Date: Saturday 19th September, 2009
Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: overcast, humid
United: Hatswell 9', Willmott 81'
An early Wayne Hatswell free kick and a late Robbie Willmott goal bookended a stylish performance by United as they dominated almost the whole game and weathered Wrexham's storm early in the second half before running out deserved winners.
The U's were unchanged for the seventh successive match as manager Martin Ling kept faith in a team unbeaten in six games with just one goal conceded in those games.
Wrexham boss Dean Saunders made four changes to the side beaten 1-0 at home, handing instant an debut to new signing Angelos Tsiaklis, a former Man City midfielder, while fellow new signing Lamine Sakho, ex-Leeds United, took a place on the bench. Also added to the side were defender Mike Williams, midfielder Nathan Fairhurst and striker Adrian Cieslewicz, another former Man City youngster. Dropping out were Marc Williams, Hedi Taboudi, Wes Baynes and the suspended Frank Sinclair.
Wrexham lined up in the same 3-5-2 formation they used last weekend and United, unusually attacking the Newmarket Road end in this half, made a bright start as Chris Holroyd and Andy Parkinson linked well to force a corner just 30 seconds in.
In an end to end opening, Mark Jones tested Danny Potter from 20 yards and Fairhurst met Taylor's cross to head powerfully over the bar in the fifth minute, while moments later Holroyd's flick-on was controlled by Danny Crow who made space for a curling shot that deflected off Obeng and was collected by goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.
But United took the lead in the ninth minute after Mansour Assoumani brought Holroyd down, receiving a yellow card for the foul, and from 25 yards out on the left Wayne Hatswell drove a low free kick along the ground, under the leaping wall and into the bottom left corner.
The lead was almost doubled within two minutes when Anthony Tonkin's cross split the defence but Holroyd's volley from six yards was underpowered and smothered on the line by the keeper, and on 14 Robbie Willmott was booked for an earlier foul from behind on Assoumani, after referee Mr Kinseley had allowed play to continue.
In a sometimes heated atmosphere with some tetchy running battles, Cieslewicz fired a shot into the ground that bounced up to be alertly pushed behind by Potter for a corner, and on 21 Neil Taylor's cross was met by namesake Gareth who headed wide.
United were on top and threatened again with a free kick on 25 after good build-up play was ended by Mark Jones' foul on Reason. Robbie Willmott took the free kick, which beat the wall but was touched wide of the post at full-stretch by Maxwell, who also saved Hatswell's header at the resulting corner.
Willmott had a corner headed away and Holroyd was twice flagged offside as he tried to race onto threaded through balls, then on 31 a free kick was awarded for Neil Taylor's foul on Crow, who had come in for some rough treatment, but although Gleeson got his head to Willmott's free kick he headed straight at the keeper.
The U's were giving Wrexham no time on the ball and looked dangerous and inventive going forward, and two corners followed in the 35th minute. The first when Gleeson crossed for Holroyd whose header bounced on the six-yard line and was hacked behind, and the second met by Brian Saah who rose above everyone else but nodded wide from six yards.
Another Willmott corner was punched away before Ashley Westwood was booked for going through the back of Holroyd in a challenge that angered the United players, then there was a scare as Holroyd chased a loose ball into the Wrexham area and was just beaten to it by Mike Williams. Holroyd had been stretching to reach the ball and stayed down as it was hacked away, but was able to continue after attention from Greg Reid.
The U's had dominated throughout the half and enjoyed the greater possession and chances while Wrexham had looked shaky at the back and off the pace, and the half-time whistle was met by boos from the travelling fans.
Half-time summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A half in United were so completely in control, the only worry was whether they would lose concentration through finding it too easy. Hatswell scored after nine minutes and United should perhaps have scored another couple, and Wrexham surely won't be so poor after the break."
Second half:
Wrexham switched to 4-4-2 for the second half, with Mark Jones moving out to the right wing and wing-back Curtis Obeng dropping back to fullback, and they started at a high tempo. In the first five minutes of the half Gareth Taylor fired powerfully wide from 20 yards, Neil Taylor's shot from the left of the area was blocked at close-range by Gleeson and Potter watched a 20-yarder from Tsiaklis fly comfortably wide.
