U's 2-2 Crawley: Hats off to Platt
Dave Wottle was one of a kind. An athlete who always wore a distinctive golf cap whilst running, he was known as 'The Head Waiter' because of his unique tactics during a race. In the 800 metres final at the Olympics of 1972, he jogged the first 500m in last place, before turning on the 'Wottle Throttle' and gradually passing his opponents one by one until he breasted the tape in first place by just 0.03 of a second: perfect timing.
The United team tried a similar tactic on Tuesday night against Crawley, so much so that they might as well have been sporting golf caps too, gifting their opponents a quick two-goal lead before gradually improving and catching them; although they omitted to execute the final part, the little matter of overtaking and winning. Sadly it just isn't possible to win a match by 0.03 of a goal…
All of a sudden Crawley Town have become the Manchester City of the Conference, perennial also-rans who are now nouveau riche and have been snaffling up new players like they have just burst through the doors of the Harrods sale in furtherance of 'Project Promotion.'
Managerially they could not be more different. Roberto Mancini is a smart, fit, good-looking, highly respected, softly-spoken charmer with great experience of football at the highest level and nary a whiff of scandal, while Steve Evans is, er, Scottish. Now in the dream position of being able to play Fantasy Football for real, he has made some extravagant signings such as Conference top scorer Matt Tubbs, Posh midfield maestro Sergio Torres, Rotherham skipper Pablo Mills, and, surprisingly, three former U's in Scott Neilson, Liam Enver-Marum and Jai Reason, amongst others. I think he just missed out on James Milner.
The Abbey was buzzing on Tuesday evening, despite a torrential downpour about an hour before kick-off. The impressively revamped Club Shop was doing a roaring trade in new kit, season tickets were flying out of the Ticket Office, the thumpingly good read of a programme was being snapped up by all and sundry, the pitch was an immaculate sward of green baize, and although the attendance wasn't the largest at 2,558, spirits were high and expectant despite the disappointment of defeat at Wrexham on Saturday. Welcome to the new season.
Starting line-up: Brown; Roberts, Saah, Coulson, Jennings; Russell, Carden, Miller, Platt; Willmott, Wright
The only personnel change from Saturday was the replacement of the injured Dave Partridge by Josh Coulson. There was an alteration in formation, however, with a switch to 4-4-2, Robbie Willmott accompanying Danny Wright up front. Jonathan Thorpe was awarded a place on the bench for the first time, while Daryl Clare again participated in the warm-up but took no further part.
Crawley's starting XI included seven players signed during the summer, including strikers Tubbs and Craig McAllister plus Neilson, who had only joined from Bradford on the Monday, and that would have been eight had new keeper Michel Kuipers not been red-carded on Saturday. Reason and Enver-Marum were two of three new faces on the bench.
The visitors had drawn a blank at the weekend in a 1-0 home defeat to Grimsby, but they attacked United with confidence and Kevin Roberts was soon being tormented by the mercurial Torres, a small Argentinian with a head of blond curls which made him resemble Little Orphan Annie.
The visitors' deliveries from crosses and set pieces was excellent from the start, and on 6 they were in front. Stevie Masterton (only Scots are called 'Stevie,' unless they are blind American soul singers) whipped a wicked inswinging corner from the left towards the near post, Simon Brown fumbled it into the air, Tubbs headed goalward, Coulson nodded it against his own bar, and the Crawley no.9 was there again to ram home from close range. What you might call a shambles: 1-0.
An eerie silence descended on the Abbey. Apparently there were 93 Crawley supporters in the ground, but they all seemed to be shy, reserved types who didn't believe in doing vulgar things like singing, shouting or clapping. And most of them appeared to be invisible, too. If you can appear to be invisible.
If that was a bad start for the U's, it became dreadful two minutes later. Torres turned Roberts inside out down the left, got to the byline, drove a low cross over and there was Tubbs, inevitably, to nip in and tuck home with ease. 2-0.
The fresh new season was curling up at the edges already. It could easily have been three within a further two minutes when another Torres cross found Neilson in the middle, but with the goal at his mercy, he tried to burst the net and slashed wildly into the near-empty South Stand.
