U's 2-2 Rushden: Cards brings the house down
Tuesday 24th November 2009 - U's 2-2 Rushden: Cards brings the house down
'A man of fashion and pleasure.'
That was the original meaning of the term 'Corinthian' from which the famous amateur football club of the same name took its title in 1882. Swiftly becoming a byword for gentlemanly sportsmanship and the amateur ideal, the club soon fielded one of the best teams in the country, twice supplying all eleven men for the English national side, but refused to take part in any competitions and played only friendlies; so strict was their ideology that if they conceded a penalty, their goalkeeper would stand to one side to allow the opposition to score. An admiring Real Madrid adopted their all-white strip in 1902 and they inflicted Manchester United's all-time record defeat, 11-3, two years later.
The present Cambridge United team may not consist of men of fashion and pleasure - Danny Crow has at least ditched that wretched headband, but they seem more adept at inflicting pain at the moment - but they seem to be doing their darnedest to earn the title of the most sporting, nay, Corinthian team of the 21st century with their new-found insistence on giving the opposition a two-goal head start before settling into a match themselves.
Tuesday evening's curate's egg-and-spoon race was against Rushden & Diamonds, who under the managership of former U's applicant Justin Edinburgh had amassed seven consecutive wins, albeit two were FA Cup victories over minnows Workington and Hinckley United. There were plenty of familiar faces in their ranks: former U Max Porter played alongside Chris Holroyd and Jai Reason in England C's win in Poland last week, skipper Jamie Stuart played in four pre-season friendlies for United in 2001, and keeper Nathan Abbey is the brother of former Abbey goal poacher Zema, while Jefferson Louis (on loan from Crawley) always seems to score against the U's and Paul Terry is Joel Cantona to John's Eric.
For United, the suspensions of Anthony Tonkin and Robbie Willmott meant a fifth start of the season for Darryl Coakley at left-back and a recall for Courtney Pitt ahead of him, while fit-again Dan Gleeson came back in for Rory McAuley and Danny Crow replaced Lee Phillips after his heroics at Luton on Saturday. CRC goal machine Adam Marriott earned himself a place on the bench.
Both sides indulged in a pre-kickoff huddle, Paul Carden presumably telling his charges "Wait until they score their second... then POUNCE!" and first corner went to the visitors on 3. Diamonds had the air of confidence about them that a good winning run tends to engender, passing the ball around confidently in a team blessed with a lot of pace via striker Aaron O'Connor and midfielders Mark Byrne and Lee Tomlin.
By contrast United had gone off at something of a plod, with the central hub of Paul Carden and Jai Reason looking out of touch playing into the teeth of a strong wind and Gleeson struggling to shake off the rust following his recent lay-off. With only Pitt looking creative, the front two of Holroyd and Crow, playing noticeably further forward than we are used to seeing, were supplied with precious little to work on save for the odd, invariably inaccurate, hopeful channel ball.
Danny Potter made his first save from foraging left-back Kurt Robinson's shot on 8, but he was left with egg on his face five minutes later when Andy Parkinson felled Tomlin, who lined up a free-kick some thirty yards out in the left channel, and instead of lofting a cross to the far post where the 'big men' waited, he caught the U's number one on the hop by curling it straight in at the near post as Potter scrambled vainly across his goal in a carbon copy of a set piece we have seen Wayne Hatswell execute for the U's in the past. I don't care how full of beans you are, Danny, wind is no excuse: 1-0.
Up the other end, however, Abbey looked even shakier, fumbling one Pitt free-kick then on 22 getting into a communications mix-up with Michael Corcoran on the edge of his box, Pitt nipping in to intercept and finding Holroyd, who poked a diagonal shot wide of the far post as a stumbling Abbey looked on and prayed.
Pitt continued his good work on 22 with a decent shot which Abbey pawed away, then a speedy break from the visitors saw Brian Saah get in the way of Tomlin for a rather generous free-kick in a similar position from which he had scored earlier. Tomlin went for the double bluff and tried the same free-kick again, but this time it sailed high and wide as the better-positioned Potter looked on carefully.
It was Pitt who created United's best chance so far on 25, some superb footwork enabling him to beat two men as he cut inside, then his pinpoint angled through ball sent Parkinson haring clear. But with only Abbey to beat and Holroyd waiting unmarked for a side pass, he blazed disappointing over the top from ten yards.
Soon afterwards Terry was first into the book for foolishly arguing the toss when ref Barrett penalised Curtis Osano for a foul on Holroyd. He was happier, however, on 27 when another pacy breakaway saw Terry send Byrne skipping down the right flank, Gleeson played everyone onside and Byrne's low cross found that man Louis ghosting through the defence to tuck comfortably home from close range. Desperate, Dan: 2-0.
