U's 3-0 Stevenage: Raving mad
Monday 4th May 2009 - U's 3-0 Stevenage: Raving mad
Shakespeare wasn't bad. Bernard Shaw had his moments. Pinter has produced some good stuff. And Chaucer was pretty decent in his day. But when it comes to sheer edge-of-your-seat drama, Cambridge United are right up there with the greats; and today they wrote one of their masterpieces.
We all still bore the scars of Thursday night, that promising first half which disintegrated into an evening of disappointment and underachievement in the most dispiriting fashion. But every game brings a fresh new dawn in football, a chance to start anew and write a whole new chapter from scratch.
The midday kick-off on a mild but breezy Bank Holiday Monday meant that supporters started arriving at the Abbey from 10am onwards, with a similar air of trepidation mixed with hope as the Altrincham match. But this time United only needed to score two goals in normal time. All we needed was belief.
Soon the NRE and the North Habbin were packed, which was more than could be said for the South Stand where the Stevenage support was gathered, sporting a banner which stated grandly 'Destiny will always take over,' thereby proclaiming themselves either visionaries or just plain old optimists. Rather more prosaically, their largest flag simply declaimed, in ascending order, 'Man United, Stevenage, Paul & Baz.' Perhaps it's about time someone had a quiet word with Paul and, indeed, Baz...
Our Gary made three changes to the team which succumbed at the Tippex Stadium last week, reverting to 4-4-2 and reinstating Scott Rendell up front alongside Lee Phillips, and Robbie Willmott and Courtney Pitt to the flanks, with Danny Crow and Jon Challinor dropping to the bench and Josh Coulson missing from the sixteen due to the return from illness of Andy Parkinson.
With Thursday's red cardee, Darren Murphy, reprieved from a ban after the referee's error was made clear on video, that nice Graham Westley's only amendment was to replace Junior Mendes with Gary Mills.
A light drizzle settled on the Abbey as kick-off time approached, but it could not dampen the spirits of either set of supporters who created an atmosphere worthy of what was effectively a cup semi-final.
It was asking too much for United to start the semi like last year's against Burton, when Rob Wolleaston scored within thirty seconds of the start, but they began in determined, attacking mode, pushing the visitors back. Their initial response was to try to delay play as much as possible, much like the U's did on Thursday, with a fair few hold-ups while their players received treatment; but it was clear that Mills was not playacting when he went down clutching his head after an aerial clash, as he proceeded to chunder all over the pitch. Charming.
United gained a couple of corners within the first ten minutes, but both Pitt's and Willmott's efforts fell woefully short and were cleared comfortably from the near post. On 11 Willmott fed Jai Reason for a run into the box but he tumbled under Murphy's challenge, an apparent shove which went unpunished by ref Tierney.
Phillips managed a looping header on the quarter hour which fell just wide, then three minutes later Willmott had a shot blocked as the U's continued to press, Paul Carden pulling the strings in midfield, but for all their nice approach play, they could not get a shot on target or force a save from keeper Chris Day.
Stevenage, on the other hand, seemed content to soak up the hosts' pressure while producing little or no threat themselves, a somewhat passive and even negative approach which might, just might, go on to cost them dear.
Anthony Tonkin capped a flowing move with a shot blocked by Jon Ashton on 25, then Dan Gleeson went down with an injured ankle and spent the next ten minutes limping painfully, presumably left on to run it off, and gradually he did just that. Lucky he wasn't a horse.
For all United's pressure, however, they were almost undone by Stevenage's first break and shot of the match. There was hesitation on the edge of the Borough box and players waited for a foul to be given, it did not happen, and one long ball later, Steve Morison was haring for goal unmarked down the middle. He reached the 'D' alone and it seemed a mere formality for him to slot past the exposed Danny Potter, but somehow the Borough top scorer poked lamely wide of the far post. Let-off.
Murphy then blasted over from outside the area, while at the other end Pitt picked up possession from a corner and drifted a short cross into the box and found Rendell's head, but his nod under pressure from eight yards was straight into Day's relieved gloves.
