Andrew Bennett reports:
No matter how old we become, we always retain the memory of the last day at school before the summer holidays. The weather was always warm and sunny, everyone was happy and relaxed, there was no pressure to do any work and if you were lucky, you might get to play a game of Ker-plunk or Buckaroo. Or Connect 4 if you were one of the swotty ones.
The last home game of the season is the adult equivalent, although for U's fans there is usually something still riding on it, whether it be connected with promotion or relegation. This term, for a change, brings us the unfamiliar comfort of mid-table mediocrity, and with the weather having done its bit, it was out with the sunglasses and Cornettos for the amber hordes for the Abbey's last competitive hurrah of a 2009-10 that has veered queasily between a mixed bag and a sick bag.
One of the most sickening memories of the season is of a truly wretched 3-0 defeat away to today's visitors, Hayes & Yeading, back in October which signalled a winter of discontent from which United have only emerged since they ground out a 1-0 win at Barrow in early March. Hayes, however, can look back on their first year in the Conference with a great deal of satisfaction, their double over Oxford a highlight of a campaign which has never seen them in serious relegation trouble despite one of the tiniest volumes of support in the division; the total number of home supporters when they beat the U's barely made 200. Their resilience was illustrated earlier this month when they bounced back from an 8-0 mauling at Luton to all but destroy Oxford's championship hopes a week later.
The afternoon began with the traditional round of end-of-season awards, which were restricted to players whose surnames began with C: Danny Crow, Josh Coulson and Paul Carden. Amber spirits were lifted further by the inclusion in the starting line-up of the mercurial Adam Marriott in place of Lee Phillips, the only change from Tuesday's gritty draw at Oxford, although Maz's CRC colleague Jordan Patrick made a welcome return to the bench.
Hayes' squad were delayed by a blowout for their team coach and they arrived by car in dribs and drabs. Their 89 intrepid travelling supporters saw their team shorn of its goalscorers, Scott Fitzgerald and Steve Basham, so they started with one out-and-out striker, Daniel Wishart, supported by former Cambridge City winger Dale Binns. Ex-United trialist Justin Cochrane was stationed in midfield.
It was a cheerful and relaxed start to the afternoon, then, under a clear blue sky and sizzling yellow sun, a classic end-of-season breaking-up-for-the-holidays atmosphere lent a quaint olde worlde air by the warm, brassy stylings of the Salvation Army band sweltering and parping in their red uniforms in front of the South Stand. And there was me thinking they only came out at Christmas.
The laid-back vibe of the day seemed to transmit itself to the United team, who made a slow start as if they were already working on their tans. The visitors started brightly, Cochrane seeing a shot stopped by Simon Brown on 2, but the hosts gradually began to find their stride; without a gangling target man, but two infinitely more subtle players up front in Marriott and Crow, the U's were forced to play a more considered style of passing football .
Simon Russell buzzed busily like a lone bee faced with a field full of flowers, and some excellent work down the left on 7 saw his shot-cum-cross beat keeper Clark Masters, but when Crow slid in with defenders sandwiching him on both sides, he somehow managed to scoop the ball over the bar from inside the six-yard box. Just teasing, eh Danny?
Crow had a better shot gathered by Masters on 11, and five minutes later he drew a foul from Ed Harris from which his team took the lead. Russell took the free-kick from the left and his floater found Rory McAuley climbing high above his marker just ahead of the far post to nod down and into goal with the last touch seeming to come from a defender's boot. 1-0.
It was Rory's first ever league goal and only his second in U's colours, following his equaliser in the FA Cup tie at Lincoln United last October. Now the U's really began to click and with McAuley and Russell outstanding in midfield and Marriott and Crow a mobile and intelligent pairing up top, they continued to press.
Russell drilled a shot into Masters' gloves on 19, then an exquisite through ball from Marriott set up Crow to fire over. But on 27 the two forwards combined to create a splendid second for their side. Russell found Crow, he switched it to Marriott and ran onto a pinpoint return ball from his young partner that split the visitors' defence asunder. His first shot from the left channel beat Masters all ends up but cannoned off the inside of the post; however it rebounded straight back to its instigator's right foot, and this time he fired an angled drive expertly home into the far corner. Fine finishing: 2-0.
Eccentric ref Amphlett, who seemed to have let the sun get to his hairless head with a string of contentious decisions, awarded his only yellow card of the day just after the half-hour to Adam Green for felling McAuley. A flowing, good-natured affair such as this was never going to generate a flurry of bookings.
United remained comfortably on top, moving the ball around confidently. A Russell corner on 38 pinged around the box until Josh Coulson lashed it over the top, and a couple of minutes later Carden came agonisingly close to notching another one of his specials when he saw a 35-yard blaster scream inches past the far upright.
Marriott again set up Crow with a perceptive pass in added time, but he could not find the target. The half-time whistle, however, signalled the end of a satisfactory opening 45 notable for the commitment of both teams in sapping conditions that they might have used as an excuse for a half-paced snorefest. And both sides had done their best to play a pleasing brand of passing football.
