Andrew Bennett reports:

There are some lonely places in the world. The Cafe Ozone in the Cape Wrath lighthouse on the most northwesterly tip of mainland Scotland, home to John and Kay Ure, who were separated for thirty days over the holiday period when Mrs Ure popped across the Kyle of Durness to buy a festive turkey on December 19th and was then prevented from returning until mid-January by the severe winter weather, forcing her to spend Christmas in a caravan in Inverness; the aptly named island of Inaccessible in the Tristan de Cunha islands in the remote South Atlantic Ocean; the North Pole, unless you count Santa and his elves, of course; or the secretary's office of a football club just after the chairman has discovered that an admin oversight might get the team thrown out of a major cup competition. Sends a shiver up the spine.

Not far behind these godforsaken locations, though, comes the away section of the Abbey Stadium on FA Trophy night. Or the home sections, for that matter. A crowd of 913 turned out on a chilly Tuesday night to see United take on Eastbourne Borough for the second time in four days, over 2,000 down on the same league fixture at the weekend, and the official away attendance on both days was exactly the same: 14. Surely it wasn't the same fourteen loyal supporters both times?

If it was, maximum respect to every one of them. That's what supporting is all about: time off work, preposterously inconvenient away trips with little or no prospect of getting a result (or not...), returning home in the early hours of the morning with work due the next day, exhausted but wearing a warm glow of satisfaction that you have accomplished what very few others have done. Life-affirming stuff.

The United side showed four changes from that which lost so disappointingly to the same opposition at the weekend, plus a change in formation as Martin Ling switched to 4-3-3. Brian Saah and Wayne Hatswell returned from suspension to displace Josh Coulson and Blaine Hudson at the back, Darryl Coakley depped for the cup-tied Aiden Palmer, and Jai Reason came in for Andy Parkinson, Robbie Willmott playing as a third striker. Courtney Pitt was omitted from the squad amid (truthful) rumours of an imminent player swap with York City.

For the visitors, their only change was to promote Andy Atkin from the bench in place of the injured Joe Benjamin, and he played up front in a 4-5-1 with ex-U Liam Enver-Marum stationed wide on the left. Danny Brown was not in the sixteen despite his second-half appearance on Saturday.

United started full of pace and positivity and soon began to force Eastbourne back. Willmott fired over on 2, and five minutes later keeper Danny Knowles sprinted to the edge of his box to intercept Chris Holroyd's run onto a ball over the top, but his half-clearance fell only to Reason 35 yards out in the right channel; he tried a left-footed lob towards the empty goal which initially seemed to be going in, but Knowles got back in time to pluck it out of the air.

Next minute a foul on Holroyd allowed Willmott to try the first of a series of whipped, angled free-kicks into the area, but as in the previous match, the visitors were dominant in the air. His next one, however, found the head of Sam Ives, but he could only guide his header into Knowles' arms. Then a good run by Paul Carden, looking steely-eyed with determination, yielded a free-kick just outside the box which Hatswell blasted underwhelmingly into the wall.

It had been a breathless start from the U's in stark contrast to Saturday, pinning Borough back under waves of pressure, so the cynics in the amber army should not have been surprised when the visitors took the lead with their first attack of the match on 14. Atkin found Simon Johnson, he crossed to Jamie Taylor in a central position in the D, and despite a number of bodies in front of him, his low, straight shot somehow found its way past everyone, including (let's be kind) a presumably unsighted Danny Potter on the line. Stunner: 1-0.

The scoreline was a travesty based on what had transpired thus far. United continued to attack, unabashed and unabated, Danny Crow linking with Holroyd to fire into the side netting on 16, then Reason hammered a shot over from twenty yards. Knowles comfortably clutched a Crow header two minutes later, then Willmott ran onto a Reason ball but the visiting custodian was again equal to the task.

First booking of the night came on 22, Matt Crabb felling Carden like a crazed lumberjack, and from the ensuing free-kick just outside the box WIllmott crashed a power shot against the bar, the ball bouncing back out but eluding several United players in the area.

