which wins through, but the team with most passion, ambition and courage.
Another note of caution was sounded by United's results against the three other teams in the playoffs this season: two defeats, four draws, NO wins. Our Gary's attempt at remedying that state of affairs was radical to say the least: both top scorers, Scott Rendell and Chris Holroyd, dropped to the bench along with Robbie Willmott, and with Andy Parkinson absent ill, a 5-3-2 wing-back system was introduced. The usual back four was augmented with Josh Coulson, a new front two of Lee Phillips and Danny Crow was the spearhead, and Jon Challinor was stationed between midfield and strikers as link man. Bold stuff, and something of a gamble because it meant that one of the usual first choice front four this season, Rendell, Holroyd, Willmott and Courtney Pitt, was guaranteed not to get on.
Memories of United's mauling at the same venue earlier this month were calmed somewhat by the absence through suspension of one of their flying wingers, Mitchell Cole, who had roasted Dan Gleeson like an oven-ready chicken, while ex-U Mark Albrighton was dropped from the 16 in favour of Jon Ashton, although another former U, Lee Boylan, partnered leading marksman Steve Morison up front.
In an atmosphere more electric than a Texan execution, the U's made a calm, assured start, Challinor set up by Jai Reason for an early shot which was blocked away. With United dominating possession, they came close to opening the scoring on 8 when Wayne Hatswell blasted a free-kick into the wall but lifted the rebound to the far post where Phil Bolland was sneaking in, only to be denied when his downward header was well saved by Chris Day, and Challinor fired over from Phillips' cross a minute later.
The early pattern was set, United determined to draw the hosts' sting and slowing the game down whenever possible to keep their crowd quiet, outshouted and outsung as it already was by the amber hordes. Without Cole, Stevenage had abandoned their tactic of stationing two wingers on opposite touchlines, and their midfield stayed relatively narrow.
For all United's dominance, however, they were creating precious little in the way of chances themselves. Full-backs Gleeson and Tonkin should have been free to forage forward but made little impression on the hosts' defence, and with Challinor sinking into anonymity, not linking with either the midfield or the strikers, there were too many hopeful long balls pumped up towards Phillips, who for all his qualities is not a conventional towering front man and was usually beaten in the air by Mark Roberts.
On 25 Phillips was presented with a rare ball to feet and almost caught Day by surprise with a first-time screamer from 25 yards which fizzed narrowly wide of the upright. For the most part, though, the ball was spending an awful lot of time in the air, with both sides struggling to create openings past well-drilled defences, Bolland in particular looking imperious sweeping behind Hatswell and Coulson.
Plan A was going fine for United, with Stevenage's threat well and truly nullified, but the resultant midfield war of attrition did not make for the most entertaining of encounters. But hey, playoffs are all about results, right?
United won the occasional corner, but the hosts' aerial superiority meant they came to nothing, and the tackles began to fly with increasing ferocity. Morison sent Danny Potter flying in one challenge for the ball, and on 43 ref Whitton was finally forced to produce his first card for a nasty-looking high lunge on Hatswell by Andy Drury. Then the action really started.
Phillips headed a Carden through ball over the top, then a splendid run by Reason culminated in a cross to the far post where Crow twisted but sent his header just wide when he really might have expected to hit the target.
Then came the key incident of the match. The ref erroneously awarded a corner to Stevenage when the ball had clearly come off Scott Laird last. The flag-kick was taken, but the man in black was unhappy with some aspect of it, and as the whistle sounded Challinor and Darren Murphy threw themselves at the ball at the near post and a clash of heads sent the United man crashing to the floor, clutching his face.
He was genuinely hurt, and it was hard to tell exactly how in the rush of the moment, but after speaking to his linesmen, the ref made his decision: straight red for Murphy. Subsequent replays show the error of his ways, but Borough had their third dismissal in their last three home games against the U's. And to add insult to injury, they took so long to take the corner that the half-time whistle blew before it could even leave the quadrant.
As happens so often when these two clubs meet, the atmosphere was now at boiling point. Both managers had jobs to do during the interval: Graham Westley had to fire up his depleted troops to dig in for battle, while Our Gary had to consider whether to make any changes or leave things as they were.