United remained in the ascendant territorially without creating anything more of note, and on 40 Westley made a change, removing Murphy in favour of Lawrie Wilson and moving Ronnie Henry into midfield. A minute later Willmott's cross missed Rendell's head but found Pitt at the far post; his snap shot flew just wide.
As the 45 ticked past Stevenage almost broke the deadlock again when Lee Boylan found Henry and he slalomed past two tackles into the box, but his shot lacked power and was clutched by Potter. Then the ref brandished his first card of the afternoon to Ashton for the latest of a succession of fouls, on Pitt. But Borough had failed to assert the physical dominance they had enjoyed on Thursday, and United ended the half well and truly on top, albeit without overly troubling Day and his defence.
Would sheer persistence bring about a breakthrough in part two? Or would something special be required to penetrate Stevenage's stubborn resistance? A moment or two of inspiration would appear to be needed. Some interesting team talks awaited. We hoped for the best; we feared the worst.
Whatever was said behind closed doors or in front of Setanta's cameras, play resumed much the same as it had stopped, this time each team attacking its own supporters' ends. The standard of early corners improved, Pitt arrowing one under the bar and Willmott lashing one in from the other side, but Day and co prevailed.
Once more, though, United pinned the visitors down in their own half, and their pressure finally bore fruit on 55. Willmott picked up possession on the right, advanced, cut inside and with his left foot fired in a shot (cross?) which deflected off left-back Scott Laird and flew unstoppably past Day into the top corner. Bedlam: 1-0!
There may have been a hint of fortune in the strike, but it was deserved on the balance of play. And now over 5,000 people who had hoped and prayed and dreamed, could now allow themselves to believe for the first time that, yes, it really was possible.
The visitors responded on the hour by withdrawing the near-invisible Boylan and introducing the physical power of Callum Willock. United continued to attack, Willmott's corner finding Hatswell at the near post, but he nodded wide, then Borough responded with a Mills free-kick that Willock flicked on for Mark Roberts to head past the post.
Willock offered Stevenage more pace and presence on the break, but Messrs Bolland and Hatswell were at their best to keep the lid on the visitors' attack, and on 68 United made their first change, Andy Parkinson replacing Pitt wide left. Carden picked up the hosts' first booking for a foul.
Four minutes later the drama suddenly intensified. Over the two games Stevenage had dominated in the air, but when Reason floated a free-kick to a crowd of bodies at the back post, it was Hatswell who rose highest to head across goal, and there was the predatory Rendell, taking a gamble to arrive first and tuck it across Day and into the net from close range. 2-0!
The Borough fans were utterly shell-shocked, and the amber army were not far behind, but now the impossible dream was almost tangible. The sun came out and the heat continued to rise. Laird was booked for fouling Willmott on 74, United continued to probe and press, and on 84 Ashton looked likely to pick up a second yellow for bringing down Phillips, to the home fans' dismay in the light of what happened last time Stevenage had a player dismissed, but he received only a stern lecture from the man in black.
The visitors made a late rally, Andy Drury firing wide then Wilson drawing a save from Potter, and right on full-time they came agonisingly close to winning it: Drury thrust into the box, Potter came out to intercept, the shot beat the keeper but was hacked off the line by Tonkin but only to Morison in the six yard box. With an open goal, save for two U's defenders, his hesitant goalward prod was cleared off the line again by Hatswell, and by some sort of miracle, the danger was averted. If Destiny had taken over, it certainly did not favour Stevenage. Maybe it really was to be United's day.
Potter saved again from Ashton as the ensuing corner flashed in, Willmott broke away up the other end but was forced wide and lost possession, then a breathless ninety minutes was up. Extra time and possibly penalties would be next.
Both teams, and their exhausted fans, took an extended break thanks to those nice people at Setanta, then we were off again, only change being Willmott and Parkinson swapping wings. Early exchanges were inconclusive as nerves and fatigue began to set in, but on 95 the drama intensified once more as Laird caught Reason with a reckless lunge and was dismissed with a second yellow. That's four matches between these clubs this season, and one red card in each and every game.