Still United took the game to the opposition, and blow me, on 34 they were two down. Crabb lofted a free-kick into the U's area from deep, and there was Crow with a deft flick header over everyone and into the far corner for a precision own goal. How many black cats had we run over today? 2-0.

Within two minutes, however, the deficit had been halved. Crow made a buccaneering run into the box and was brought down from behind by Neil Jenkins: stone cold penalty, indicated by the linesman, which Crow himself stepped up to slide coolly past the wrong-footed keeper into the right-hand side of the net. 2-1.

United remained impressive going forward, full of movement and pace, but surprisingly they looked vulnerable through the nominally strengthened centre of the defence, with both Saah and Hatswell seeming uncharacteristically ponderous and hesitant after their layoffs, like two elderly tortoises awakening slowly from hibernation.

It had been an interesting decision of Ling's to pick Hatswell, knowing that he is off to Dundalk next week, and one could argue that his replacement should have been gaining match experience instead, assuming that he was in the squad. Perhaps he was getting Hats acclimatised to the level of attendances in the Irish League. He has been an absolute hero since he came to the Abbey, but everyone must know when it is time to go.

Paul Armstrong became Eastbourne's second cardee on 36 for hauling Ives down, and a minute later an equaliser looked a certainty as Crow beat the offside trap to latch onto a Reason ball over the top to advance unchallenged on goal; but he went for goal very early, trying a cheeky chip from 25 yards over the advancing Knowles which would have been brilliant if it had gone in…but it sailed the wrong side of the post.

Two minutes later Willmott's corner found the head of Ives, but he glanced it wide, and as the interval approached, a superb twisty-turny run down the middle from Holroyd culminated in a low shot which just lacked the power to beat Knowles' dive.

Last action of the half was a booking for Rory McAuley for bringing down Crabb, and that was the end of a bizarre 45 minutes which had been totally dominated by United, but in which their fragile defence had been breached twice with substantial help from their own players. Surely they must have more luck in part two; it had at least been a dramatic improvement on Saturday.

Little seemed changed after the restart, Willmott shooting wildly wide from an angle with better-placed colleagues in the middle, but the U's were unable to build on the first half's impetus and Eastbourne held on comfortably. And their shaky defence almost handed the visitors a comedy goal on 56 when Saah and Hatswell collided, both landing in a heap as the ball ran for the unmarked Enver-Marum fifteen yards out. Potter advanced to narrow the angle, stuck out a hand to slow down the ex-U's shot, and although he tried to follow up, McAuley was there to tidy up and clear from inside the six-yard box. A flatulent elephant could not have produced a bigger let-off.

Just before the hour the visitors made two changes, introducing Simon Weatherstone and Matt Smart in place of Armstrong and Atkin - perhaps they make their withdrawals alphabetically? - and United's next chance was a Hatswell free-kick when Holroyd was felled twenty yards out, but it sailed harmlessly over. A series of corners and free-kicks followed, but foundered on Borough's stout opposition, and on 68 the U's defence opened up like a broken zip fly again when Saah missed a header and Taylor scampered clear, but he took his shot early and fired wide.

Ling then made his first change, replacing Ives with Mark Beesley, Willmott dropping into the midfield three. On 71 McAuley gained a free-kick on the edge of the area but Crow fired it straight into the wall amidst claims for handball, but the ensuing corner once again came to nothing. A minute later Coakley lashed an overly ambitious shot over the top from distance, while Potter summed up his afternoon with a long dribble out of his box, looked up under no pressure, and promptly planted his forward ball straight into the sponsors' dugout.

On 76 Potter made short work of a Taylor shot, then up the other end Holroyd burst into the box and tumbled under pressure, but the ref showed no interest in any penalty appeal. A minute later Taylor was replaced by Nathan Crabb, then Adam Marriott was introduced up front in place of Reason, leaving United with a midfield of Carden, a winger (Willmott) and a striker (Beesley). Crazy competition, crazy team.