Shellshocked United needed a response, and fast. On 11 Danny Hall fouled Wright thirty yards out and the U's loaded the box. Robbie Willmott stepped up to take one of his specials, a powerfully struck curler that Adam Miller almost connected with but flew through to stand-in keeper Nick Jordan, whose last-gasp parry knocked it onto the upright; Wright on the follow-up was beaten by the bounce, and somehow Crawley scrambled it clear.
The visitors roared back again, their tactics simple but effective: pass it quickly, get it to the wide men, get to the byline and get your cross in. More corners ensued, all aimed by Masterson at the near post, but some were mercifully underhit and cleared before they could reach the danger zone.
But on 18 United halved the deficit with a breakaway goal of stunning quality. Conal Platt robbed Neilson midway into his own half, and seeing space in front of him, he hared forward down the middle. Ahead of him Wright occupied one defender, Miller made a decoy run to draw Mills away, and Simon Russell arrived at full pelt down the left channel. Platt left it until the perfect moment to release the ball, and Russell steered it past the advancing Jordan first time on the run, low into the far bottom corner. Delicious: 2-1.
It was Russell's first goal for United, and he celebrated ecstatically, bounding the length of the North Habbin to share the moment with his adoring fans. The atmosphere at the Abbey was suddenly turned up to 'pressure cooker' as the amber hordes hollered and howled their heroes on.
The U's showed they could deliver the odd nifty set piece too as James Jennings demonstrated his facility with the whipped inswinging corner, but Crawley's huge defence repelled boarders and Saah could only head Willmott's flag-kick from the other corner into the side netting.
Next up, Willmott's fine ball over the top down the right channel sent Wright away, fending off Adam Quinn as he galloped for goal, but the defender recovered to scramble it away for a corner as the big U's striker pulled the trigger. Back into the box it came, and Wright controlled with his back to goal and turned, only for his shot to be blocked away in the crowded box.
Crawley, originally so dominant, began to revert to the type of team which we expect to see from their manager and started time-wasting and throwing themselves to the floor under the slightest of challenges, comfortably fooling gullible ref Mr Bull.
They still kept winning corners, though, but United just about managed to cope. Willmott set up Platt for a blocked shot on 28, then just before the half-hour, the battling U's were level. Jennings arrowed over an undefendable corner, and there was Saah to fling himself at the ball and bludgeon his header home from close range. Cue bedlam: 2-2!
The visitors almost responded within a couple of minutes, McAllister finding Torres who was allowed to shoot unchallenged from the edge of the box, but he pulled it just wide. Back came United, another Willmott free-kick pawed away for a corner; surely the teams could not keep up this pace?
Actually, no, they could not. Both sides seemed to take a mental breather after as intense a half-hour's action as one could ever wish to see at the Abbey, and although the ball still criss-crossed both penalty areas, the keepers were in control for once.
Crawley's front and wide men had terrorised the United defence, but their own back four had looked more than a little ponderous and Platt and Russell, aided by Willmott and Wright, had exerted a good deal of pressure themselves. The defence had just about pulled itself together, with Jennings getting forward well, but central duo Carden and Miller had been some way from their best, particularly the skipper whose standard of passing had been wildly variable.
The final action of the half saw a robust but reasonable challenge from Wright almost reduce Jordan to Violet Elizabeth Bott-like tantrums and he was awarded a generous free-kick by the indulgent man in black.
The interval gave everyone a chance to kick back and reflect on a breathless first half of action that had revealed what a threat Crawley will be this season, but also what great character, quality and fighting spirit this new-look United side possesses. What could possibly happen next? A dog on the pitch? No, that was Saturday. Perhaps Messrs Evans and Raynor would put on a 'who can spontaneously combust first' contest for us, making creative use of all that hot air they were generating.
Ian Darler and his team collected their deserved Groundsman of the Year award in front of the Main Stand, something I am judging by eyesight alone as the PA in the Habbin was utterly inaudible all evening.
The opening stages of the second half did not, understandably, match the first, but the first moment of quality on 53 saw Platt curl a superb shot inches wide of the far post. Platt, who had enjoyed easily his best 45 minutes in amber so far, seemed to have more of a floating 'free' role this time, popping up on both wings and at every point in between, supporting the strikers and generally causing chaos with his close control and sweet left foot.
