Saturday 30th January 2007 - U's 3-0 Woking: Crisis? What crisis?

When the going gets tough, a team needs strong characters to stand tall and lead by example. Step forward Mr Brown, the hardest working man in football...

Daniel Brown, shoots like a gun
Box to box, all day he will run
Tackles with bite
Up for a fight
Never a frown with Daniel Brown

Every game just like the last
Leads the team with style and class
Loved by the fans
We raise our hands
Never a frown with Daniel Brown

Daniel Brown, simply the best
He'll help us get out of this mess
Show us the way
Going down? Nay
Never a frown with Daniel Brown

After Tuesday night's richness of embarrassments, there cannot have been many who were present in the away end that evening who expected to see Jimmy Quinn in the home dugout for Saturday's encounter with Woking. But he has been backed, for now at least, by the chairman and he was tasked with picking a team which could break a disastrous run of seven consecutive defeats. Welcome to the Last Chance Saloon, pardner.

Some of his choices had effectively been made for him with the absence through injury of Dean Holdsworth, Jordan Collins, Dean Hooper and Rob Wolleaston. And JQ was to be commended for leaving out Paul Crichton, whose reason for suspension will be all too clear to anyone who was within earshot of the man at Nene Park.

Football is a funny old game, Saint, and sometimes it is possible to arrive at a winning formula almost by default. With both full-backs injured, there was no choice but to stay with 3-5-2, which meant a entirely new central midfield trio of returnees from injury Danny Brown and David Bridges, plus debutant Port Vale loanee Christian Smith, a hulking nineteen-year-old reminiscent both physically and stylistically of Spurs' impressive Tom Huddlestone.

Shane Herbert was restored between the sticks with Robbie Simpson back up front, while a new face on the bench was 18-year-old work experience striker from Southend, Charles Ademeno (pictured).

Woking were the last team that United beat, way back on December 9th at Kingfield with a marvellous volley from Stephen Smith. The week after saw The Match That Dare Not Speak Its Name in That Village and since then it has been 'nul points' all the way.

Two players who were on the bench for United at Woking now sport the Surrey outfit's red and white halves in Liam Marum and Rob Gier, the latter signed so recently that they had not even had time to put his name on the back of his shirt. Despite claims that he is really a centre-half, he lined up at right-back opposite Woking's third ex-U, left-back Danny Bunce.

Attacking the NRE in the first half, it was immediately apparent from the United players' body language and attitude that they were truly 'up for it' today and they started with pace and determination. There was no-one more up for it than Jon Brady, who took every opportunity through the match to gee up the crowd, and the first of many searching crosses from him early on narrowly missed the inrushing Wayne Purser.

The same two players combined on 5 and this time Purser managed to get a shot away under pressure, but pulled it wide of the far post. First home corner on 7 saw Brady's inswinger nodded narrowly over by the towering Mark Peters.

The visitors managed to get into it on 11 when Courtney Pitt felled minuscule winger Goma Lambu to signal a hard-fought afternoon-long contest between the two. Adam Green's free-kick found the head of Woking skipper Neil Smith, but he failed to find the target.

United responded two minutes later with a fine run from Robbie Simpson, and he appeared to be clearly brought down inside the box by Karl Murray's lunge. But despite the home players' pointing to the divot caused by the challenge, ref Yeo gave it outside.

The amber hordes' outrage was forgotten, however, within seconds as Brady's free-kick was only half-cleared to Simpson ten yards out in the right channel, and in one fluid movement he controlled and drilled a quite superb left-footed shot high and gloriously into the top left-hand corner. Great goal: 1-0!

An early goal was just what the doctor ordered and you could feel the lifting of the weight of worry from the shoulders of both team and supporters. United were dominant, and that was mainly due to the most underachieving part of the side this season: the midfield. Quite simply, the middle three were magnificent, all three snapping determinedly into tackles, combining well then passing the ball intelligently along the floor to wingers or strikers instead of whacking it mindlessly forward.

