Monday 31st August 2009 - Rushden 1-1 U's: Hats the way to do it
Times are hard for football clubs these days. At the top levels, Portsmouth have just ended months of turmoil by being taken over by Omid Djalili (or a darned good lookalike) while Newcastle continue to waggle an increasingly desperate Nora Battyesque leg at any naïve suitor they can ensnare with their dubious, shop-soiled charms.
Meanwhile, in the not-so-cosy non-League corner, Forest Green and Weymouth are the latest to face tight pay-or-go-bust deadlines, and many others are living hand-to-mouth like a Jeremy Kyle stage line-up.
Rushden & Diamonds are a case in point. They have been bequeathed a magnificent sports complex by Max Griggs, but the attendant council rates must be enormous and nothing can change the fact that it is a small club in a small town with small support. The fascia on their main stand is faded and scruffy, although they are still sponsored by Haart, unlike some clubs I can think of.
Their dilemma was made apparent in their matchday programme today, which revealed that decreasing numbers of supporters mean they are starting to lose money on away travel; for instance, last season's coach to Forest Green cost £540 but only 23 take-ups meant that they raised just £345, incurring a loss of £205. The Away Travel Committee added gloomily "We only have a small amount of money in the bank to cover such losses. When the money has gone, and at this rate it will be this season, the committee will disband."
The misery was compounded at half-time today when the PA announced that the club would be running a coach to Ebbsfleet, but there would be no coach for the altogether more daunting trips to far-flung Barrow and Gateshead. There was much scornful derision from the amber army at this news, but let us hope that the Supporters' Trust that runs the club finds a way forward, for the sake of our league and all such clubs.
We at United would certainly miss this fixture as the venue of our last win in the Football League in 2005 and two epic wins in the last two seasons. That most recent victory, on 1st February this year, was notable not only for Phil Bolland's late winner, but for the snow showers that decorated the skies that day, and today could not have provided a greater contrast on an almost oppressively humid Bank Holiday afternoon despite the cloud cover which only began to clear during the second half.
Martin Ling named an unchanged side after Saturday's trouncing of Gateshead, with Rory McAuley replacing keeper Laurie Walker on the bench. Diamonds had won their previous two home games, albeit against BSP lame ducks Hayes & Yeading and Forest Green, and sported former United midfielder Max Porter in their starting line-up alongside new skipper and ex-U's trialist Jamie Stuart, with former Histon striker Cliff Akurang up front, on loan from Barnet. Our old chum Rob Wolleaston was absent with knee problems which have occasioned an operation and at least six weeks on the sidelines.
The travelling amber army always enjoy this trip, a short jaunt up the A14 and housed in a large away end with a cavernous roof that reflects and amplifies their exhortations, made all the happier by the knowledge that their numbers come close to equalling or even outweighing the entire home support. Today's attendance was comfortably more than double the hosts' previous two gates, which barely made a thousand each.
Within a couple of minutes of the start, Stuart had brought Jai Reason down a few yards outside the box, and Robbie Willmott stepped up to power the free-kick low beyond the wall but also just beyond the post.
The hosts retaliated strongly in a simple, direct but effective style and United soon began conceding a steady stream of free-kicks and corners, thanks in part to fussy whistle enthusiast ref Lewis. On 6 Matt Pattison was fouled by Anthony Tonkin and Lee Tomlin's free-kick deflected off the wall and ran to O'Connor sneaking in unmarked at the far post, but his close-range shot was not the most powerful and Potter just had time to dive and smother on his line.
O'Connor then repeated the trick with a scuffer of a shot, and it was Rushden who were in the early ascendant. The U's responded, however, when fine work by Dan Gleeson on 13 found Reason just inside the area, and his low fizzer of a shot was superbly saved at the near post by diving England 'C' call-up keeper Dale Roberts, at the expense of a corner. Willmott's flag-kick, and a follow-up, were however disappointing underhit and cleared before they even got as far as the near post.
Rushden's attack was already causing United problems, their direct running bypassing Reason and Paul Carden and finding an overexposed back four behind them. Brian Saah blocked an O'Connor effort on 18, then a minute later the latter broke clear following a U's attack but his eventual shot trundled feebly into Potter's waiting gloves.
On 21 Gleeson was penalised for a challenge on Tomlin and the Diamonds man drove his free-kick off the wall and harmlessly away. Two minutes later the U's full-back was presented with his own chance at goal from a Willmott corner, but his shot bobbled wide in a crowded box.
Just before the half hour a long ball from defence fell perfectly for Akurang, but his shooting was no better than that of O'Connor and Potter again gathered comfortably. The action continued to switch from end to end, Roberts clutching a Willmott free-kick then launching a counter-attack from which Stuart headed Tomlin's cross wide.