Tubbs raced onto a long ball, but spooned wide under pressure from Roberts, then Miller's free-kick set up Willmott for a shot which he could not keep on target. There was a distinct air of rehearsal about many of United's free-kicks, some with more twists and turns than a Poirot case, some too complex for their own good, occasionally as regrettable as Joey Barton's moustache, but it is nice to see some invention on the pitch, even if it was more successful in training against a team of bollards.
Crawley created a good chance on 58 when Masterton's corner fell to the unmarked Quinn in the box, but Brown produced a wonderful diving save as Russell braced himself behind him on the line.
On the hour the bookings started flowing in a hard-fought encounter, and unsurprisingly it was the tricky Platt who caused it, Glenn Wilson carded for a baffled lunge. Willmott blasted the ensuing free-kick underwhelmingly into the wall.
Two minutes later a better Willmott delivery was headed out for a corner, and another complicated routine culminated in a Jordan clutch from a Saah header. But on 64 United enjoyed something of a let-off when Neilson hared into the box, Saah unable to keep up, and he definitely seemed to be pulled back by the shirt as he laid it back for Roberts to intercept and allow Brown to claim near his own goal-line.
On 67 yet another Masterton free-kick found Wilson in the area, but he blasted a defender's shot high and wide. Then Russell, a player of such pace and industry that one day he will meet himself running the other way like a Large Hadron Collider and single-handedly confirm the existence of the Higgs boson, broke away and so nearly found the head of Wright with his cross.
On 70 Platt, flitting hither and thither like a flibbertigibbet, drew another yellow card, for Neilson, but Willmott's free-kick was repelled, and two minutes later Carden was very unlucky to become the first United man into the book for a clash with Mills, a Moaning Minnie in his manager's image, who appeared more guilty of a foul than his amber-shirted adversary.
Masterton blasted the resultant free-kick well over, then it was United's turn for a convincing penalty shout when Platt embarked on a thrilling run from deep straight into the heart of the Crawley defence, only to be clearly brought down in the box; there were triumphant shouts when the ref appeared to point to the spot, but it seemed he was actually waving play on, eschewing the conventional two-handed gesture for a one-handed version. Several U's supporters had a one-handed gesture for Mr Bull, too.
Wright then collided with Jordan in pursuit of a long ball and was awarded a preposterous yellow by the increasingly unreliable man with the whistle. With a quarter of an hour to go Enver-Marum replaced McAllister, then Masterton had a shot deflected wide, and Brown was tested yet again by those pesky Crawley corners.
The outstanding Platt was surprisingly withdrawn on 83 for Adam Marriott, with Willmott moving to wide right and Russell to the left, then Torres, who had produced a much quieter second half, was replaced by Barry Cogan.
Masterton's next free-kick into the box - I cannot remember another game with so many deliveries into the danger zone at both ends - found its way to Cogan, but his shot was blocked away from close range, then as the ninety-minute mark ticked around, Tubbs was withdrawn in favour of Michael Malcolm.
There was still time for two more bookings from the increasingly random ref, a ridiculous card for Jennings who clearly won the ball from Cogan, then Masterton for dissent, then the storm had finally blown itself out and both teams settled for an honourable first point of the season.
Some of the 'defending' had been frightening, and central midfield subdued, but there were plenty of positives to take attacking-wise with outstanding, exciting performances from Platt and Russell and a pleasing show of guts and spirit to bounce back from such a catastrophic start against a good team which will surely only get better. The trick now is not to give their next opponents a two-goal lead before they start playing; we cannot afford any waiters, head or otherwise, in our team…
Statto Corner
The last season in which United failed to win either of their first two games was 2006-07. Then, they had to wait eight matches (3 draws, 5 defeats) before defeating Stevenage 1-0 at home with a Marcus Richardson goal, by which time manager Rob Newman had been sacked, and Lee Power and Chris Turner had taken temporary charge of the side before appointing Jimmy Quinn.
