Competition: Blue Square Premier
Date: Saturday 11th October, 2008
Weather at kick-off: sunny
Goals:
United: Challinor 11'
Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Jordan Collins; Robbie Willmott (Chris Holroyd 67'), Paul Carden (c), Ben Farrell, Jon Challinor; Lee McEvilly, Mark Beesley.
Subs not used: Stephen Drench, Mark Convery, Felino Jardim, Danny Crow.
Booked: Collins foul 9'
Sent Off: McEvilly violent conduct 87'
Weymouth:
Richard Barnard, Cameron Mawer (Ryan Williams 76'), Santos Gaia, Scott Doe, Kevin Sandwith; Anton Robinson (c), Sam Cutler (Michael Malcolm 56'), Stephen Reed; Pierre Joseph-Dubois, Chris McPhee, Stuart Beavon.
Subs not used: Danny Knowles, Adam Bygrave, Joshua Webb.
Booked: Cutler foul 42'
United scored early rather than late as Jon Challinor' second goal of the week and a fourth successive clean sheet sealed another one-nil win for the U's.
Gary Brabin made two changes to the squad that snatched a late win against Lewes on Tuesday, calling up Ben Farrell and Jordan Collins to replace Felino Jardim and the ill Anthony Tonkin. The home side started in a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Beesley in the hole behind front men McEvilly and Willmott, but it soon settled into a 4-3-3 system with Beesley on the right, McEvilly on the left and Willmott free to exploit the space through the middle.
Weymouth included three former U's in their side, midfielders Stephen Reed - who attracted a fairly hostile reception from the home fans - former scholar Sam Cutler who was snapped up on the recommendation of Terras no.2 Alan Lewer when he was not offered a professional deal at the end of last season, and former trialist Pierre Joseph-Dubois.
The U's got off to a positive start, and it took less than five minutes for the first clear cut chance, which fell Beesley's way. The forward raced onto a through ball with time and space but, with Lee McEvilly screaming for the ball in the centre, he tried the shot from a narrow angle and Barnard turned the ball behind at the near post, McEvilly heading the resulting corner kick over the bar.
The U's enjoyed good spells of pressure and stretched Weymouth with neat interplay between the front six, although Jordan Collins, making his first appearance of the season, was booked in the ninth minute following his second late challenge in the opening stages of the game.
United had left it until stoppage time to win the last two home games 1-0, but today they made their early pressure pay in the eleventh minute as Willmott slid a ball through for Jon Challinor in the inside left channel and he fired a well-placed low drive into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
With the U's well on top at this stage, the lively Willmott set up a break four minutes later, running into space down the left before squaring it to Beesley, but Barnard blocked the shot and his defence scrambled the ball clear.
Moments later, Bolland headed a Sam Cutler free kick away as far as former U Stephen Reed, who lashed a shot wide from the edge of the penalty box and received ironic cheers from the home fans.
Danny Potter had to get down to his near post to save a Beavon free-kick in the 20th minute, and soon afterwards another flowing move from the U's saw Beesley force a great reaction save from Barnard. Willmott powered away down the left once more and squared it to Beesley, but unfortunately he couldn't take advantage and was quickly closed down.
Beavon and Dubois both fired high and wide from the edge of the area but Willmott's pace was causing a constant threat to the Weymouth defence, and on the half hour he raced onto a chipped ball from Farrell and was unlucky to see his lofted effort clear the bar.
Weymouth put their best move of the game together in the 39th minute, McPhee working the ball to Robinson on the left who fired wide of the far post under pressure, and after 42 minutes Weymouth picked up their first booking of the match when Sam Cutler was punished for a late and dangerous challenge on Jon Challinor near the Cambridge area.
A solid and, in the main, comfortable performance ensured the U's went into the dressing room at half time a goal up, but there was no doubt that there could have been more.
Half Time: 1-0
The second half began with controversy as Mark Beesley was brought down inside the box within a minute for what looked like a clear-cut penalty, but Mr Long adjudged Mawer's challenge to be a fair one. It would not be his last contentious decision of the game.
Weymouth countered and went close twice at the other end in the following minutes, with ex-U's scholar Sam Cutler firing over from range shortly after McEvilly had to head Cutler's corner clear.
The game went quiet, and Weymouth decided it was time to make the first change of the game, with Michael Malcolm coming on to replace Cutler in the 56th minute.
Another decision went against the U's just after the hour mark, Hatswell thought he had doubled the lead when he powerfully headed Gleeson's cross beyond the 'keeper following a corner from the right. However, the celebrations were cut short as the referee decided there had been a foul in the build up, leaving Hatswell shrugging his confusion to the astounded U's bench and Main Stand.
But the U's were building up a head of steam and Carden powered forward from deep to the edge of the area and almost set up Mark Beesley with a clever back-heel, but Weymouth got back just in time. From the resulting move, Ben Farrell fired high and wide from outside the area.
With the U's unable to find an important second goal, Gary Brabin decided to send on the fresh legs of Chris Holroyd for Robbie Willmott on 67, the youngster leaving the pitch to a standing ovation after an exciting performance.
The U's were still pushing as a counterattack began with a punch out by Potter and progressed through Farrell to Gleeson, whose cross was cleared for a corner, but unfortunately Cambridge couldn't make anything of the set piece and again Weymouth were able to clear the danger.
Another Terras player was booked in the 73th minute, after Malcolm lost the ball to Farrell and in his efforts to win it back crawled all over the midfielder's back. Two minutes later, Jordan Collins joined the attack, but unfortunately could only prod a tame, trickling ball towards the goalkeeper.
The visitors weren't looking at all dangerous, so Ryan Williams was brought on to replace Mawer thirteen minutes from time in an effort to bolster their attack. Malcolm saw a cross claimed by Potter on 81 and Farrell's long-range drive struck a defender two minutes later, then United had another chance to put the game to bed in the 85th minute when McEvilly's flick on fell to Beesley near the penalty spot, but he fired wide.
With three minutes remaining, the referee capped a controversial performance by showing Lee McEvilly a straight red card for a lunging tackle on Reed as he chased his former team-mate and battled to regain possession after losing it just outside the Weymouth area. The big striker was clearly distraught as he left the pitch, and Reed himself appeared to query the referee's decision.
The visitors were buoyed by the sending-off and as play entered stoppage time Reed made the most of a Carden challenge to win a free-kick on the edge of the area, which was blocked by the United wall.
In the resulting play, Weymouth won a corner which signalled a spell of constant pressure from the visitors as Malcolm headed the ball against the bar, then Potter was bundled over and Gleeson cleared the ball off the line, and Potter made two crucial saves in the closing seconds, twice stretching to tip the ball over the bar, first from Malcolm and then from Scott Doe at the third successive Weymouth corner.
But finally, after four minutes of solid pressure, the relieved home fans reacted deafeningly at the sound of the referee's final whistle.
After a nail-biting finish, United had held on for a well deserved three points from a game that should have been over well before the end, but a fourth successive clean sheet ensured the victory for Brabin's men.
Man of the Match: Wayne Hatswell - For being as solid as ever at the back and scoring a what looked like a perfectly good goal in the second half. Honourable mentions for Robbie Willmott, who was a constant threat to the Weymouth defence and linked well with Beesley, Jordan Collins for a secure performance on his first appearance of the season, and Ben Farrell for an energetic midfield performance
Adam Thrussell
Referee: Mr Simon Long
Attendance: 3,981 (away 71)
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