Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: overcast
Goals:
United: Pitt 82'
Crawley: Shaw 34'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Jai Reason, Paul Carden (c), Daryl McMahon (Robbie Willmott 46'); Mark Beesley (Courtney Pitt 46'), Scott Rendell, Chris Holroyd.
Subs not used: Jon Challinor, Josh Coulson, Danny Crow.

Booked: Bolland foul 7', Reason foul 45'

Crawley Town:
Simon Rayner, Glenn Wilson (Chris Giles 87'), Santos Gaia, Jake Wright, Sam Rents; Michael Malcolm, Danny Forrest (Gavin Hurren 50'), Dannie Bulman (c), Simon Weatherstone; Robbie Matthews, Jon Shaw (Lewis Killeen 77') .
Subs not used: Thomas Pinault, Ben Gill.

Booked: Wilson foul 9', Forrest foul 23', Weatherstone foul 40', Matthews foul 44', Shaw foul 53', Hurren foul 62', Gaia foul 75'

Courtney Pitt came off the bench to score a stunning free kick that lit up up an agricultural battle with combative Crawley and secured a draw for the U's

Gary Brabin made one change to the side that won 1-0 at Grays on Tuesday, bringing Daryl McMahon back into the midfield in place of Jon Challinor.

Crawley boss Steve Evans made two enforced changes to the side that beat Lewes 5-1 at home in mid-week, calling up Glenn Wilson and new signing Santos Gaia to the defence in place of the suspended Adam Quinn and Lewis Chalmers, recalled from his loan by Aldershot.

With last month's 5-0 FA Trophy defeat still fresh in United minds, Crawley's player crunching into challenges and their managerial duo of Steve Evans and Paul Raynor bellowing their usual incessant 'advice' to the officials, it was a match that simmered almost from the kick-off.

A series of free kicks prevented the game from flowing and the U's fans protested loudly in the seventh minute when Matthews pushed the ball past Bolland and then ran into the U's defender, going to ground and earning a harsh booking for the unfortunate Bolland as Evans and assistant Paul Raynor could be seen screaming from their technical area.

The card tally was level two minutes later when Glenn Wilson was booked for clattering into Jai Reason off the ball, and the Ipswich man was targeted again in the 12th minute and had to go off briefly for treatment.

Yet another free kick followed two minutes later when Malcolm fouled Daryl McMahon and Reason's well-worked free kick was met by Rendell, but he could only head into the keeper's arms and a stop-start spell saw both teams trading free kicks and crosses without really threatening the goals.

That almost changed on 21 when Reason delivered another good free kick towards a clutch of U's forwards and Mark Beesley was unlucky to see his shot blocked by Forrest. Then moments later Reason chipped a cross to the far post but Chris Holroyd was blocked off by a defender, allowing the keeper to claim the ball.

Another Crawley booking came on 23 when Danny Forrest cynically hauled Rendell down from behind, and a minute later Reason, carrying his away form into his home debut, found space in the area to control a dropping ball and fired an angled shot that was deflected behind. It led to a couple of U's corners but the second was claimed by goalkeeper Rayner.

Crawley had their best chance so far on 26 when Robbie Matthews was put clear on goal but fired a 20-yarder straight at Potter, who launched a quick counterattack for Reason to volley over the Crawley bar.

The visitors had achieved one of their aims by subduing the home crowd and on the half hour they went close again when Matthews worked the ball to Jon Shaw 12 yards out, but he volleyed wide of the far post.

Another cynical challenge, this time by Forrest on Bolland, saw the already-booked midfielder called over for a stern warning, but in the 34th minute the visitors took the lead. Wayne Hatswell lost the ball to Michael Malcolm and Jon Shaw seemed to judge the flight of the winger's cross better than Potter, reaching the ball before the advancing U's keeper and heading it in off the post.

McMahon fired wide from 25 yards soon after the re-start but the visitors were enjoying the better of the play at this stage, although they collected two more bookings before half-time. Simon Weatherstone was carded for a 40th minute foul on Holroyd, then four minutes later Reason won the ball but was cynically blocked by Matthews, who earned Crawley's fourth booking and raised doubts that the game would finish with 22 men on the pitch.

Then in stoppage time Reason's free kick was cleared after a foul on Rendell, and a minute later Reason was booked for a foul on Malcolm at the end of a bad-tempered and controversial half.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A half not so much littered by free kicks as buried under an avalanche of them, notable for referee Rushton's note taking and Shaw's 34th minute goal. It's been feisty stuff, on and off the pitch, and United haven't yet managed to get going."