Midfielder Gary Mills replaced winger Junior Mendes for the hosts, a positive move that saw them adapt a 4-3-2 formation, and it paid off within two minutes of the restart. Mills was fouled by Carden halfway into the United half, Drury lofted the free-kick to the back post, Morison outmuscled a stumbling Gleeson to nod across goal, and there was Roberts, wanting it more than anyone else, who stormed in to ram home from close range. 1-0.
If United had presumed they were in for an easy ride after their first half superiority, this surely was their wake-up call. And they responded almost instantly, Reason chipping it to Crow and his lay-off fell perfectly for Phillips to lash a fantastic volley from the edge of the box which flew into the corner past Day before he could move. 1-1!
In an ideal, Cambridge-friendly world, that riposte would have been Stevenage's cue to let their heads drop and for United to reassert their dominance and go on to win. But to their credit, the hosts did not wilt or falter and continued to give as good as they got.
The U's picked up two bookings in two minutes, first Crow on 52 for a dangerous challenge on Laird that had the locals baying for blood but never merited worse than yellow, then Challinor followed him in stupid fashion for walking away with the ball when he conceded a throw-in deep into the opposition half.
The contest was now in the balance, and it tipped the hosts' way just after the hour thanks to Morison's opportunism and some slipshod defending from United. Drury hoiked a hopeful long ball from his own half towards his target man on the edge of the box, Potter started to come then stopped halfway, Morison easily outjumped Coulson, and his intelligent looping header soared over the out-of-position Potter and into the net when, if he had stayed on his line, he could have caught it comfortably. 2-1.
Now Borough tails were up and United seemed to have no answer to their gathering momentum. On 66 Carden made a hash of clearing a corner and Boylan nipped in at the far post but saw his snap shot blocked by Potter. Reason tried to respond with a hopeful shot which Day gathered, then on 69 Our Gary took action and started to make the changes for which the amber faithful had been baying for a quarter of an hour.
Willmott replaced the utterly ineffectual Challinor, Hatswell had a header saved from Carden's free-kick, then Pitt came on for Coulson. The system that had worked so well in the first half was abandoned; back to 4-4-2.
The hosts' intentions were made clear when Boylan was replaced by right-back Lawrie Wilson, but the changes did not have any immediate impact. United looked rudderless and bewildered against Stevenage's steely resolve and their lack of organisation was summed up when Phillips rose to knock a ball down on halfway and looked across to see his strike 'partner' Crow thirty yards away on the other side of the pitch; they looked at each other, shrugging in mutual incomprehension.
With two subs already used, now only one of Rendell or Holroyd could be used, and it was to the pace of the latter that United turned on 76 as he replaced an exhausted looking Crow. Reason combined with Pitt to send the little winger into the box and he appeared to be clearly pushed to the ground, but the ref was not interested, Pitt already having taken a couple of unwarranted tumbles, and as play seemed to freeze for a second, Phillips pounced to shoot but was blocked away.
Tonkin set up Carden for a powerful shot which was deflected for a corner on 83, then a typically positive Holroyd run almost bore fruit, but on 85 came another defensive calamity for United. Again it was a hopeful lofted ball down the middle, this time from Day, Drury headed it on past a statuesque defence and found Morison, and as the U's hesitated he controlled and fired past Potter as if he were playing against a row of bollards. 3-1.
United looked a beaten side, devoid of spirit and ideas. Roberts just missed with a header from a corner on 87, Gleeson was booked near the end for a bad-tempered clash, and the visitors' last forward push was ended by the offside flag. Then, mercifully, it was all over.
What hurt most was that the Stevenage players just seemed to want it more; they were first to every aerial challenge, quicker and stronger in the tackle, and they just rolled over United with some ease in the end. And that is just not acceptable. A number of U's players need to look hard at themselves in the morning and ask themselves 'Did I give absolutely everything for the cause? Can I be proud of my performance yesterday?' If they are honest, they will answer in the negative.
The plan worked perfectly in the first half, but when a change of gear was required, they were left in the slow lane. Now they must overturn a two-goal deficit at high noon on Monday. First of all they will need belief; they must believe that they can win this game, that they can be better and stronger than their opponents. Then they must be resilient, both mentally and physically, and not let the occasion and pressure get to them. And then they must have courage; the courage to play their own game, to play the fine football they played in the first half at Kettering, the fine, winning football that got them to where they are now.