The U's continued their good work in the early stages of part two. On 46 Carden's free-kick found the head of Coulson, but his header from distance lacked the power to trouble the gloves of Masters. Two minutes later Russell embarked on a run from deep, cut inside and fizzed a shot just wide of the near post from 25 yards, then beat Masters with a corner than was headed clear by Tom Cadmore.
On 52 Marriott and Crow confirmed their growing understanding by combining to set up Russell for a shot wide, and three minutes later a rare error from Coulson allowed Wishart to sprint clear with support from Binns and only Saah back, but with Brown advancing from goal, his ball across goal was inadequate as a shot or a pass and trundled harmlessly wide.
Another Russell corner on 58 was nodded over by McAuley, then both managers made a change. Jordan Patrick was introduced for his second league appearance of the season in place of Neilson, going wide left with Russell switching to the right, while Wishart was replaced by Craig Watkins.
The visitors made a second adjustment within a couple of minutes with the introduction of James Mulley for Marc Canham.
Marriott brought the crowd to its feet on 66 with some twinkle-toed magic, running onto a through ball down the left and with support slow in arriving he tempted first one defender and then a second as he danced past them along the byline with the ball seemingly glued to his toes. He then shot for the near post from an almost impossible angle and was denied only by Masters' last-ditch dive. This is the stuff that supporters go home talking about.
More changes arrived on 68, Antonio Murray on for the splendid Russell and Toby Little replacing Matt Ruby for the visitors. Notwithstanding the new blood, however, the match began to drift a little, particularly United, and they were jolted from their cruising on 74 when spirited Hayes creditably pulled one back.
It was something of a present from the home defence, Coulson failing to clear his lines and instead scuffing it towards Dan Gleeson, but the bounce evaded him and Adam Green latched onto it to stride past and thump an unequivocal left-footer low past Brown into the bottom far corner in the twinkling of an eye. 2-1.
United were not slow to respond, though. Patrick was a lively presence, crossing for Murray to force a good save from Masters with a curler on 77, but the hosts doubled their lead a minute later. Cadmore was slow to push out, lagging behind the rest of his back four, and McAuley spotted the chance with a good ball to Crow just behind him. In a flash the U's top scorer had taken it past Cadmore into the box and flashed a shot low past Masters before he could blink. Brilliant marksmanship: 3-1.
Martin Ling immediately made to introduce Calum Willock, and Marriott went over to the touchline to withdraw, only to be sent back into the fray with the news that Crow was to be substituted instead. He trotted off to the warmest of applause, doubtless to stock up on polish and order a new cabinet for all his well-earned trophies.
Marriott's first-time touches and passes were a delight to witness all afternoon, but his perfectly weighted spinning flick into the path of Murray on 84 brought gasps of appreciation from spectators who normally only see such skill on the TV from the likes of Messi, Rooney and Jon Parkin. The visitors plugged away gamely, though, Binns setting up Little for a shot blocked by Brown's legs on 86, but the coup de grace came a minute later.
Marriott, well-nigh impossible to dispossess fairly, was felled by Ram Marwa just outside the left-hand corner of the penalty area. Hayes lined up a wall, but Marriott's free-kick was just perfection, struck with power and pinpoint accuracy over the wall and into the top left corner past Masters' futile, desperate dive. Simply stunning: 4-1!
It was the perfect way to round off a near-perfect day. There was still time for a thrilling Patrick run and cross which missed Murray by a hair's breadth, and Gleeson blasted his side's last shot into the car park in added time. Then it was all over, and season 2009-10 had finished as far as the Abbey was concerned on an uplifting and positive note.
The players took a last tour of the pitch, giving and receiving applause in turn, and although a trip to Altrincham and a couple of exhibition games remain, the thoughts of the fans were I think less on a fairly unremarkable season in the greater scheme of things, rather than on what next season might bring, with exciting young talent such as Marriott, Patrick, McAuley and Coulson (and Hudson and Berry to come) combined with the experience of Crow, Carden and Saah, a sprinkling of new faces and a full, settled pre-season with the same manager in place for a change.
All we ask for is hope, and there is plenty of that in evidence at a sunlit Abbey at the moment. And let us also spare a thought for another club which has waited a long time for success and has finally, after many years, finally achieved the success its long-suffering fans deserve: congratulations, Rochdale.
They were relegated to Division Four with over very own U's in 1974, and while United have experienced promotion five times and relegation six times since then, they have mooched along in the same division for 36 years until today. Say hello to the Posh for us next season, Dale!
Statto Corner
Danny Crow took his league goal tally to 19 today in 36 games (plus 4 as sub), and 23 in all competitions. That makes him the most prolific United striker since Dave Kitson notched 20 in 44 matches in the 2002-03 season. Since then our top scorers have been Luke Guttridge (11), Jermaine Easter, Shane Tudor and John Turner (6 each in our relegation season), Fola Onibuje (9), Robbie Simpson (17), and Scott Rendell (17 in 2007-08, 13 last term).