Brown was the fulcrum, playing deepest of the central three to protect the defence with an unstoppable 'they shall not pass' attitude. He found fine foils in Bridges, looking fresh as a daisy but with added steel, and young Smith, who wasted no time in living up to his reputation with fearless, crunching challenges on anything that moved within twenty yards of him. The ghost of Roger Gibbins looked on, its bleached curly mullet nodding approvingly,

Just as importantly, both wing-backs were thoroughly on their game, Brady and Pitt allying impressive defensive graft to their usual attacking flair. Up front Simpson and Purser were full of willing running and this truly looked like a team that could match any in its division. Were we dreaming, or was it just that the last six weeks had been a nightmare?

Pitt raided forward in characteristic style on 18 and had a shot blocked by Murray, while up the other end a subdued-looking Marum hooked a hopeful effort wide on 22. Young Smith was not afraid to get forward and shoot and did so on 28, an ambitious but commendable effort wide. Behind him, his defence was playing solidly with the knowledge that all it had to do was put the brake on the Woking forwards and their midfield colleagues would do the rest.

United's crosses continued to ask questions of the visitors' back line, but goal number two was created by midfield pressure as Pitt dispossessed Neil Smith brilliantly to send Simpson away. Bursting with confidence, he wasted no time in advancing a few paces and blasting for goal from 25 yards, and although a lunging Murray got a touch, he could not stop it fizzing low past keeper James Bittner and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Another Simmo cracker: 2-0!

Woking were unable to respond, suffocated by United's five-man midfield, resolute defenders and a confident and capable keeper. Simpson took a clattering on halfway on 40 but was able to resume after some TLC from Greg Reid, then Smith tried an even more extravagant long-ranger which was way off target but still drew appreciative applause from the happy amber hordes.

The visitors managed a shot on goal on 44 from top scorer Craig McAllister, some way over the bar, and the U's completed a commanding half with another Brady corner. They were warmly applauded from the pitch for a display in which all eleven men had produced fine, determined form both individually and as a coherent unit. After the last couple of months, who'd have thunk it?

The only remaining question was: could they keep it up? They had done well for a half-and-a-bit at Stevenage then fallen to pieces like an English cricket middle order. Woking made one change for part two, Smith replaced by Ollie Berquez, but unsurprisingly the same United team emerged to renew hostilities.

The hosts started positively again, Purser firing low into Bittner's arms on 47, but the ensuing quarter-hour was fairly uneventful as United dug in and their visitors tried vainly to make an impression on the match. Marum should have been booked on 53 for a feeble dive when challenging Peters for the ball in the area, and Jason Pearce headed a Lambu corner over, but United's hard work and drive kept them on top and in charge.

Realising that there was no way that his side was going to win the midfield battle, Woking boss Glenn Cockerill withdrew Bunce and threw on an extra forward in promising youngster Giuseppe Sole. United remained dangerous, however, Purser blocking a clearance and Smith's ensuing shot blocked away for a corner which was plucked from the air by Bittner.

Purser was withdrawn on 70 after a hard-working but fruitless day and replaced by new boy Ademeno after a comical display of ineptitude by the fourth official who first indicated that Smith was to be replaced, to everyone's incredulity, then seemed unable to make his board work at all and spent about a minute making frantic and increasingly desperate hand signals until the ref finally trotted over to ask him what on Earth he was playing at.

Ademeno (above) is one of the short-but-nippy breed of strikers, and he made a favourable first impression when he created danger from nothing by charging down an attempted clearance then running rings around three opponents while awaiting support, finally gaining a throw-in and warm applause from the amber army.

The coup de grace came on 76. Ademeno found Brown just outside the centre circle, and with no immediate challenge forthcoming, Brown ploughed towards goal. He beat one player... he beat another... he reached the penalty box... dodged a couple more challenges... then, cool as you like, fired home into the top left-hand corner past the helpless Bittner. What a goal! What a player! 3-0!

Euphoria filled the Abbey. That was goal of the season sorted. But United did not let up, still grafting as hard as ever, provoking that age-old question: why hadn't they played like this before?? A Brady cross on 80 found Ademeno at the near post but it came to him just too quickly and he scuffed wide. Two minutes later came Woking's last sub, a like-for-like striker swap in Jamie Taylor for McAllister, but they knew the game was already up.