Henry dropped back to right-back, Wilson switching to the left. Day hesitated when Ashton passed the ball back to him and Phillips charged after it, but could only manage to deflect the keeper's attempted clearance for a throw. United, positive but calm, continued to take the game to the visitors and a tremendous 25-yarder by Carden on 98 brought a save from Day, and two minutes later Stevenage made a positive substitution in replacing Drury with Mendes.
There was hilarity on 100 when Ashton aimed a free-kick at Wilson but he was not paying attention and it ran harmlessly out of play behind him. Stevenage coach Dino Maamria cynically knocked the ball away, causing fury on the U's bench, and he was sent to the stand for his pains. Then Roberts felled Parkinson, who had looked much more effective since switching to the right, and the bleach blond was next into the book.
Half-time of extra time arrived and there was still no sign of Chris Holroyd, whose pace would surely tear a tiring defence apart. And he was a penalty taker, to boot...
Henry produced a tremendous run down the right channel which took him to the byline and his pull back was heading towards Morison at the far post until it was superbly hooked away by Dan Gleeson, facing his own goal. Next goal wins. Parkinson had a shot blocked by Wilson on 110, then Rendell headed straight into Day's arms, and once again it was all United as they pushed for the winner.
On 111 Willmott found Rendell at the far post, but his delicate header floated across the face of goal with Phillips rushing in but unable to make contact, and it bobbled wide. Now Holroyd finally entered the fray in place of the hard-working Phillips.
Stevenage were packing the box with bodies as the crosses and shots rained in, Reason finding the roof of the net and a Carden blaster unable to penetrate the sea of red and white, then Willmott was booked for a flare-up with Henry.
The dreaded penalties seemed inevitable as the last minute of extra time ticked around, but the inspirational Carden had other ideas, dribbling towards goal as Borough stood off deep, exchanging a one-two with Reason and firing low for the bottom left corner from 18 yards. Day dived low, got a hand to it, but Rendell was already anticipating and stalked in to prod the rebound home from the angle. The eruption of the Abbey made Krakatoa look like a sparkler. 3-0!
Rendell, reborn as a goal machine after a fallow period, was booked by RoboRef for removing his shirt in celebration, but it did not matter. One added minute was indicated, enough for one more Stevenage corner, but United's superb defence held firm. The final whistle was the signal for an ecstatic but good-natured pitch invasion to celebrate an unlikely and, let's be honest, unexpected triumph.
There was some concern when the massed amber hordes advanced towards the away end, but it was only to applaud the Stevenage fans, whose support had been vocal throughout and whose team had run United so close. They retorted good-naturedly with their own Wembley song, anticipating Saturday's FA Trophy final clash with York City.
Walking away from the Abbey after an epic, exhausting day, the strains of 'Que Sera Sera' seemed to ring through the air for miles around. The singers - and their team - had obtained their just desserts in the hardest way imaginable: the Cambridge United way, if you like.
But let us not celebrate too hard this time. The hardest work is yet to come; we must not blow it this time at the home of English football. All focus must now be on winning one more match and regaining our rightful place in the Football League. And another team from Devon will be our opposition. Well done, players and management; now let's concentrate on the challenge that awaits. Preparation, spirit, belief and courage will see us though.
I went for a walk later that afternoon, pondering the events of the day and indeed the season, and I found myself unconsciously pummelling the air with my fists and punching the air in triumph as I went. Anyone who saw me would have thought me to be some sort of muttering lunatic. Well, if supporting Cambridge United is madness, I don't want to be sane...
Statto Corner
Today saw only the second time since 1960 that United have been involved in a game going to extra time which was not decided either by penalties or a golden goal. The previous occasion was in an FA Cup First Round Replay at the Abbey in November 2002, when the U's beat Scarborough 2-1 thanks to goals from Paul Wanless and a Mark Hotte own goal.
United took part in seven extra-time games in the LDV Vans Trophy between 1999 and 2003, winning four on the golden goal (versus Exeter, Brighton, Luton and Brentford) and one on penalties (against Cheltenham), losing one each on those methods of deciding cup ties. They also beat Exeter on penalties in the LDV's predecessor, the Auto Windscreens Shield, in 1999.