Stand strong and stand proud, U's. We will be behind you all the way. Believe in yourselves and believe in this club. Together we can do it!
Statto Corner - Red Card Special!
Since 1970, no Cambridge United fixture has yielded more red cards than against Stevenage Borough. This is all the more extraordinary because the clubs have only been in the same league for four seasons, and before that only met twice in the FA Cup.
The tone was set when they met for the first time since the Southern League days of Stevenage Town, in the FA Cup competition of 1997-98. Ryan Kirby of Borough was dismissed in the sides' 1-1 draw at the Abbey, and in one of the most controversial matches in United's history, United lost the replay 2-1 and lost both Paul Wanless and Martin Butler to red cards in the process.
The clubs did not meet again competitively until United's relegation to the Conference. And since then, at least one player has been sent off every season the sides have met. In 2005-06, it was Ollie Berquez in Stevenage's 1-0 defeat at the Abbey; in 2006-07, Richie Hanlon in another U's 1-0 home win; in 2007-08, Stuart Lewis in Borough's 2-1 home defeat; and this season, Dan Gleeson in the 1-1 Abbey draw in December, Mark Roberts in Stevenage's 2-1 win on 7th April, and now Darren Murphy.
That total of 9 red cards beats the previous record of 8 held by encounters with Colchester and Exeter. The cards have been split evenly 4-4 with the Essex U's, while the Grecians lead United 5-3, with three of those five coming in one match in November 2002 which United won 2-1 in Devon.
The opposition team which has had most players dismissed against United, however, is Cardiff City, with six (against one for the U's). That includes another hat-trick, in the notorious goalless draw at the Abbey in December 1999, and a double in United's 2-0 home win in January 1995. Runners-up with five are Stevenage, Exeter and Swansea. By contrast, United have never had a player sent off against the Swans.
The team against which the U's have had the most dismissals? Lincoln City. Colin Meldrum and Peter Leggett were sent off in their first ever visit to Sincil Bank in October 1970, followed by John Ryan (1984) and Terry Fleming and Luke Guttridge (2002). The Imps have had two sent off against United.
This is followed by the four red-carded in black'n'amber against Brentford, Colchester and, of course, Stevenage.
The only other opposition which has yielded dismissals in three separate matches in one season was Aldershot last term. Marvin Robinson saw red for the U's at the Abbey, Scott Davies for the Shots in their FA Cup defeat at the same venue, and Anthony Charles followed suit at the Recreation Ground.
Only one club other than Stevenage had provided a United match with a red card in each of the last four seasons: Ebbsfleet United, or Gravesend & Northfleet as they were known in the first two of those campaigns. Paul McCarthy of the Fleet has been followed by U's Trevor Robinson, Danny Potter and Rory McAuley, all three United players in the away match for the last three campaigns.
There have been 16 red cards in United matches this season, one less than the record of 17 in 2002-03. The former includes six for the U's, the latter nine, which is also the highest number of U's players ever dismissed in one season. The record for the opposition is 10 during 2003-04, against only four for the U's that term.
Players who have been sent off against United who have also played for the U's in their career: Martin Butler (Burton), Nathan Peat (York), Ciaran Toner (Orient), Craig Middleton (Cardiff), Leo Fortune-West (Gillingham), Jason Lillis (Maidstone), plus trialist Steve Flack (Exeter) and assistant manager Steve Castle (Plymouth). Butts and LFW are the only men to have been dismissed both playing for and against the U's.
United's record dismissal receiver is the immortal Tom Finney, who was sent off five times in his U's career, including three times inside ten weeks in the middle of the 1985-86 season. He is followed on four by Andy Duncan, Warren Goodhind and Danny O'Shea. Top averages come from Billy Manuel (three red cards in a total of twelve appearances) and John Ryan (two in six).
The mantra "We never win against ten men" is something of a myth. United's record this season could be better: W4 D1 L3, but last term the U's won 6, drew 2 and lost none against numerically inferior opposition, and the season before that won 2, drew 1 and lost 0. Best season in the last decade was 2002-03, when United won six out of six. The following two terms were not so great, though: W3 D3 L2 and W1 D1 L2. But overall the U's have won more often than drawn or lost against ten, or nine, or eight men.
Player Ratings
Potter 5. Directly at fault for the second goal, and could probably have done better with the other two.