The last time the U's conceded two goals inside the first eight minutes was on 10th December 1986, when goals by Jim Steel (4) and ex-U Steve Massey (7) put Wrexham ahead at the Racecourse Ground. Mark Cooper pulled one back in the second half but they went down 2-1. They last let in two in the first ten minutes at Hull on 2nd January 1995, but two second-half goals from Darran Hay salvaged a 2-2 draw.
United scored twice in the first ten minutes themselves most recently in their 5-1 thrashing of Farsley Celtic in March 2007, Rob Wolleaston and Leo Fortune-West on the mark. Big Leo went on to notch a hat-trick.
The U's last came back to draw from 2-0 down at home to Rushden & Diamonds in November last year, Lee Tomlin and Jefferson Louis' goals equalised by Paul Carden and Brian Saah.
Simon Russell has never been a prolific goalscorer. He only managed one substitute appearance for his first club, Hull City, but scored 14 times in 102 league matches, plus 30 as sub, at his next club, Kidderminster. He failed to score for either York (16+8 appearances) or in his loan spell at Tamworth (10+1 games). His last goal before Tuesday night was a consolation in Kidderminster's 2-1 defeat at Weymouth on 19th April 2008.
Matt Tubbs has now scored six times against United in his last four appearances. Before that he went four games without scoring, all for Salisbury, but earlier this year he notched once in City's 2-1 FA Trophy win in February, repeated the trick in their 3-1 defeat at the Abbey in March, then grabbed both goals in his side's 2-1 return win in April.
Liam Marum, as he was then known, signed for United from Reading in August 2006 and made his debut as a stand-in right-back in a 2-0 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge. Soon moved up front, he scored three times in three weeks but those were his only goals in eight starts plus ten as sub and he departed for Woking after a last game for the U's on New Year's Day 2007. He has faced the U's four times in Woking colours, the first time up front with current club-mate Craig McAllister, without scoring, then twice for Eastbourne, notching in Borough's 2-2 draw last December.
Scott Neilson scored three times in his first four games for United on loan from Bradford last term, the first one the winner in a 1-0 win at Barrow. He did not find the net again in a total of 14 appearances.
Player Ratings
Brown 7. Must take his share of the blame for Crawley's first goal, but thereafter got a fist or palm to the vast majority of the visitors' excellent deliveries and made a few splendid saves.
Roberts 5. Given the absolute runaround by Torres in the first half and was the obvious weak link. To his credit, he stuck doggedly to his task and enjoyed a better second half, although one has to question whether right-back is really his optimum position. He did miss much of pre-season so perhaps we should cut him some slack for now.
Saah 7. Towering presence at the back and a cracking goal.
Coulson 7. Surely cemented his place in the team with a display of energy and strength.
Jennings 7. Starting to get into his stride, and his set piece deliveries were almost uniformly good.
Russell 8. Midfield dynamo covered every blade of grass and scored a fantastic first goal for United to boot. Great attitude.
Carden 6. Variable from the skipper, alternating decent passes with a good number of distinctly inaccurate ones. Capable of much better.
Miller 6. The Dog Whisperer has yet to scale the heights for his new club, but the signs are there that he will soon hit his stride.
Platt 8. Conal has suddenly blossomed like a caterpillar turning into a dazzling butterfly.
Willmott 7. Decent effort, with some top quality dead ball deliveries, although still room for improvement.
Wright 7. Led the line with power and authority, giving the whole team shape.
Marriott 5. Barely had time to touch the ball.
Match Summary
The new league season got off to a coruscating start at the Abbey as United played the first ten minutes as if they had never seen a football before, then showed their character with a stirring comeback and a second half performance in which they deserved to beat the Manchester City of the Conference. A win on Saturday, though, please.
Man of the Match
Conal Platt. Pulled Crawley all over the place in a floating role, displaying skill, vision and pace that he had hitherto only hinted at, and laid the foundation for the team's comeback by making its first goal.
Ref Watch
Bull 4. Decidedly unimpressive, awarding far too many soft and needless free-kicks, missing two persuasive penalty calls, and getting unnecessarily carried away with his yellow card at the end. Must do better.
Soundtrack of the Day
Frank Turner "Try This At Home"
Andrew's previous match reports
The views expressed on this page are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cambridge United Football Club or the webmaster.