Ten minutes from time Enver-Marum was carded for a ridiculously petulant reaction to being denied a throw-in, although he had clearly put the ball out of play himself, and on 82 United's kitchen-sink approach almost worked when Hatswell nodded a corner on and Marriott latched onto it inside the six-yard box, but somehow he saw his goalward prod pawed off the line by Knowles when he should really have given the keeper no chance.

But two minutes later the hosts' pressure finally told. Another corner, another melee, and Saah was hauled down by a lunging Gary Elphick: penalty number two. Crow stepped up again and, calm as you like, sent Knowles the wrong way again but this time into the opposite corner. Own goal, pen, pen: that's one hell of a hat-trick. 2-2.

There was no doubt that the equaliser had been deserved, no matter how it came, and sensing blood like eleven cloud-dwelling giants, United went for the winner. More corners ensued, Marc Pullan deflecting a Holroyd header wide, and with a minute to go Eastbourne gained a corner but were caught out by a super-fast break from the hosts. Beesley raced down the right, centred for McAuley of all people, who seemingly had to score, but Knowles stood tall and blocked heroically. Great save.

Then Eastbourne broke back, Matt Crabb escaping clear down the left, and his low cross found both Enver-Marum and his brother Nathan lurking unmarked at the far post, but they seemed to get in each other's way and Crabb the Younger scuffed a hopeless shot wide of the open goal from six yards out. Unbelievable.

It was a grandstand finish, and honour was satisfied with a draw and a replay due next Tuesday in place of the scheduled away game at Oxford. It had been frustrating that Saturday's attacking, creative problems had been solved, but at the expense of a previously solid defence which had looked positively weakened by the return of Saah and Hatswell.

Now United's task is to keep the exciting forward play but to ally it to a darned sight more defensive solidity. Sounds simple, doesn't it? All will be revealed on Saturday against York. We won't be lonely for that one.

Statto Corner

Danny Crow's rather unconventional 'hat-trick' is unique in U's history, at least since 1970. He is, however, the fourth United player to score at both ends in that time.

The first was the legendary Alan Biley, in a 5-3 defeat at Burnley on 24th November 1979 in which the U's had both Jimmy Calderwood and Derrick Christie sent off. Next up was winger Neil Heaney, who did it in a 6-1 home win over Bristol Rovers in February 1992. And the last one was John Taylor, who scored an own goal in the first minute at Shrewsbury in November 1998, but equalised eight minutes later for the only two goals of the match.

Crow's feat of scoring at both ends in the space of two minutes was impressive. But Biley's brace took place in the same period of time; he put through his own goal in the 66th minute, and atoned up the other end in the 68th. His goals made it 3-3, but Burnley won the game against nine-man United with two strikes in the last three minutes.

Tonight's attendance of 913 was the lowest at the Abbey in a major competition (it's all relative) since a crowd of 857 attended a Freight Rover Trophy Preliminary Round tie with Colchester United on 24th November 1987. The result, inevitably, was a goalless draw.

The only other attendance below 1,000 at the Abbey in League, FA Cup, FA Trophy, League Cup or LDV (or its predecessors) in the last fifty years was the 993 who witnessed a 3-3 draw with Southend United in the Leyland DAF Trophy in December 1989.

United have never recorded a three-figure home attendance in the Conference, the Football League (1970-2005), the Southern League (1958-1970) or the Eastern Counties League (1951-1958), or any of the respective League Cups, or in the FA Cup during that period. There were lower crowds in minor tournaments such as the Anglo-Scottish Cup, East Anglian Cup, Shipp Cup, Cambs Professional Cup etc. Attendances prior to 1951 are rather more sporadically recorded.

The lowest crowd at the Abbey in the Conference was the 1,821 who witnessed a 1-1 draw with Grays Athletic on 7th March 2006; Craig Westcarr notched for United in the first of three consecutive 1-1 draws in which he scored each time.