Simpson, in search of a hat-trick, had enjoyed a quieter second half, but sent a blaster wide on 87. A minute later Smith was allowed to enjoy a thoroughly deserved standing ovation when replaced by Josh Simpson, after as good a debut by a teenager as anyone could remember at the Abbey.

Ref Yeo had been refreshingly tolerant all game, allowing the game to flow as the tackles flew, but he finally reached for his cards on 90 when booking Berquez for fouling Josh,

With four minutes' added time drifting to a close, Brown was the second to be permitted the ovation treatment as Stephen Smith came on in his place, and no-one could have deserved it more. Even the sponsors gave him man of the match, for goodness' sake.

The last minutes were joyous for the success-starved U's fans as their team stroked the ball around the park to cheers every time they touched the ball, scenes that had seemed unthinkable after Tuesday's debacle. The final whistle signalled prolonged applause and celebration to the soundtrack of good old 'Coconuts,' which many of us thought we would never hear again.

So JQ has avoided the dole queue and appears to have finally arrived at a winning formula, by one means or another. His next task is to ensure that this was not a one-off but just the start of the successful run that this club needs so desperately to get away from the foot of the table. We now know we have the players. Now do we have the consistency? The club's future depends on it. But for now, let us enjoy the taste of victory again. Mmm, tastes like marzipan!

Player Ratings
Herbert 7. Never really threatened but looked confident and decisive at all times.
Duncan 7. Back doing what he does best, no-nonsense defending.
Peters 7. Too strong for the Woking forwards.
Morrison 7. Good, solid job.
Brady 8. Tireless on the flank and truly inspirational character.
Bridges 8. Must have been living on raw meat since he was injured because he had a tremendous, tough-tackling afternoon.
Brown 9. The heartbeat and fulcrum of the side.
C.Smith 9. What a find. Tacked like a runaway rhino but with control and finesse.
Pitt 8. Storming, gutsy workout up and down the left wing.
Purser 7. Ever-willing runner and there is no doubt the goals will come soon.
R.Simpson 8. Two stonking goals underlined Robbie's immense promise.

Ademeno 7. Excellent debut, full of energy and running like a hyperactive Roadrunner.
J.Simpson 6. Five-minute cameo at the end.
S.Smith 6. Nearer a five-second cameo.

Match Summary
United's faithful were finally rewarded for their weeks of suffering with a superb team performance full of grit, tenacity, cohesion and three tremendous goals. Rumours of this club's death have been greatly exaggerated.

Man of the Match
Danny Brown. Majestic leader who protected the defence, ran the midfield and scored the goal of the season. That's all!

Ref Watch
Yeo 9. What a pleasure to see a referee who is unafraid to permit crunching but fair tackles and challenges, lets the game flow and only reaches for his book right at the end. For that I'll even forgive the penalty that never was... especially as we scored from the free-kick!

Soundtrack of the Day
Malcolm Middleton 'A Brighter Beat'

Andrew Bennett

Now talk about it on the message board!

Previous match reports:
Rushden & Diamonds 3-1 U's
Stevenage 4-1 U's
U's 0-1 Stafford
U's 1-2 Burton
U's 0-1 Rushden & Diamonds
Histon 5-0 U's
Woking 0-1 U's
U's 0-2 St Albans
U's 1-3 Morecambe
U's 3-0 Gravesend
Grays 1-1 U's
Northwich 2-0 U's (FA Cup Qual)
U's 0-3 Oxford
U's 1-2 Crawley
U's 2-2 Altrincham
Burton 2-1 U's
U's 1-0 Stevenage
U's 1-1 Kidderminster
Forest Green 1-1 U's
U's 1-3 Exeter
Dagenham 2-0 U's
U's 1-2 Halifax
St Albans 1-1 U's
U's 0-1 Northwich Victoria

Pre-season match reports:
Histon 0-0 U's (3-4 on pens)
U's 1-3 Norwich
Fakenham 0-7 U's
Enfield FC 0-2 U's
Cambridge City 0-2 U's
U's 4-4 Ipswich
U's 0-4 West Ham
Bury Town 1-2 U's
Leyton 0-3 U's

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