Date: Tuesday 11th August, 2009
Competition: Blue Square Premier
Goals:
Ebbsfleet: Crooks 47'
United: Holroyd 16', Reason 50', Holroyd 72'

Chris Holroyd set United on the way to the first three points of the season with his first half goal, and although Ebbsfleet equalised at a free kick two minutes into the second half United led again when Jai Reason struck moments later and Holroyd headed his second of the night on 72 to seal the win.

Paul Carden named an unchanged side to face Liam Daish's Ebbsfleet, while the home side included three former U's players in Jordan Collins, Gavin Heeroo and Magno Vieira and put United under immediate pressure that would continue throughout most of the first half.

The home side forced the first corner inside ten seconds and almost took the lead in the second minute when a defensive lapse allowed in Ricky Shakes but the former Bolton and Brentford man fired well wide.

United's first corner came in the seventh minute when Parkinson and Willmott combined to feed Jai Reason, whose driven shot was deflected behind. From Willmott's flagkick Mark Beesley had a first time shot headed off the line and the home side broke away, Magno Vieira racing clear and firing across the face of goal and wide.

United earned another corner on 8 and a well-worked set piece ended with Dan Gleeson who made a late run into the area and fired wide, but after a scrappy spell U's took the lead eight minutes later. Wayne Hatswell's long-range free kick was deflected wide, Willmott's corner was flicked on by Hatswell and crossed low into the danger area by Beesley, where Chris Holroyd tucked it inside the near post.

The goal lifted the United players and the 498 travelling fans, but the half continued to be scrappy with United struggling to get their passing going and the home side creating most of the chances. Vieira headed wide then Heeroo fired wide on 26, and as United rode their luck Vieira broke through but saw his shot brilliantly parried by Danny Potter, Hatswell blocking Lindie's follow-up.

There was more pressure to resist on 33 as the home side forced a corner and pinned United back as they tried to force the ball home, and when the visitors broke away at pace Willmott delivered a fine ball to Holroyd but the striker was flagged offside. In a better spell for United, Gleeson's good cross was returned into the area by Willmott but it was hacked away, and a minute later Holroyd and Parkinson combined to set up Beesley but he slipped as he tried a spectacular long-range shot and fired wide.

In the closing stages Parkinson's neat flick set up Beesley who went down in the area under a challenge from Heeroo, then Scott Shulton fired an Ebbsfleet free kick into the defensive wall, and after a patient move involving Carden, Gleeson and Parkinson United earned a 44th minute corner that was cleared to Reason just outside the area and he drove a powerful shot over the bar.

The final chance of the half came from an Ebbsfleet corner taken by Welsh, which was cleared behind again and this time Vieira nodded well over the bar.

Half-time: 1-0

Ebbsfleet departed from the ideal script just two minutes after the break when Reason fouled Shulton, and Welsh's floated free kick was met by defender Leon Crooks with a close-range downward header beyond Potter.

But United showed great character by restoring the lead almost immediately through a well-worked goal. Holroyd controlled the ball and crossed, Willmott nodded it back into the middle and Jai Reason stole into the area to bury a low shot past Cronin. The ecstatic midfielder leapt onto the hoardings behind the goal to celebrate with the travelling fans and was booked for over-celebrating.

With the home side in disarray and United brimming with confidence, it was almost 3-1 a minute later when Willmott's ball across the face of goal was almost met by the late-arriving Parkinson, who was only inches away from the vital touch. On 55 Beesley got behind the defence but the ball bounced kindly for Cronin to smother, and a couple of minutes later a good move down the right involving Beesley, Reason and Carden saw Beesley's shot parried by Cronin and then smothered just before Willmott could get there.

United's flowing football had the home side living on their nerves now and referee Simon Long allowed them to get away with some crude challenges to break up attacking moves. On 63 Daish sent on Jamie Forshaw in place of Ricky Shakes, and two minutes later Holroyd's incessant pressure forced a hurried clearance, Willmott crossed the ball into Beesley's path but the striker fired wide of the far post from the edge of the area.

Beesley was twice flagged offside in close decisions as United maintained their threat, but the win was sealed eighteen minutes from time when Reason dinked the ball over Collins to Willmott, who worked his way to the byline and measured a perfect cross towards Chris Holroyd to glance a header inside the post from four yards.

Within a minute United had to face a deep corner from the home side that Crooks fired wide, on 74 teenager Sam Ives replaced Parkinson, and with the home side rocking and the away fans bouncing Willmott cut inside from the right and fired wide then Carden slid a through ball to Beesley whose shot was cleared off the line by a defender.

Ebbsfleet's Michael West replaced Scott Shulton on 79 and within a minute Gleeson was booked for the slightest contact on Welsh as the winger burst through, with Vieira forcing a sprawling save from the alert Potter following the free kick.

Tempers ran high in the final minutes and Darius Charles and Paul Carden were both booked six minutes from time following a Charles foul on Coulson that angered most of the United players, while Holroyd needed attention for a head injury.

In the seven minutes of stoppage time Rory McAuley replaced the hard-working Mark Beesley and there was a series of free kicks for both sides, but at last the final whistle saw United's players able to join in the celebrations of the travelling fans.

Ebbsfleet United:
Lance Cronin, Will Salmon, Leon Crooks, Darius Charles, Jordan Collins, Gavin Heeroo, Scott Shulton (Michael West 79'), Ishmael Welsh, Ricky Shakes (Jamie Forshaw 63'), Magno Vieira, James Lindie.
Subs not used: Matthew Lamprell, Kane Wills, Dean Pooley.

Booked: Charles 84' (unsporting behaviour).

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Josh Coulson, Wayne Hatswell, Darryl Coakley; Robbie Willmott, Paul Carden (c), Jai Reason; Andy Parkinson (Sam Ives 74'); Chris Holroyd, Mark Beesley (Rory McAuley 90').
Subs not used: Courtney Pitt, Jordan Patrick, Laurie Walker.

Booked: Reason 51' (over celebrating), Gleeson 80' (foul), Carden 84' (unsporting behaviour).

Referee: Mr Simon Long

Attendance: 1,523 (away 498)

AT090811 web@cambridge-united.co.uk