In the Football League the smallest was 1,235 versus Lincoln City in Division Three on 30th April 1985; United lost 2-0 with a team which included David Moyes and future England international Andy Sinton. In cup competitions, a low of 1,164 was recorded against Hereford in the Coca-Cola Cup on 3rd September 1996, in a match which saw the only start in U's colours for Spaniard Xavier San Miguel and a red card for Lee Palmer. United drew 1-1 after having already lost the away leg 3-0.

Player Ratings

Potter 5 - Did not exactly cover himself with glory for either goal, probably blinded by the rust being shed by his central defenders in front of him.

McAuley 7. Defensively sound and almost snatched a winner at the death.
Coakley 6. Calm and unflustered as usual.
Saah 5. Inexplicably shaky, although made a few enjoyable forward runs.
Hatswell 5. The centre of the back four looked like being breached every time Eastbourne attacked; that move to Ireland looks well timed.
Reason 6. A curate's egg, mixing decent passes with a bit too much hit and hope.
Ives 7. Lively and dynamic until his inevitable replacement.
Carden 7. A vast improvement on Saturday, he never stopped working, running and passing.
Willmott 6. Excellent first half, a constant thorn in the visitors' side with his pace and crossing, although faded in the second.
Crow 7. Led the line in his usual committed style, and should have scored when through one on one. Two perfect penalties, though, in an imperfect hat-trick.
Holroyd 7. Kept asking the questions with his speed and movement.
Beesley 5. Patently not an impact player, no matter how many times Ling sends him on, but tried his best.
Marriott 6. Continues to confirm his promise and unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.

Match Summary

United's change of formation produced a massive improvement in their forward play, but its by-product was a shaky, wide open central defence which could easily have conceded double or even treble the two they did let in. There's a decent team in there somewhere but it hasn't quite got out yet.

Man of the Match

Paul Carden. Tireless and determined, he led by example rather than via the shouty method.

Ref Watch

Ross 7. A little pernickety on occasion, but ran the game pretty efficiently overall.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

"I liked the football match, and I hope everybody else did as well." (Hannah Davey)

Soundtrack of the Day

Biffy Clyro "Many Of Horror"

Stardate: Supplemental

On Wednesday night a crowd of 122 gathered at Ram Meadow to see a United team take on Bury Town in a friendly arranged to give the hosts some match practice after two and a half weeks without a game. Played on a freezing cold evening with the sugar beet factory belching out its white effluvia in the background, filling the air with a cloying, bitter-sweet smell, the United side, playing in CRC's strip, was basically the CRC side enhanced with Josh Coulson, Laurie Walker and Lee Phillips, the latter returning from injury. Jez George and Nolan Keeley were in the dugout, although Martin Ling and Paul Carden were also in attendance.

The bumpy pitch soon started cutting up, not helping the likes of Adam Marriott and Jordan Patrick to dribble or pass at full effectiveness, but they took the lead in the first half from a corner, the towering Blaine Hudson easily beating the Bury keeper to the ball to head home at the near post. Midfield man Chris Tonks was obliged to withdraw early because of injury and Mark Beesley replaced him, Marriott playing deeper as a result. Promising left-back James Brighton struck the bar with a thunderous 25-yarder, while ex-Histon skipper Neil Andrews came on for a first half debut for the hosts in place of veteran Gavin Johnson.

Early in the second half United sealed the outcome with two quick goals from Phillips, the first a close-range toe-poke after good work by Marriott and Jack Eades, the second more or less ricocheting into the net off his shin as a result of a fiercely driven left-wing cross from Brighton. Beesley then withdrew injured and a flurry of substitutions followed for both sides, leading to a gradual decline in quality of a decent, competitive encounter. Coulson and Hudson looked a safe, assured combination at the back, Phillips got a good runout although rustiness saw him caught offside regularly, and Marriott was United's most potent threat until he went off. The only U's men who played the full 90 minutes were Coulson, Eades, Patrick and Luke Berry.