Date: Tuesday 8th September, 2009
Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: warm, balmy

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Brian Saah, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Robbie Willmott, Paul Carden (c), Jai Reason, Andy Parkinson (Sam Ives 75'); Chris Holroyd, Danny Crow (Lee Phillips 86').
Subs not used: Josh Coulson, Mark Beesley, Courtney Pitt.

Booked: Gleeson foul 60', Tonkin foul 81', Willmott foul 90'

Altrincham:
Stuart Coburn, James Smith, Greg Young (c), Robbie Williams, Matt Doughty (Daniel Heffernan 52'); Chris Denham, Tom Kearney, Anthony Danylyk, Nicky Clee (Andrew Pearson 85'); Dale Johnson (Ross Thaker 75'), Chris Senior.
Subs not used: Robert Lawton, Russell Saunders.

Booked: Doughty time-wasting 38', Smith foul 74', Danylyk handball 90'

United toiled fruitlessly and had two chances ruled out in the second half as Altrincham stood firm for a repeat of their previous visit to the Abbey.

In the absence of virus-hit manager Martin Ling, the U's were unchanged for the fifth successive match as Paul Carden and Jez George kept faith with the team that took eight points from the previous four games, including Saturday's 7-0 win here against Forest Green Rovers.

Robins manager Graham Heathcote made one change to the side that lost 2-0 at Kettering, recalling striker Chris Senior in place of the injured Scott Moffat, and they almost took the lead inside half a minute when Dale Johnson put Chris Senior in behind the U's defence but his shot was blocked superbly by the alert Brian Saah.

Altrincham lived up to their billing as a hard-working side but United's work rate was equal. Paul Carden volleyed wide of the far post from 30 yards in the eighth minute and moments later Wayne Hatswell's great clearance sent Danny Crow away, he used his strength to hold off a challenge then played a one-two with Chris Holroyd into the area but the ball was smuggled behind for corner.

United's interplay had the home fans applauding with approval and on 10 Holroyd crossed for Hatswell who beat Doughty to the header but flicked it the wrong side of the post, then Holroyd summed up the work rate by chasing the ball to the goal line to keep it in play and pulled it back for Crow but his shot was blocked by Williams.

For all United's good play and possession, the visitors were dangerous on the break and an Altrincham free kick a minute later led to a chance for pacy forward Chris Denham. But his shot was blocked behind by Anthony Tonkin, and from the resulting corner Danylyk's volley from the middle of the area was snatched by Danny Potter.

Matt Doughty also tested Potter on 18 but United's counterattack was well-worked and Robbie Willmott drove a powerful shot inches wide from 25 yards. A minute later Crow and Willmott linked well to open up the Alty defence for another corner, which Hatswell headed on and Dan Gleeson almost acrobatically turned in.

The visitors had to throw everything in the way of the ball midway through the half when Andy Parkinson's shot deflected behind for the first of three successive corners, but they had chances of their own as Tom Kearney's free kick was headed away by Hatswell on 27, Carden cleared Kearney's flag kick four minutes later, and Jai Reason hacked a free kick away on 32.

A minute later Holroyd cut out three Altrincham men with a ball for Crow 12 yards out but he got the ball caught under his feet and fired awkwardly over the bar, then Holroyd pounced on Doughty's loose pass and darted through but was closed down quickly, and on 36 he cut into the area from the right but drilled a shot wide of the far post..

Altrincham's Matt Doughty was booked in the 38th minute for taking too long over a free kick and the retaken set piece was caught by Potter, then in stoppage time Dan Gleeson tried to break the deadlock with a 30-yard drive from the right that was blocked by Doughty.

Altrincham had almost scored in the first minute, and they went close with the final kick of a lively half when Willmott made a vital block to deny Denham as he was about to finish. Half-time 0-0

Half-time summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"Not the sumptuous feast of Saturday as yet, as Altrincham are proving obdurate opponents. There have been chances for either side but still the match sits on a knife edge."

Second half:
United resumed brightly towards the Newmarket Road End, Gleeson rifling a shot over the bar from 25 yards, then Crow brought the ball down on his chest in the area but was closely marked and the ball was hacked away.

Midfielder Danny Heffernan replaced Doughty on 51 and the visitors were again denied a goal by Saah two minutes later. Potter was looking to shepherd the ball out of play but Denham had other ideas, chasing and backheeling it to Senior eight yards out, but the alert Saah made a vital block.

Altrincham had achieved their aim of subduing the home crowd until 56 when Willmott hared down the left, beating two men on his way into the area, but the ball bobbled up as he took the shot and it cleared the bar.

Then Nicky Clee went down under minimal contact from Gleeson and stayed down until the U's right-back was booked, much to his disgust, and the incident lifted the previously subdued atmosphere as the U's fans turned against the Altrincham man and booed his every move.

Two minutes later United thought they had scored when Parkinson raced through one-on-one with Stuart Coburn, and Holroyd rammed the rebound home after the initial shot was blocked by the keeper, but the flag was already up. Moments later a rare lapse in the Alty defence allowed Crow to deliver a dangerous cross towards the lurking Holroyd but goalkeeper Coburn just got there first.

Chris Senior fired wide from just outside the box, James Smith was booked for a foul on Willmott, then both sides made a substitution in the 75th minute. For the visitors Ross Thaker replaced Johnson while for United Sam Ives came on for Parkinson.

Within minutes there was a big let-off for Altrincham following a United corner; Hatswell came from deep to meet the ball as it was crossed back in and poked it home, but the goal was ruled out for a push elsewhere in the area, and to add to United's sense of injustice Anthony Tonkin was harshly booked four minutes later for a challenge on Denham.

Still the U's grafted to find a breakthrough and Willmott pulled a shot wide of the near post from 20 yards then his corner was cleared by Young soon afterwards, and on 84 the ball was pulled back for Reason whose angled shot was blocked by Williams.

Further changes on 85 saw Andrew Pearson replace Clee, who was booed from the pitch by the home fans, while striker Lee Phillips continued his comeback from injury when he replaced Danny Crow, who had toiled without reward.

Having been denied what appeared to be a legal goal, United were almost caught out on 86 with men committed forward after a corner when Thaker raced from his own half to go one-on-one with Potter but fired wide.

Coburn caught a typical Hatswell drive from 35 yards and in the final seconds of stoppage time Reason's shot was deliberately handled by Danylyk on the right of the 'D'. With the seconds ticking away he was booked before Willmott fired a free kick that was deflected over, and the resulting corner was cleared as the final whistle was blown.

Referee: Mr Gary Jerden

Attendance: 2,749 (away 41)

Post-match summary by commentator Mark Johnson:
"Not the sumptuous feast of Saturday but it wasn't an 'after the Lord Mayor's Show' either on a frustrating evening for the U's. Credit must go to the visitors who were well-organised and obdurate in defence and nearly nicked the win three minutes from time. That would have been harsh indeed on the U's whose decent overall performance was only lacking a goal, and they could have had that too ten minutes from time but for Wayne Hatswell having a shot inexplicably ruled out. So it's another point for United and a reminder, perhaps, that we are still a work in progress."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Brian Saah- a performance that suggested he is far too good for this league. Honourable mentions for Jai Reason who is starting to show signs of a return to his best, Paul Carden inevitably for a typical performance, and Danny Crow who again ran his heart out."

Ref: Mr Jerden - started OK but went downhill from there with one or two strange decisions. 5/10."

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