The U's weathered the storm and countered at pace on 55 when Paul Carden released Willmott and, with players flooding forward, he released Crow to advance into the area where the ball was diverted behind for another corner.
The first change took place on 59 when forward Lamine Sakho came on for his debut in place of defender Mike Williams and took up a role on the wide left, with Neil Taylor moving back to left back, and on 64 Marc Williams replaced Angelos Tsiaklis.
Three minutes later there was danger for United when Obeng's cross was punched away by Potter as far as Sakho who latched onto the ball on the edge of the area, and his shot was blocked by Hatswell and hacked behind by Gleeson as it spun through the area.
The corner led to more Wrexham pressure but Jones' shot was saved by Potter, who launched a swift counterattack, Jai Reason sending Willmott clear down the left wing to cut inside and fire into the sidenetting.
Brian Saah gave away a free kick for a foul on Sakho on 73 but was on hand to clear Sakho's shot from the edge of the area following the free kick, and a minute later Saunders made his final change to send on Wes Baynes for Adrian Cieslewicz.
From the re-start a U's corner was crossed back in by Gleeson to Hatswell but his downward volley was safely collected by Maxwell, and on 77 veteran striker Gareth Taylor was booked for fouling Potter as they both challenged for the ball, leaving Potter in need of brief attention from the physio.
With ten minutes remaining Martin Ling was considering a double change when Robbie Willmott doubled United's lead after a good move. Released down the left by Danny Crow, he cut inside, beating Obeng and leaving him in his wake, and beat Maxwell at his near post with a low well-taken shot.
Ling made the change with four minutes remaining, sending on Mark Beesley for Crow while Courtney Pitt replaced Willmott for his first appearance since 18th August.
Beesley had a half chance from the right of the area in the 89th minute but he was blocked as he got the shot away, then in stoppage time Beesley drove a shot into the keeper's midriff from 30 yards, and in the final chance of a game dominated almost entirely by United Pitt tried to pick out Holroyd's run but Westwood just got there first to hack the ball away under pressure.
Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Brian Saah, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Robbie Willmott (Courtney Pitt 86'), Paul Carden (c), Jai Reason, Andy Parkinson; Chris Holroyd, Danny Crow (Mark Beesley 86').
Subs not used: Josh Coulson, Sam Ives, Lee Phillips.
Booked: Willmott 15' foul
Wrexham:
Chris Maxwell, Mansour Assoumani, Ashley Westwood (c), Mike Williams (Lamine Sakho 59'); Curtis Obeng; Angelos Tsiaklis (Marc Williams 64'), Nathan Fairhurst, Mark Jones, Neil Taylor; Gareth Taylor, Adrian Cieslewicz (Wes Baynes 74').
Subs not used: Hedi Taboudi, Christian Smith.
Booked: Assoumani 8' foul, Westwood 41' foul, G. Taylor 77' foul
Referee: Mr Nick Kinseley
Attendance: 2,823 (away 231)
Post-match summary by commentator Mark Johnson:
"It was billed as a test and United passed it with flying colours with a comprehensive win over Wrexham. The U's dominated the first half but only had Wayne Hatswell's ninth minute free kick to show for their efforts, with the expectation that Wrexham couldn't be as poor again after the break. They weren't and for a 20 minute spell United had to work for their points, but the visitors became the fourth consecutive side to fail to find a way through United's parsimonious defence and Robbie Willmott's goal nine minutes from time gave the U's the margin of victory they deserved."
Mark's Man of the Match:
"Wayne Hatswell - a colossal performance at centre-half saw off the threat of the experienced Gareth Taylor, aided and abetted by the ever-elegant Brian Saah. Honourable mentions to the whole back five who provided the launch pad for a good all-round team performance."
Ref: Mr Kinseley - an authoritarian figure who was better than some we have seen. 6/10."
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