St Ives 1-1 U's: Yes! We have no Jabulanis

Normality has broken out again. The World Cup is over, that irritating, constant droning noise has finally stopped (Mark Lawrenson is away on holiday), Paul the Psychic Octopus' agent is fielding lucrative offers from Real Madrid, Manchester City and Crawley, and the ordinary working people of South Africa can go about their business again without being terrorised by roaming packs of foreign reporters hell-bent on patronising them to within an inch of their lives. And the England players can return to their usual routine of shopping for bling, counting their money and texting girls photographs of their nether regions.

United's senior players were spared their first match of pre-season as the club fielded what was effectively the CRC team at St Ives Town's tidy Westwood Road ground on a Saturday afternoon which alternated warm sun with breezy cloud but spared the 536-strong crowd the driving rain of earlier in the day.

Starting XI: Fenney; Thorpe, Bevan, Hudson, Coakley; Eades, Ives, Berry, Patrick; Marriott, Hughes.

Of the starters, Adam Marriott and Sam Ives will undoubtedly be spending the season with the first team squad, while Luke Berry, Blaine Hudson, Jordan Patrick and Darryl Coakley will be awaiting a call in the event of any injury or loss of form. The only unfamiliar face was keeper Lewis Fenney, who looked about as vertically challenged as the average Mexican glovesman.

The U's lined up in Cambridge blue in a conventional 4-4-2 formation, eschewing the temptation to try one of the fancy tactical set-ups on show in South Africa such as Argentina's kamikaze all-out attack, Brazil's bizarre six-defenders-and-four-attackers line-up, Greece's tedious flat back eight or the modish style favoured by the better sides of a lone striker, one in the hole, two wide men and two holders behind. Let's stick to what we know, eh? And no stupid light-as-air beach balls to contend with, either.

Westwood Road is a neat, well tended venue with a friendly bar (early arrivals were served with pint-and-a-half glasses) and club room, although after an arid summer so far the pitch was bleached yellow, dry, bumpy and uneven; at least the grass was notably shorter that the Bonsai jungle on show last year.

It would be unrealistic to expect a flowing, full-tilt feast of football in the middle of July from anyone except the likes of Spain (for whom there was at least one glory-hunting replica shirt on view today alongside the usual 'new' Manchester United tops) and early exchanges were confined to midfield, with both sides patiently probing but neither providing much supply to their front men.

United's most promising way through looked to be via Coakley and Patrick down the left, but the first half-decent shot came from the hosts' danger man Lee Ellison on 10, and a minute later St Ives were in front when there was a mix-up between Fenney, Hudson and Thorpe, and Scott Fielding nipped in to charge the attempted clearance into the net. 1-0.

The young U's responded with a low shot from Ives which was pawed past the post by home keeper Gavin Armitage, but otherwise they created little up front with Marriott something of a spectator most of the time. For the hosts Conor Washington's header from a corner flew just wide of the far post and Fenney did well to tip away a bouncing drive from Ozie Foster. And they came very close to doubling their lead when a corner dropped to Dan Newman at the far post and his powerful volley crashed off the upright.

For United, Marriott fired a free-kick disappointingly over the top from 25 yards, and their best chance came not long before the break when a well-worked corner routine saw Coakley find Marriott unmarked near the penalty spot, but with a sea of bodies in front of him, he spurned the immediate shot and was crowded out as he dwelt uncharacteristically on the ball.

A spirited St Ives had shaded the first half against a subdued U's side and more would be expected of them in part two. And the visitors produced the response required when they equalised within four minutes of the restart, when Eades' free-kick from the left was nodded across Armitage and in at the far post by a towering and unchallenged Hudson. 1-1.

Marriott was dropping noticeably deeper now, doubtless to get into the game more, and an even and keenly contested second half ensued. Ives should really have scored when he latched onto Patrick's cross after a fine run but saw his close-range header blocked off the line by Armitage and a defender, and Marriott forced a decent save from the keeper halfway through the half, while Patrick blasted wildly over when got a sight of goal and Marriott struck another free-kick into the wall.

The hosts made a string of changes throughout the second 45, including their keeper, but United made only one substitution, introducing James Brighton for Eades who went wide left with Patrick switching to the right. JP looked dangerous but neither side could conjure up another really good chance and ulimately honour was satisfied with a well-matched draw.

We have tasted the aperitif, now it is down to more substantial fare at Mildenhall on Wednesday with the introduction of the senior players. Today was a nice, gentle start...and nary a Jabulani nor a vuvuzela in sight (or earshot). Long may that continue!

Statto Corner

Today was the latest date on which United have started their pre-season friendly campaign since 18th July 2002, when a full-strength side lost 2-1 at Cambridge City; Tom Youngs scored for the visitors while former U's Adie Hayes and Leon Gutzmore notched for the Lilywhites, for whom current CRC player-coach Martin Davies was in goal. United did however introduce eleven substitutes along the way.

Last season's start at Ely on 7th July equalled the club's earliest ever start to pre-season from 2007 at Mildenhall, United running out 3-0 winners in both games.

United's 5-0 win at Westwood Road last year was their first visit to St Ives since they were Cambs League rivals before the Second World War. Their only clashes since then have been a 1-0 win at the Abbey in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Amateur Cup in 1947, and another 5-0 thrashing in the final of the Hunts Senior Cup of 1989 at Eynesbury Rovers' ground, with goals from trialists Pat O'Keefe (ex-Peterborough), a hat-trick, and two penalties from American Steve Snow.

Player Ratings

Fenney 6. St Ives' goal was a bit of a mess, but otherwise did fine.
Thorpe 6. Nice and steady.
Bevan 6. Entirely competent.
Hudson 7. Commanding at both ends.
Coakley 7. Solid at the back and decent support further up.
Eades 6. Played his part without doing anything special.
Berry 7. Tidy as ever.
Ives 7. Reasonably lively.
Patrick 6. A few decent flashes, hopefully much more to come.
Marriott 6. Quiet game, definitely more to come.
Hughes 6. Worked hard, but not entirely convincing as a centre-forward.
Brighton 6. Slotted in satisfactorily wide left.

Match Summary

United's youngsters played out a steady draw in a match as low-key as a Lee Marvin song. Early days.

Man of the Match

Blaine Hudson. Tower of strength at the back and a goal threat up front.

Ref Watch

O'Sullivan 7. Unobtrusive on an easy day for officials.

Soundtrack of the Day

Mumford & Sons "Roll Away Your Stone"

Andrew Bennett

Andrew's previous match reports

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