Mildenhall 0-2 U's: The future is amber
They are bad for your health, they age you prematurely, and if you're not careful, they end up making you look more than a little foolish…but you can't resist them and you always go back for more.
No, not football teams, but the impressive array of holiday tans on display from the United players last night in their first serious friendly of the pre-season at Mildenhall. As opposed to Histon, who have no Tanns at all. The U's squad have certainly not been idle this summer, having it seems travelled the world in search of the sun, unless they really got that bronzed sitting out in their back gardens. But now it is time to get back to business, and the entire squad turned out on Wednesday night except for injury victims Rory McAuley and Daryl Clare.
Recreation Way is always a comfortable and welcoming venue, although these days it is hidden behind a vast new Sainsbury's development site which rather complicated the car parking arrangements. But it was a delightfully balmy, calm and clear evening, perfect for watching your heroes shake off the summer's rust while cradling a pint of something cold and refreshing in one hand and a good old-fashioned footie burger in the other.
The hosts were under the new management of Christian Appleford following the recent resignation of Simon Charlton, sighted last week playing for Bolton in Sky's six-a-side 'Masters' tournament against the superstar likes of Martin Carruthers for Stoke and Giuliano Maiorana for Manchester United. Former Abbey legend 'Tiny' Tom Youngs has just been appointed player-coach and he played the first half in midfield against his former club.
Martin Ling split the squad into two teams which played one half each, with only Kevin Roberts starting both halves; he was replaced during part two by Jack Eades, who had played the first half on the right wing. The teams appeared to have been selected to be as equal as possible so no-one could tell what the gaffer's favoured line-up might be once the league programme starts, although I think most of us could probably predict what it will be to within one or two places.
First half XI: Naisbitt; Roberts, Hudson, Partridge, Coakley; Eades, Ives, Carden, Platt; Willmott, Wright.
Second half: Brown; Roberts (Eades), Coulson, Saah, Jennings; Russell, Miller, Berry, Patrick; Marriott, Gray.
The only trialist on display was speedy ex-Orient and Grays striker Wayne Gray, while Danny Naisbitt, Conal Platt, Danny Wright, James Jennings and Adam Miller were making their debuts for the U's, not including the youth fund-raising game at the end of last season. Conventional 4-4-2 was the order of the day, although the first half line-up did experiment with a switch to 4-3-3 for a time, with Wright flanked by Robbie Willmott on the left and Platt on the right, the ex-Forest Green left-footer playing a sort of Arjen Robben role (although without the moaning and falling over).
The match had not been going long before the ref realised that Danny Naisbitt's light blue outfit was almost exactly the same shade as Mildenhall's strip, the hosts obligingly playing in their away kit to allow the U's to sport last season's 'sash' shirts with black shorts and socks; the new United keeper duly changed into a red jersey.
Although the visitors were playing with a nominal 'target man' up front in Wright, they studiously resisted the temptation to lump any high balls forward and instead concentrated in playing it on the floor, with Platt and particularly Willmott useful and positive forward outlets, willing to take on the opposition and get a cross or shot away. It was Mildenhall who had the earliest attempts on goal, however, with Chris Barrett firing over and Youngs sending a low scudder just wide of the far post.
With Sam Ives and Paul Carden steady but unspectacular in the middle, it was down to Willmott to provide United's main forward threat, although Platt and Coakley linked well down the left and Kevin Roberts did his best to support young Jack Eades down the right. Wright met Roberts' cross at the near post on 20, his goalward prod comfortably saved by Josh Pope in the home goal, but it was Willmott who brought a gently snoozing match to life a few minutes later when he cut inside from the left channel and unleashed a tremendous shot which Pope did well to paw over the bar.
For the rest of the match it was mainly U's attack versus Hall defence. Platt fired over the angle, but inevitably it was the livewire Willmott who was the catalyst for the breakthrough on 38: he danced past a couple of challenges before rolling over a pinpoint cross for Wright to tap in unchallenged from close range. 1-0.
Wright does not strike one as a player who will score many spectacular goals, but a steady flow of close-range finishes will do just nicely, thank you, and it can only be a boost to the confidence to score on your debut.
The rest of the half passed without major incident, a lone forlorn attempt at a vuvuzela ululating apologetically through the evening air like a bewildered calf stranded in a distant ditch. It had been a decent, workmanlike workout with the new signings all giving a good account of themselves.
First half ratings:
Naisbitt 6. Changing his shirt was just about the only exercise he got.
Roberts 7. Offered good support to the attack down the right flank.
Hudson 7. Commanding and cool on the ball, Blaine should challenge for a first team spot this season.
Partridge 6. Never troubled.
Coakley 6. Quietly effective.
Eades 6. No lacking in effort, but does not look ready for first team action yet.
Ives 6. Reasonably lively.
Carden 6. Committed as ever.
Platt 7. Showed some nice skilful touches.
Willmott 8. Player of the first half, dynamic and positive.
Wright 7. Gave a decent account of himself and on the spot to knock in a confidence-enhancing debut goal.