Gleeson 5. Lost his man at the free-kick for Stevenage's first, and nowhere to be seen for their third.
Tonkin 6. Decent first half with the security of three centre-backs behind him, not so impressive in the second when he was neither twixt nor tween.
Bolland 7. Outstanding during the first 45, more exposed when United went to 4-4-2.
Coulson 6. Mostly fine, although too easily overpowered by Morison for the second goal.
Hatswell 6. Rarely has a bad game, but was pretty average tonight.
Carden 6. Worked hard, but produced precious little creatively.
Reason 6. Looked most likely to produce something special, although some way off his best.
Challinor 4. Always on the periphery, never in the action, he provided no support for the front two and contributed nothing to the midfield either. Oh for a Holroyd or a Willmott in that position.
Crow 6. No denying his work ethic, and set up United's goal. Never got remotely close to scoring himself, however, and missed a sitter just before the interval.
Phillips 7. Superb goal, and one of the few U's players to at least try to match the opposition's commitment.
Willmott 5. Produced the odd decent cross, but failed to make the impact required.
Pitt 4. Spent far too much time falling over at the slightest touch and typified United's powder-puff, lackadaisical attitude in the second half.
Holroyd 6. Gave it a good go as usual. If only he had started.
Match Summary
United's tactical masterplan worked a treat in the first half, but when Stevenage got fired up by a wrongful dismissal, they had no answer to the hosts' passion and attitude and slumped to a feeble defeat devoid of spirit and ideas and riddled with mistakes and mental and physical weakness. Show us what you're really made of on Monday, lads.
Man of the Match
Lee Phillips. Wholehearted, gutsy and dangerous, despite dreadful service aimed mostly over his head, and his great goal at least gives United a chance in the second leg.
Ref Watch
Whitton 5. Made a real howler in sending off Murphy and couldn't give Stevenage enough decisions in the second half to make up for it. Not that United can use him as any sort of excuse.
Becky's World of Wit and Wisdom
"This season has been a great adventure. A man practices the art of adventure when he heroically faces up to life. When he has the daring to open doors to new horizons. When he is unafraid of new ideas, new theories and new philosophies. When he the nerve to move out of life's shallows and venture forth into the deep. When he keeps his heart young and his expectations high and never allows his dreams to die. When he concludes that a rut is only another name for a grave and that the only way to stay out of ruts is by living adventurously and staying vitally alive every day of his life." [Port Vale, 25/4/92]
Hello... Goodbye
Today's birthday boy is Danny Bunce (1986). One of four United players to be sent off on his league debut (the others: Steve Slade, Igor Latte-Yedo, Marvin Robinson), he was dismissed for a professional foul in the team's 1-0 win at Morecambe in November 2005. The former West Ham left-or-wing-back looked a more than decent player, but only made eight starts (plus another eight as sub) before moving on to Woking, where he remains to this day.
Adam Tann made his last appearance in United colours on this day in 2005, in the club's last away game in the Football League, a 1-0 win at Rushden. An England Under-18 international centre-back, he scored eight goals in 147 appearances for the U's, but did not stick around after relegation and moved on to Gravesend, Orient and Notts County, in a career plagued with injury and illness. Still only 26 years old, he has just become one of five players released by County.
Soundtrack of the Day
The Enemy 'No Time For Tears'
Parky's Pick of the Pops
Andy Parkinson lends an ear to the Broadhall Way sounds. "All right, lads and lasses? I was well gutted to miss the match today, and I'm chomping at the bit to get involved on Monday! Whatever you might think about Stevenage the town - it reminds me of Toxteth minus the olde worlde charm - we know from previous visits that you're guaranteed a good mix of top tunes at the football ground, and today was no exception.
"Pride of place has to go to me Scouse homeboys, the La's, and let's face it, 'There She Goes' is one of the greatest pop songs ever written, like! Even the Beatles would be proud of that one, eh! I also enjoyed REM's classic 'Losing My Religion,' a bit of Bowie, some Springsteen - blue collar rock, get in there! - and Oasis, but it got a bit, well, poppy nearer kickoff. I mean,, Starship? Fleetwood Mac? Pussycat Dolls? Body Rockers? The ruddy Lighthouse Family?? It's all a bit an-o-dyne, know what I mean? So it's a few points deducted this time, me buckos! PPP verdict: 6/10. Never walk alone!"
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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