Back came the visitors, however, and on 34 Willmott made it to the byline and arrowed over a low cross which Holroyd just missed; it continued to Andy Parkinson at the far post, but fell just behind him, and with defenders in front of him he turned and squared it to Danny Crow for a free shot at goal from ten yards. But his effort, though well struck, was blocked away from the line by a combination of goalkeeper and defender.
Both teams continued to work hard, cancelling each other out to an extent. United could manage no further efforts on goal, and the last two of the half fell to Tomlin, a free-kick wide, and Mark Byrne, a shot blocked by the doughty Hatswell.
It had been a mixed first 45 for the visitors, who had created the odd chance without ever really producing truly flowing football, with a midfield which not yet started firing on all cylinders and had not created enough opportunities for their forwards. The contest was on a knife edge; if United could sneak a 1-0 win, it would be a good hard-fought three points, but they could easily lose by the same score, in which case the performance would be seen as all huff and puff but no end product.
The clouds began to clear, revealing a growing expanse of sunny blue: August's last stand. Within a couple of minutes of the restart danger threatened following Carden's foul on Matt Pattison, Tomlin's free-kick running off the wall to Byrne whose daisycutter of a shot was well saved by a diving Potter.
The U's responded with a lightning-quick break from Willmott, sprinting from deep in his own half following a Rushden corner to the edge of the hosts' box, where his delicate pass found Holroyd arriving in the middle; but the United top scorer needed time to control the bouncing ball and his shot, when it came, was well blocked by the advancing Roberts. Best chance so far.
First yellow card of the afternoon came on 56, Hatswell harshly judged to have fouled Pattison although the booking was probably for an accumulation of robust challenges. United continued to concede corners, and the next one on 58 was their undoing. Tomlin swung it over, and it dropped perfectly over the jumping heads for the unmarked Stuart to volley home into the bottom right corner. 1-0.
A mazy run by Tomlin past three United men a minute later culminated in a shot wide, and just after the hour a ball over the top caught Diamonds napping and Crow hared clear down the left channel, but Roberts drove him wide and his chip from the acutest of angles, not unlike the lob that created the team's second goal against Gateshead except with his left foot, drifted just wide of the far upright.
Play continued to and fro, Kurt Robinson firing wide for the hosts, then on 62 O'Connor equalled the card count for a crude challenge on Carden out deep on the right. Reason swung the free-kick in, it held up slightly on the breeze, and there was former Diamond Hatswell arriving with an immaculately timed run at the far post to power his header across Roberts and into the opposite corner. 1-1.
Inspired by ever louder support from the amber army, United pressed for a second, a teasing Willmott cross headed away by a diving Simon Downer, then another Reason free-kick reached Hatswell but he was crowded out as he tried to find the room to shoot.
The game had never been so open, and United's vulnerability to players running at them at pace became ever more apparent as Carden and Reason failed to pick up the runners, and the wingers became too detached from the full-backs behind them and Diamonds exploited the gaps. O'Connor almost took advantage of one such run on 68, blasting over when he should have hit the target, and next minute he was withdrawn in favour of Craig Farrell, the Johnny Vaughan lookalike from the day's programme cover and centrefold. Apparently he makes a great shepherd's pie.
Ling responded with two changes on 75. Sam Ives replaced Parkinson, again deployed wide left despite the presence of specialist Courtney Pitt on the bench, and Mark Beesley came on for Holroyd, who had not enjoyed his greatest game but still looked likely to create a potential winner with his pace off the shoulder of the last defender.
Two minutes later Willmott chased a long ball down the middle and beat the advancing Roberts to it, but his toepoke dropped wide. Sam Smith replaced the ineffective Akurang, Beesley dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box, then tenacious work by Ives set up Beesley again, but as is his wont he concentrated on accuracy at the expense of power and bobbled a back-pass to the grateful Roberts.
Saah was last man to be carded for a challenge on Farrell on 82, and three minutes later Willmott set up Beesley ten yards out but he hesitated fatally and Curtis Osano slid in to dispossess him in the nick of time.
Diamonds responded with a Farrell blaster just wide, then he headed a Pattison cross over the top, and an Osano run culminated with a shot off target. Last shot went to the U's, Ives' side-footer from Willmott's corner blocked by Downer, then it was all over.
A draw was a fair result in the end, both sides having had chances to win and both would no doubt have preferred the full three points. The team is not quite there yet, Rushden finding it far too easy to roam through the midfield again and again today, but United remain unbeaten away and must now look to two home games to get some more points on the board. And they needn't worry: our away support will always be plentiful and ready to roar them on to their next three travelling points in Kingston on Saturday week, limited numbers or not.