The U's have lost twice on penalties in the Worthington (Football League) Cup, to Nottingham Forest and West Brom, and once in the FA Cup, to Macclesfield in 2003. They also defeated Charlton Athletic in a shoot-out in the short-lived Zenith Data Systems Cup in 1991.
This is a record-breaking season for United in terms of being shown live on television; the playoff final at Wembley will be the eleventh this term (assuming Setanta are still going by then). They managed nine last season, but before that had appeared live only seven times in their history, starting with a 1-1 draw at Southend in December 1991. They have appeared once on ITV, twice on ITV Digital (boo! hiss!), four times on Sky, and nineteen times on Setanta.
United have won three, drawn three and lost four of their TV games this season, against a record of 4-1-4 last term.
Sunday week will see only United's fifth first-class match on neutral territory since 1970, following a FA Cup 3rd Round Second Replay against Oldham at Nottingham Forest's City Ground in 1974, the Wembley playoff final versus Chesterfield in 1990, the LDV Final at the Millennium Stadium with Blackpool in 2002, and of course last season against Exeter. Those games have yielded one victory and three defeats.
In the six Conference playoff finals so far, the team which finished third in the league has won through five times, with runners-up Hereford the only exception on 2005-06. Hereford had lost in the semi-finals in each of the previous two seasons. This season, however, there is no danger of the third-placed club winning out...
Player Ratings
Potter 8. Always in command, and well protected by his impressive defence.
Gleeson 8. Solid, reliable and prevented one certain tap-in for Morison.
Bolland 9. Looked unbeatable at the back.
Hatswell 9. Inspirational as ever.
Tonkin 8. Improved as the game went on, concentrating on defending rather than overlaps today.
Willmott 8. Still running up too many blind alleys, but a telling contribution nonetheless.
Carden 9. Captain Fantastic.
Reason 8. Struggling for top form, but stuck to his task resolutely.
Pitt 7. Enjoyed a few good moments.
Phillips 8. Good, strong leader up front.
Rendell 9. He may not be in the same fettle as a few months ago, but that goal-poaching instinct certainly bore dramatic fruit today.
Parkinson 8. Quiet on the left, but much more influential when switched to the right in extra time.
Holroyd 7. Little time to make an impression.
Match Summary
The magnificent U's bounced back from first-leg disappointment to show they do have the character and the guts to get out of this league with a battling extra-time victory against the odds and the old enemy, Stevenage. One of the all-time great contests at the Abbey which will live long in the memory of all who were lucky enough to be there.
Man of the Match
Paul Carden. Tireless, tough and talented, it was fitting that United's superb skipper should create the winning goal.
Ref Watch
Tierney 5. Today's match was a stop-start affair thanks to this chap's predilection for long lectures at every opportunity and his tendency to award random free-kicks for many challenges which would have been better left unpunished. His use of the advantage rule leaves room for improvement, too.
Becky's World of Wit and Wisdom
"The art of achievement: You hold in your hand the camel's hair brush of a painter of life. You stand before the vast white canvas of time. The paints are your thoughts, emotions and acts. You select and mix the positive colours of heart, mind and spirit into the qualities of effective living: patience, determination, endurance, self discipline, work, love and faith. Each moment of your life is a brush stroke in the painting of your growing career. There are the bold, sweeping strokes increasing dynamic purpose. There are the lights and shadows that are your life deep and strong. There are the little touches that are a stamp of character and worth. The art of achievement is the art of making life - your life - a masterpiece." [Millwall, 4/4/92]
Hello... Goodbye
Joe Mayo played his last game in black'n'amber on this day in 1983, in a 2-2 draw at Carlisle. A £100,000 signing from Orient, he formed a lanky front two with George Reilly and scored 15 goals in 40 games for the U's over two seasons before winding his career down in Hong Kong with Happy Valley.
Soundtrack of the Day
U2 'Magnificent'
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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