It was all change for part two, apart from at right-back, where the PA announcer had declared a 'mystery player' would be appearing, but it just turned out to be Roberts again. Simon Brown sensibly wore red, Adam Marriott sported those hideous lilac and orange boots which were so inexplicably popular in South Africa, Adam Miller looked distinctive with shoulder-length hair and headband like a younger Chris Hargreaves or that bloke off 'Shameless', and Luke Berry had noticeably filled out since last season and also appeared to have increased in height, making it tempting to pinch his cheek and coo 'Ooh! Hasn't he grown!' like a maiden aunt.
Although the 4-4-2 formation was the same, it was noticeable that the team tried to utilise Gray's pace with a number of channel balls over the top. But it was a conventional cross from the right which led to United's second goal within three minutes of the restart, as Simon Russell crossed left-footed to the far post, Gray was dragged down by Carl Murkin, and Marriott stepped up to coolly send Pope the wrong way from the spot. 2-0.
United were playing uphill now on Mildenhall's slightly sloping pitch, but they played almost all of it in the hosts' half of the field, driven by impressive performances from Miller, demonstrating an excellent range of accurate passes, and Russell, a human dynamo down the right, ably supported by Berry and Jordan Patrick, most effective when cutting inside on his right foot.
Gray also performed creditably, always available and on the end of several crosses, nodding just over a couple of times when supplied by Russell. Berry had a low long-range drive stopped low to his right by Pope, Marriott blazed well over twice as if shooting with a Jabulani, and Patrick was denied by another fine Pope save when he played a give-and-go to scamper across the penalty area and test the keeper with a goalbound drive from twelve yards.
The best and most audacious effort, however, came from Russell, weaving his way down the middle then spotting Pope just off his line from the D, and his cheeky chip looked a goal all the way until it cannoned down off the bar. Curse you, Sepp Blatter, we need a replay!
Gray had another good chance when Miller slipped a ball through the middle and he turned to prod just wide of the post as Pope advanced to close him down. Jennings had offered splendid support to Patrick down the left and late on he ran onto another Miller pass but fired just wide of the far post from a narrowing angle.
Overall the second half had been more impressive than the first, but both had been useful starts to the pre-season schedule and, as the players' tans fade, hopefully their understanding and prospects for the season ahead will grow stronger. It is early days, but if we can't hope for the best at this time of the year, we never will. The future's bright…the players are orange!
Second half ratings:
Brown 6. Had even less to do than Naisbitt.
Roberts 6. As first half.
Coulson 6. Dealt with everything unfussily.
Saah 7. Authoritative skipper.
Jennings 7. Impressively Tonkinesque, always looking to get forward in support, and might have scored near the end.
Russell 8. Excellent industry, quality crossing and unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.
Miller 8. Looks a class act, with a fine range of passing and eager to press forward.
Berry 7. The new larger Luke will provide splendid competition for places.
Patrick 7. Enjoyed some good moments, usually when cutting inside, and only denied a goal by a great save from the home keeper.
Marriott 7. Nowhere near his mercurial best, but never any doubt he would convert the penalty.
Gray 7. Very lively, won the penalty and had numerous attempts on goal. Definitely worth another look.
Eades 6. Filled in unobtrusively at right-back.
Statto Corner
It is hard to believe that Tom Youngs is now 31, and even harder to believe that such a fine footballer's professional career appears to be over. Tiny Tom made his U's debut as a sub in a 4-1 home win over Colchester on 2nd September 1997 and scored his first goal in black'n'amber at Gillingham in a 2-1 away defeat on 23rd October 1999.
He made a total of 145 appearances for United, plus 35 as sub, in all competitions, and found the net a respectable 48 times. His final U's match before being sold to Northampton was a 2-1 home win over Bournemouth on 25th March 2003. He went on to play for Leyton Orient, Bury, Stafford Rangers, Cambridge City, St Albans, Mildenhall and Norwich United as persistent injury put paid to the further progress which he had once promised.
And he made two further appearances for the U's as a trialist in July 2008, starting in a 4-2 win at Soham and coming off the bench in a goalless draw with West Ham. He played against United once for Northampton, a 1-0 home defeat in March 2004, and for Orient, in a 1-1 draw at Brisbane Road a year later.
United seem to have been playing Mildenhall in friendlies every year forever, but it is actually three years since the sides last met, the U's winning 3-0 on 7th July 2007 with a brace from Lee Boylan and one from youngster Andy Hughes.
The teams met for the first time on 25th July 2001, when a United team packed with trialists such as Dutchman Steve Van den Broek Humphrey won by the same score. In all we have met a total of eleven times, all wins for the U's except for a 2-2 draw in July 2003 and a 3-2 win for the Hall in February 2006.
Match Summary
A useful first runout for Martin Ling's new-look squad against spirited but limited opposition, with the new boys all looking very promising indeed. Add in McAuley, Clare and that fourth striker, and the depth of the squad looks really rather impressive.
Men of the Match
Robbie Willmott (first half), Simon Russell (second half). These two may well be competing for one starting place, and that thought seemed to inspire the pair of them.
Ref Watch
A.Bloke 7. How refs must wish all matches were as easy to control as friendlies.
Soundtrack of the Day
Eels "Looking Up"
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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