Wednesday 22nd July 2009 - U's 1-1 Barnet: Bees waxes and Bees wane
"As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two..."
"People say that age is just a state of mind. I say it's more about the state of your body."
"He is alive, but only in the sense that he can't be legally buried."
"The secret of longevity is to keep breathing."
In these days of ever-improving nutritional knowledge and fitness techniques, it should not really be a surprise to see a forty-year-old professional footballer lining up at the Abbey Stadium. But it was still quite unexpected to see veteran target man Paul Furlong lining up for Barnet, now with exactly 200 first-class career goals to his name, and looking just as spry and dangerous as he did a decade ago. Long may he run, jump, elbow etc...
It was what is kindly known as a low-key evening at the Wembley of the Fens, with the Habbin closed and the South Stand populated by 93 doughty away supporters in balmy but breezy conditions. Managerial candidate Martin Ling was present in the Main Stand, making notes on his team sheet alongside his former assistant at Orient, Kevin Nugent, while also chatting to John Deehan, Norwich City's chief scout who was sat just behind them. No other familiar faces; perhaps Claude and Herve haven't received their faxes yet.
United's entire fit first team squad warmed up, save for outcasts Jon Challinor and Courtney Pitt, on what would perhaps have been an ideal occasion to put them in the shop window if the club is so determined to offload them. Let's just not have any talk of a 'small squad' while those two are being ignored, eh?
Clad in Cambridge blue against Barnet's orange and black, acting manager Paul Carden named a 4-4-2 line-up with Rory McAuley in for Josh Coulson at centre-back, Andy Parkinson and Robbie Willmott on the flanks and a starting front two of Chris Holroyd and Danny Crow. There was a second familiar face in the visitors' line-up in the shape of player/assistant manager Gary Breen, now 35 years old and, like Furlong, at his tenth different club; former U Micah Hyde is also now on the Bees' books but was not present tonight.
An open, competitive encounter saw its first 'goal' within five minutes of the start, but only because the linesman had teasingly waited for Holroyd to chip the ball into the net from 25 yards, and therefore 'become active', before flagging him offside.
Eight minutes later some nifty trickery by Crow out on the right byline sent Parkinson haring goalward, but he disappointingly failed to pick out a colleague with his cross, while Barnet responded with a blast wide from the combative Furlong a minute further on.
There was concern on 17 when Dan Gleeson needed treatment for a gashed knee after a 50-50 challenge for a poor pass from Carden, and he was forced to withdraw, Josh Coulson coming on in his stead and McAuley moving to right-back.
Jake Hyde blazed wildly wide for the visitors while Coulson was waiting to come on, then up the other end Willmott went on a characteristic run, cutting in from the left onto his right foot, retaining possession with a rather fortunate ricochet as he entered the area, and with Holroyd waiting for a squared pass to set him up with a tap-in, Robbie chose to shoot instead and lashed a low scudder across the six-yard box and wide of the far post.
A few minutes later another excellent Willmott run culminated in a right-footed cross that just evaded the inrushing Holroyd and keeper Will Viner, and although Crow arrived just in time, he was under pressure from Viner and the ball bounced off his shin and trundled just the wrong side of the post as both United strikers finished in a heap in the back of the net.
Barnet also lost a man early, right-back Joe Devera forced to withdraw on 24 to be replaced by new Aussie signing Daniel Leech.
Albert Adomah hammered a dreadful free-kick into the car park from the left angle of the box, but on 35 the visitors managed what the U's had thus far failed to do, find one of their own men with a cross, when Nicky Deverdics' curler from the right was nodded home in a crowded box from close range by the predatory Furlong. 1-0.
United were unable to create another worthwhile chance before the interval despite some nice approach play, lacking the physical presence in the box that Furlong offered Barnet or, ironically enough, Laurie Walker gave the U's against West Ham. So far, s'OK. Ish.
Mark Beesley replaced Holroyd for part two and was presented with an early chance with an alert run onto Reason's through ball that proffered him a clear strike on goal from the right, but he slashed wildly at the ball and spooned it embarrassingly wide. Oh dear.
Barnet responded with some neat inter-passing that led to Deverdics crossing into the box for Furlong to head for goal eight yards out, but Danny Potter made an excellent reaction save.
The contest became a little too competitive on 54 when visiting skipper Mark Hughes (no relation) made a horrendous high, late tackle on Reason which left the United man in a crumpled heap and ref Long had no alternative but to show him yellow as both teams started a game of push-me-pull-you. In a league match it might have been red, but Bees boss Ian Hendon creditably withdrew him immediately and brought on Joe Tabiri in his place.
Five minutes later came United's best move of the match so far, Crow neatly flicking on to send Parkinson away, and his pinpoint pass found Beesley whose powerful drive was beaten away by Viner. The ensuing corner caused havoc in the box and after Reason had dwelt on the ball, Parkinson showed him how it was (almost) done with a poke for goal which cannoned off the foot of the far post.
Just after the hour United replaced their central midfield, Ben Farrell and Sam Ives on for Carden and Reason, while shortly afterwards Elliott Charles, Albert Jarrett and the splendidly named Clovis Kamdjo replaced Hyde, Ismail Yakubu and Furlong for the visitors.