Danny's target in United's remaining game is to join the exclusive club of men who have scored twenty times in one league season, which comprises Trevor Benjamin (20 in 1999-2000), Steve Butler (21 in 1993-94), David Crown (25 in 1985-86), Alan Biley (21 in 1977-78 and 20 in 1978-79), George Harris (23 in 1969-70), Johnny Haasz (29 in 1963-64), Jimmy Gibson (27 in 1962-63), Phil Hayes (30 in 1959-60 and 34 in 1960-61), Brian Moore (49 in 1957-58), Peter Dobson (28 in 1954-55), Jack Thomas (27 in 1952-53), Russell Crane (40 in 1948-49), Harvey Cornwell (22 in 1925-26) and Wally Wilson (24 in 1921-22, the club's first ever in league competition).
The average league attendance at the Abbey this season has been 3,077 (not including the 2,239 for the expunged Chester City game). This is some way down on the last two runner-up achieving seasons (3,570 last term and 3,573 in 2007-08, not including playoff semi-finals) but well ahead of United's first two campaigns in the Conference (2,815 in 2006-07 and 2,607 in 2005-06).
Three attendances have topped the 4,000 mark this season, against Luton (4,870), Stevenage (4,439) and Histon (4,417). The lowest were achieved in consecutive matches against Salisbury (2,028) and Tamworth (2,121), although far worse crowds attended the FA Trophy ties, the sparsest being 913 versus Eastbourne.
Luton easily top the away attendance chart, bringing 1,728 to the Abbey last September, followed by York (799 in the FA Cup, although only 295 in the league), Wimbledon (769), Oxford (678, highest midweek following), Stevenage (652) and Luton in the FA Trophy (517).
Eastbourne brought the smallest travelling support, 14 in the league on 16th January and the same number three days later in the Trophy. Other sub-fifty followings were Salisbury (25 league, 32 Trophy), Tamworth (37), Forest Green (39), Gateshead (40), Altrincham (41), Grays (43) and Chester (also 43, although subsequently expunged).
Justin Cochrane took part in four pre-season friendlies for the U's as a twenty-year-old trialist in July 2002 after being released by Queen's Park Rangers, coming on as sub at Cambridge City, Histon and Kettering then getting his only start in a 3-0 win at Mildenhall, scoring United's second goal; Alex Revell, who scored twice for Wycombe today, notched a brace. Cochrane was not offered a contract by John Taylor and went on to join Hayes before getting back into the Football League with Crewe Alexandra.
Ram Marwa today finished on the losing side against United for the first time in four matches, having turned out for Dagenham & Redbridge in a 1-0 home win for the Daggers in December 2005 then twice for St Albans the following season, the U's drawing 0-0 at the Abbey then losing 2-0 at Clarence Park.
Dale Binns never faced the U's for Cambridge City, but did so for Stevenage in January 2007 and both times this season for Hayes & Yeading.
Player Ratings
Brown 7. Nothing he could do about the goal, otherwise had very little to do.
Gleeson 8. Excellent from start to finish and probably a little unlucky with the bounce for the Hayes goal.
Palmer 8. Splendidly Evraesque attacking full-back display.
Saah 8. Classy as ever.
Coulson 8. Fine, strong performance with a minimum of errors.
Neilson 7. Not at his devastating best but played a decent part.
Carden 8. At the heart of the action.
McAuley 8. Outshone his skipper with an all-action effort.
Russell 8. Busy, hard-working, fast and skilful. Sign him up.
Crow 8. There is no finer sight than a confident, in-form striker…
Marriott 9. …unless that striker is also blessed with a talent that makes him very special indeed.
Patrick 7. Clearly nervous but did not let himself down with some nice darting runs and neat crosses.
Murray 7. Played a solid part.
Willock 7. As ever, did a fine job facing away from goal but was not quite so convincing when going the other way.
Match Summary
United gave their supporters a sunny farewell treat with a display of confident passing football topped by the prolific goalscoring of Danny Crow and the sublime, precocious talent of Adam Marriott. Next season is shaping up nicely already.
Man of the Match
Adam Marriott. It is a rare player, indeed, who can draw gasps of awe from a crowd with one pass. We have suspected it all season, but now we know: Maz's natural skill, visionary passing, intelligent positioning, thrilling dribbling and brilliant goalscoring ability mark him out as a quite exceptional prospect . He is ready…
Ref Watch
Amphlett 5. Remarkably intolerant of anything involving physical contact early on, he became more random later, ignoring some obvious fouls so he could concentrate on his impressive array of expansive hand signals. At least he went easy on the cards.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
"When I was mascot, I had a kickabout with the players. Then while we were kicking about a man came and took a picture of me and the players. When the referee blew his whistle I shook hands with him. I thought it was a smashing day and I'll always remember it." (Michael Kimber)
Soundtrack of the Day
Ash "Dare To Dream"
Andrew Bennett
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