Statto Corner
August Bank Holiday Monday is possibly the least fruitful date in the whole calendar for United. They first played on this day in 1999, drawing 1-1 at Wigan, and since then have won only once in eleven games, drawing three and losing seven. Their only victory came in 2000, defeating Notts County 1-0 at Meadow Lane with a goal from Zema Abbey.
Since then the list of mediocrity has been: Brentford (away, 1-2), Southend (away, 1-2), Hull (home, 0-2), Darlington (away, 1-1), Kidderminster (home, 0-2), Dagenham (away, 0-2), Ebbsfleet (home, 1-1), and Kettering (home, 0-2).
Max Porter (right) joined United from Southend, initially on loan, in December 2005, and made his debut in a 4-2 LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Macclesfield.
In total he started three games and came on as sub in a further six without scoring, before moving on to Bishop's Stortford and then Barnet, from whom he joined Rushden. His last game in amber was on 11th March 2006, in a 1-1 draw at Tamworth.
Jamie Stuart turned out as a trialist for the U's in a 1-0 friendly win at Cambridge City on 21st July 2001, after having been released by Millwall, and appeared in three further friendlies against Nuneaton, Millwall (would you believe) and Stevenage before being told that he would not be offered a contract at the Abbey. He went on to join Bury and has since played for Southend, Hornchurch and Grays Athletic.
Cliff Akurang never played against United while on Histon's books, but did turn out twice for Dagenham & Redbridge versus the U's in the 2005-06 season, finishing on the winning side both times.
Player Ratings
Potter 7. Another solid game, no chance with the goal.
Gleeson 7. Decent effort, despite being exposed by those in front of him rather too often.
Tonkin 7. Kept too busy defending to get forward as he likes to do.
Saah 7. Cool, calm and collected.
Hatswell 8. Getting back towards his best.
Parkinson 6. Quiet match and did little to stop Rushden bursting through midfield.
Carden 6. Not one of his better days and was overrun regularly.
Reason 6. Once again his form mirrored that of his central midfield colleague.
Willmott 6. Not on top of his game, albeit some nice flashes.
Crow 7. One of his better performances for United with plenty of intelligent running and passing.
Holroyd 7. Missed his best chance, but his pace always made him a threat which disappeared when he was withdrawn.
Beesley 5. He will never score until he shoots with more power and more quickly and decisively.
Ives 6. Decent, busy contribution for the last fifteen minutes.
Match Summary
United improved on a mediocre first half with a more positive second, but for every good chance they created they presented one to Rushden with some alarmingly passive defending from the midfield back, and ultimately a point was the best they could have hoped for or deserved.
Man of the Match
Wayne Hatswell. Buccaneering tackling, firm heading and a corking goal to boot.
Ref Watch
Lewis 5. In stark contrast to Mr Drysdale on Saturday, this whistle-happy character seemed hell-bent on stopping play at every physical challenge with a series of needless and petty free-kicks. Football is a contact sport, matey.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
"Me and Peter hung a Cambridge United scarf over the wood at the bottom of the stand. A policeman said, 'What team do you support?' I said, 'Cambridge.' He said, 'Really?' and I said 'Yes.' My uncle said 'Check his bag,' but he did not." (Kevin Morley)
Soundtrack of the Day
Weezer '(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To'
Parky's Pick of the Pops
Andy Parkinson lends an ear to the Nene Park sounds. "Alright, lads and lasses? It was that great Scouser Pete 'Story Of The Blues' Wylie who coined the term 'Rockist,' meaning rock music that was clichéd and old-fashioned as opposed to fresh and new. He had a point at the time, did our Pete, but I must confess that as long as a song possesses enough PASSION and SOUL and it's got a decent tune, I tend to like it, like.
"There was Rock old and new at Nene Park today and I have to say I was made up about most of it. We had the gut-wrenching intensity of the Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender,' the proggy complexity of Muse's 'Plug In Baby,' the humour of Aerosmith's 'Dude Looks Like A Lady,' the anthemic 'Boys Are Back In Town' by Thin Lizzy and a singalong to Jeff Beck's 'Hi Ho Silver Lining.'
"All very enjoyable, and throw in the heavenly harmonies of the Mamas & Papas and some indie from Arctic Monkeys and Reverend & The Makers and I wasn't complaining, know what I mean? They did spoil it a little by playing that Pink woman - can't stand her, like, all mouth and piercings - but otherwisse no complaints, ey? Never walk alone!" PPP verdict: 9/10
Andrew Bennett
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