Willmott looked dangerous when in full flow and drew a save from Viner while Charles caused Potter similar work at the other end, but the U's No.1's gloves were not letting anything slip. On 78 Parkinson found Hatswell storming in unmarked at a corner, but he nodded straight into Viner's grateful hands with the goal at his mercy.
Carden's final throw of the dice was to introduce Adam Marriott and Jordan Patrick (above) for Beesley and Parkinson on 80, and the presence of so many former CRC lads on the pitch seemed to improve the team's understanding.
Patrick immediately provided one good cross which was cleared, then on 82 Farrell found Ives in the centre circle, he lofted a superb ball down the left for Marriott, and he sprinted for goal, cut inside and provided Beesley with a perfect cross to slot coolly home from close range. 1-1.
Danny Hart replaced Albert Adomah for Barnet, but United were finishing the stronger and really should have won it two minutes from time. The creator was again Marriott, and his cross from the byline presented an unmarked Beesley with the whole goal to aim at ten yards out, but instead of putting his foot through it he tried an over-deliberate placement and prodded horribly over the top, holding his head in his hands.
A draw was probably a fair result for a keenly contested and useful pre-season warm-up, and once again it was the young guns like McAuley, Coulson, Coakley, Ives and Marriott who had caught the eye.
Let us hope these boys enjoy as long and fruitful a career as Mr Furlong. Ultimately age catches up with all of us, but not without a fight; as Woody Allen put it, "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it through not dying..."
Statto Corner
Tonight's attendance of 823 was the lowest for a pre-season friendly at the Abbey since United beat Kettering Town 2-1 in front of a crowd of 751 on 6th August 2005, with goals from Stephen Smith and Fola Onibuje.
The previous lowest PSF attendance against a team from a higher division was 590 against Brighton on 21st August 1982, the visitors winning 2-0. At the time the U's were in Division Two (now 'The Championship') and Brighton were in the top league. The Seagulls were to join United the following season as they finished bottom of Division One while the U's came twelfth, although Albion did have the consolation of reaching the FA Cup Final where they lost 4-0 in a replay to Manchester United. They have never returned to the highest level.
It has been a long time since Paul Furlong faced the U's. In all he had faced us four times before Wednesday night; firstly, twice for Coventry in the FA Cup 3rd Round in January 1992, when United knocked their higher-division opponents out in a 1-0 replay win after a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road. Next season Furlong was at Watford and he faced the U's home and away in the League, with both games drawn, 1-1 (home) and 2-2 (away). Before tonight he had never scored against United.
Gary Breen had faced the U's three times before, all for Peterborough in the 1994-95 season when United eliminated Posh 2-0 from the FA Cup at London Road, and in a 2-2 league draw at the same venue in the same month (December), plus Posh's 2-0 defeat at the Abbey the following April. His team-mates in the latter match included ex-U Billy 'Red Card' Manuel and future United assistant boss Tony Spearing.
Neither veteran, therefore, has ever finished on the winning side against the U's. Another fact they have in common is that they have appeared in 2-2 draws versus the U's in which our old chum Ken Charlery scored a goal.
Player Ratings
Potter 7. Looking solid and ready for the season. Superb save from Furlong.
Gleeson 6. Only lasted seventeen minutes but hopefully will be back very soon.
McAuley 8. Another outstanding CRC prospect.
Hatswell 8. Early collywobbles out of the way, getting back to his best.
Coakley 7. Plays like he has been a regular for years.
Parkinson 7. Some nice moments, although a few more would be even nicer.
Reason 7. Reliable performance.
Carden 7. Quickly getting up to speed.
Willmott 7. Good flashes, although a little puzzling that he only crossed with his right foot when stationed on the left, then when he swapped wings he started cutting in and crossing with his left foot.
Crow 7. Links play up well, and only misgiving is that he spends so much time dropping deep that he is rarely in a goalscoring position when he needs to be.
Holroyd 7. Dangerous in patches in his 45 minutes on the field.
Beesley 7. Nicely taken goal, two dreadful misses - it would be good if he could get that ratio reversed by the time the league starts again.
Coulson 8. Tower of strength. He's ready.
Farrell 6. Tidy if unspectacular.
Ives 7. Crisp passing and positive running points to a bright future.
Marriott 7. Immediate impact. The world is his lobster.
Patrick 6. Gradually acclimatising to his new level.
Match Summary
United gradually improved as the match went on in a useful, competitive workout most notable for the contribution of their home-grown youngsters.
Man of the Match
Rory McAuley. An early change from centre-back to right-back did not faze him in the slightest; always strong, always positive, always accurate. Star of the future.
Ref Watch
Long 7. Second game at the Abbey in five days and same calm authority, correctly booking Hughes when he had to.
Soundtrack of the Day
Cornershop 'The Roll-Off Characteristics (Of History In The Making)'
"First you forget names, then you forget faces. Next you forget to pull your zipper up and finally, you forget to pull it down." (George Burns)
Andrew Bennett
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