Second half:
Gary Brabin made two substitutions just before the second half was due to kick off, Robbie Willmott replacing McMahon and Courtney Pitt coming on for Beesley as United switched to a 4-4-2 formation and forced Steve Evans into shouting new instructions to his players as the half kicked off.

Two minutes in, the already-booked Weatherstone cynically hauled back Pitt as the winger nipped past him but escaped with a final warning, much to the anger of the home crowd, and barely a minute later Hatswell was rugby-tackled to the ground inside the area but again the referee turned a blind eye.

The extra width was paying off for United and Evans responded five minutes in by sending on new signing Gavin Hurren for Forrest and shuffling his line-up to match United's 4-4-2. Moments later Gaia brought down Holroyd and Reason lifted a quickly-taken free kick to Rendell, who fired over the bar as a defender closed him down.

With United looking more dangerous in this half, good interplay between Reason and Willmott earned another corner but Carden's flagkick was claimed by Rayner, then on 53 Matthews' cross was caught by Potter but Shaw followed in with a foot on the U's keeper and received his side's fifth booking as Potter stayed down for lengthy treatment.

With a string of free kicks, the match was providing little in the way of entertainment and the referee made his eighth booking in the 62nd minute when sub Gavin Hurren brought down Pitt, Bolland nodding Reason's free kick wide.

United's front men had received little of the ball but plenty of rough treatment throughout the game, and our best chance so far arrived midway through the half when Rendell worked his way into a great position but his shot flew wide as Gaia threw himself bravely at Rendell and the ball.

Crawley threatened on 74 when Matthews beat Hatswell to get a cross in and Bolland made a good clearance, while at the other end Holroyd showed great skill to spin and race clear but was brought down by the stretching Gaia, who duly collected his side's seventh booking. Reason curled the free kick round the wall but inches wide.

In the 77th minute Lewis Killeen replaced Crawley goalscorer Jon Shaw, who dawdled off the pitch, and two minutes later Reason and Wilson tangled and Wilson tripped the U's midfielder as he jogged away. The referee allowed play to continue but later pulled play back for a free kick, which Reason floated to Holroyd but Jake Wright did superbly to divert the ball behind.

The corner was eventually cleared but United kept the pressure on, Gaia making a headed clearance at full-stretch, and the breakthrough finally arrived with another free kick after the Brazilian defender hauled back Hatswell two yards outside the area.

Courtney Pitt stepped up to take the free kick and produced a candidate for 'goal of the season' as he curled it over the wall and past the diving Rayner into the top corner, It was a picture book free kick and a rare moment of skill to light up an agricultural match.

Steve Evans shored up his defence in the 87th minute by sending on centre half Chris Giles for Wilson , and moments later Killeen broke into the area but completely missed the ball, falling over and comically appealing for a penalty that was ignored by Mr Rushton.

It was all United at this stage and Reason threaded a ball to Holroyd but Gaia made another good challenge to clear the danger. In the six minutes of added time, Reason lifted a corner to Hatswell whose header was superbly saved by Rayner, then in the third minute of added time Tonkin's deep cross reached Holroyd who nodded on to Willmott, but his shot was also well saved by Rayner.

The Crawley keeper also snatched a Pitt corner under pressure from several United players, while a final free kick for Crawley drew a brave save from Potter among flying feet before the final whistle marked a hard-earned point for the U's.

Referee: Mr Steve Rushton

Attendance: 3,231 (away 69)

Match Summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A moment of magic from Courtney Pitt eight minutes from time rescued a point for United in a feisty game. The visitors were awkward opponents, and all the more so when Jon Shaw put them ahead ten minutes before the break, but United changed things around after the interval and found the rhythm that had been so lacking in the first half. It was inevitable that the equaliser would come from a free kick because the match wasn't so much littered with them as buried under an avalanche of stoppages. Having drawn level, United could have won it at the end but Hatswell and Holroyd were both denied by tremendous saves. But a match that should be remembered for Pitt's quality strike was overshadowed by the seven yellow cards issued to the cynical visitors."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Gary Brabin - for seeing things weren't working in the first half and changing it round, and conducting himself admirably in the technical area. Honourable mentions for Jai Reason, who performed well on a baptism of fire on his home debut, and substitutes Courtney Pitt and Robbie Willmott who changed the face of the game."

Ref: Mr Rushton - will have a busy evening sharpening pencils and filling out reports. Set his standards early on with a couple of soft bookings and proceeded to smother any possibility of an entertaining football match emerging. 3/10"

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