An underperforming Reason let his frustration at his own and his team's inadequacies get the better of him and he was deservedly booked for a foolish lunge at Robinson to rule himself out of the Cup game on Saturday.
The Parkinson miss now looked like a turning point. At one-all the game would have been wide open, but now United looked impotent, devoid of ideas (bar Pitt) with an uninspired midfield unable to find any effective way of providing supply to an isolated front pair against Diamonds' two banks of four.
The team's passing, crossing and set-pieces also left much to be desired, with the honourable exception of young Coakley whose distribution remained unerringly cool and measured. And on 40 the stand-in left-back conjured up a quite magnificent curling cross from deep which Holroyd and Crow somehow contrived to miss as it bounced temptingly across the six-yard box.
Next minute Carden also ruled himself out of Saturday with a yellow card for a clumsy foul on Byrne. The free-kick was in that 'Tomlin position' again, but this time the Diamonds wide man touched it sideways to Byrne who dragged his shot wide of the near post.
Byrne almost had the last laugh on 44 when Potter miscued a clearance into the wind from out on the left and Byrne tried a cheeky lob back into the unguarded net, but he was off target and Potter trotted back to gather comfortably in the end.
Pitt was still doing his level best and on the stroke of half-time he barged his way into the area and saw a good strike blocked away by Stuart. Parkinson's ensuing corner was met at the near post by Crow but he could only nod over.
United were justifiably booed from the pitch after a slipshod, shapeless mess of a half in which too many players had performed well below their best and the team as a whole had simply not functioned in any effective way against a useful Rushden side which had taken its chances, pushed it around well and defended as solidly as they had needed. Over to you, Mr Ling.
The visitors had the first dangerous break of part two, but Potter was there to cut it out, and on 49 Osano fouled Carden to present Pitt with a free-kick opportunity some twenty yards out which he curled into Abbey's waiting arms.
Rushden's players seemed to have had some trouble keeping their feet in the first half, especially when a United player came up behind them, but Gleeson merited his booking on 51 when he summed his day up so far by giving the ball away with another inaccurate pass on halfway then clattering Tomlin as he attempted to atone for his error.
United began to press now that they had the wind at their backs, forcing a couple of corners which culminated in a Saah shot which was deflected wide by Terry, then Rushden broke away to force a flag-kick of their own.
Porter fouled Holroyd but failed to attract a card, notwithstanding the fact that several U's players had already been booked for similar offences, and on 58 Ling made a courageous early decision to change matters and withdrew the ineffective Parkinson in favour of Lee Phillips, going to a more fluid 4-4-2 with Holroyd stationed to the right of Phillips and Crow, patrolling the right touchline.
Then on the hour United were given hope out of nothing by their inspirational skipper. Gleeson almost lost possession with another dreadful pass in the centre circle intended for Carden, the U's captain retrieved it and wriggled between two opponents, took the ball forward a few paces, then thinking 'what the heck' lashed a stunning, unstoppable shot into the top left corner from the best part of forty yards for a clear contender for goal of the season. Stoater: 2-1.
The wind may have played its part, but full credit to Cards, and suddenly United had clicked into the positive mindset that they enjoyed for those thrilling last ten minutes at Luton at the weekend. And within five minutes they were level.
Stuart upended Crow out on the right touchline, United lined up the big guns in the middle, and for a pleasant change they did not play it short and faff about until they had lost possession without crossing it; no, this time Pitt stepped up to arrow a stunning Exocet of a free-kick into the box, and there was Brian Saah rising unchallenged to power home a close-range header for his first goal in black'n'amber. Another comeback: 2-2!
The visitors replaced luxury player Louis with ex-Histon striker Cliff Akurang, and slowly but surely United's impetus began to slow as they relaxed mentally with the levelling of the scores. Stuart was next into the fussy ref's book on 71 for dissent, and five minutes later a neat Crow flick afforded Phillips the chance of an ambitious volley which he spooned wide.
Rushden had now been able to muster their second wind, making a second change on 76 in replacing Corcoran with Simon Downer, but the whole contest seemed to be deflating before our eyes like a beach ball with a slow puncture as both teams seemed content to settle for a draw.
On 81 Tomlin picked up the most foolish booking yet, for throwing the ball away, Potter beat a speeding O'Connor to a through ball and Akurang had a shot blocked for a corner on 84, then yet another card was shown to Robinson for a niggling foul on Reason.
Craig Farrell came on for O'Connor on 86, but neither keeper was troubled again as the match, unlike the wind, blew itself out, Pitt having one last shot blocked by Porter.
Once again it had been a good, spirited comeback by United against a fine visiting team. But that could not mask a shoddy first half and a mental switching off after they had levelled the scores. It is not enough to play well for a third of a game and to sleepwalk through the other two thirds. And it is certainly not a good idea to keep handing the opposition a two-goal lead. Even those Victorian Corinthians like CB Fry, Basil Patchitt, Cecil Holden-White and Geoffrey Plumpton Wilson would have baulked at that level of sportsmanship. Back to the training ground with you, Mr Ling, sir!
Statto Corner
It has been over 35 years since United last came back from two goals down to avoid defeat in two consecutive matches. On New Year's Day 1974 Huddersfield Town were 2-0 up at the Abbey inside 24 minutes, but the U's fought back to gain a draw with goals from top scorer Brian Greenhalgh and a Bobby Ross penalty.
Five days later United were two down with ten minutes to go at home to Oldham in the FA Cup, but an Ian Wood own goal and a volley from Terry Eades secured a replay. Only two days after that it was United's turn to throw away a two goal lead in a 3-3 draw at Boundary Park, then four days later the U's saw a 2-0 lead at home to Southend pulled back to 2-2 before finally winning 3-2. To finish off a hectic fortnight, United finally bowed out of the Cup on 14th January, losing 2-1 to Oldham in a second replay at Nottingham Forest's City Ground.
Paul Carden's only previous goal for the U's was a superb volley in a televised match at home to Oxford on 29th January this year, the equaliser in a 1-1 draw. He has scored five previous league goals: one for Doncaster, three for Chester and one for Burton Albion.
Brian Saah scored one goal in 82 starts plus 11 as sub in the Football League for Leyton Orient.
Jefferson Louis continues to haunt United with his goalscoring presence. He has scored twice in four games against the U's for Oxford, once in one match for Stevenage, twice in one game for Weymouth, and one in two for Wrexham. The only team he failed to score for against us was Crawley earlier this season. In ten games he has only finished on the losing side once against the U's, for Wrexham in their 2-0 Abbey defeat in September 2008.
Nathan Abbey is also a familiar opposing face, having first faced United ten years ago for Luton Town. In a total of nine matches for five different clubs (the others being Chesterfield, Northampton and Boston) today was his first draw, having previously taken part in four wins and four defeats, keeping three clean sheets and having been sent off once, for Northampton in a 4-2 away win for the U's in the LDV in November 2002.
Paul Terry has popped up twice before, both for Yeovil in the 2004-05 season, while Cliff Akurang has turned up for Dagenham & Redbridge (both games in 2005-06, one goal) and for Rushden earlier this season. He never faced the U's for Histon.
Player Ratings
Potter 6. Did not have a great deal to do, but has to hold his hands up for the first goal.
Gleeson 5. Probably the worst he has ever played in a United shirt, he looked hopelessly rusty and nowhere near ready to come back after his break from first team action. Will no doubt improve swiftly as he has done before.
Coakley 7. The CRC conveyor belt produces another gem.
Saah 7. Not his greatest first half, much improved after the interval and capped it with a storming first goal in U's colours.
Hatswell 6. Steady effort.
Parkinson 5. Difficult not to feel sympathy for Parky; Lord knows he tries, but he still resembles that stray dog that gets onto the pitch and runs around aimlessly until it's finally carried off by an adult.
Carden 7. Average first half, excellent second, and WHAT a goal.
Reason 5. Too many slipshod passes and seemed to lose his composure, too, running around clattering into people as if he wanted to be sent off. Must do better.
Pitt 7. United's best player by a mile in the first 45 with some quite delightful touches, and a superb free-kick to make the equaliser.
Holroyd 6. Put in a solid shift as striker then wide man.
Crow 6. Consciously played further forward than usual, but was let down by a poor supply line.
Phillips 6. Put himself about in his usual robust manner.
Match Summary
Jekyll & Hyde United recovered a two-goal deficit for the second time in four days to leave the amber faithful wondering which is the real U's team: the timid rabble which surrendered the first half, or the hungry wolf pack which all too briefly threatened to sweep Rushden away in the second. Whichever one it is, I would not recommend yielding our December opponents such a generous handicap.
Man of the Match
Darryl Coakley. Very impressive showing from the youngster; unflappable under pressure, solid defensively and did not waste a pass, unlike several of his more experienced colleagues.
Ref Watch
Barrett 5. As wildly inconsistent as the swirling breeze, he booked United players and withheld his cards for Rushden's men despite near-identical fouls, and never got to grips with the whoops-I've-fallen-over theatrics of the visitors' attacking players or the shoving by their defenders.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
"One of the players had a bandage round his leg. The other players from the other team kept going round him because they thought it would be easy to get the ball from him, but they did not get the ball." (Sinead Parker)
Soundtrack of the Day
Frightened Rabbit 'Swim Until You Can't See Land'
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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