United recovered from a nightmare start to register their first point of the season against a combative Crawley Town outfit.

Trailing to two quick goals from Matt Tubbs, the U's got back into the game when Simon Russell slotted in his first goal for the club. Brian Saah headed the equaliser and although both teams pushed for a winner in the second half, another goal was not forthcoming.

The U's defence was at sixes and sevens in the opening moments as Crawley's expensively assembled front line ran riot. They scored from their first attack, when Simon Brown failed to deal with Steve Masterton's inswinging corner, Adam Miller headed the ball against his own crossbar, and in the ensuing scramble Matt Tubbs poked the ball into the net.

Tubbs has terrorised United in recent seasons while playing for Salisbury, and he continued his fine scoring record by netting the second moments later. Good work from Sergio Torres saw him beat Kevin Roberts and square for the inrushing Tubbs, who sidefooted past Brown.

United fought back well, and almost got back into the game immediately when Crawley keeper Nick Jordan pushed Robbie Willmott's free kick onto the post. But the home faithful didn't have long to wait to celebrate their first goal of the season, with Conal Platt leading an 18th minute breakaway from a Crawley corner. With options to his left and right, Platt carried the ball to the edge of the visitors box, before feeding Simon Russell, who made no mistake with a low finish.

With Crawley on the ropes, Brian Saah levelled things up, heading home a James Jennings corner.

Both teams had chances in the second period, with Josh Coulson clearing a shot from Crawley sub Barry Cogan off the line and a Platt effort looping just over the bar. But in the end a draw was probably a fair outcome.

Man of the Match: Conal Platt - Showed great pace and dribbling ability throughout, and set up the crucial first goal for United which got Ling's men back into the match.

FULL TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 2 CRAWLEY TOWN

21.38: Pressure from Wright forces the keeper to scuff a clearance into touch. A last chance for United perhaps, but no, because the referee draws proceedings to a close. A pulsating start to the Blue Square Bet Premier season here at the Abbey. Either team could have won a really entertaining match, and one suspects both managers will be disappointed not to have won. Nevertheless United showed great spirit to recover from a nightmare start and pick up their first point of the season. Phew.

21.37: YELLOW CARD. Unbelievable, great challenge from Jennings earns him a booking, probably in part due to the shrieking of the Crawley bench. It was a sliding tackle, but he clearly won the ball from Cogan. The free kick goes in and it's a free kick United, at least this ref is consistent.

21.35: Ref spots some pushing, probably correctly. Crawley free kick. Tubbs is on his way now, to be replace by Michael Malcolm.

21.34: Hall takes a ride on the back of Danny Wright and the U's have another free kick. Willmott sends it over and it's thumped away for a corner. Crawley at full stretch, but the U's have a flag kick on the other side now after great work from Paul Carden.

21.30: Cogan scored against the U's last season, and almost repeats his trick with his first touch, but his shot is blocked on the line by three players after the U's had headed away Masterton's free kick. The resulting corner swings in and crashes off the bar, and as the ball bounces down United get a soft free kick. If Alan Hansen was watching some of this defending he'd have a heart attack.

21.29: Free kick to Crawley now, 35 yards from goal after Enver-Marum is fouled by Saah. Before it Torres will depart, his early promise having long faded. Barry Cogan is his replacement.

21.27: United on the attack, and Kevin Roberts cross deflects behind, that's a corner. Before it's taken Conal Platt departs, having run himself into the ground. Adam Marriott is his replacement. Corner is inswinging looking for Coulson, but flies past him and behind.

21.26: Jennings catches Tubbs and that's a free kick, no complaints there. Masterton whips in and the offside flag goes up, phew.

21.25: More uncertainty from the corner. Brown gets nowhere near it but someone in a red shirt heads it wide.

21.22: Corner to the U's, won on the left by Willmott after some great overlapping by Jennings. Robbie delivers, and that almost falls to Brian Saah, but is just behind the defender and the ball's away. Off go Crawley, working it across to Masterton, who drives in a low shot which is deflected behind.

21.21: United need to keep getting the ball out to Platt, as Wilson doesn't seem to know what to do when he's on the ball. Substitution for Crawley, McAllister off, Enver-Marum on.

21.19: YELLOW CARD. Platt's off again, but is levered off the ball in the box. No penalty says the ref. United come again and Danny Wright bowls Jordan to the ground to earn a slightly harsh booking.

21.17: With Adam Miller down injured, Paul Carden is outnumbered in midfield and tugs back Mills. Free kick, good position for Crawley, looks like Masterton is going to shot. And he does, rattling a shot into the P of the Premier Travel sign above the Newmarket Road End.

21.15: YELLOW CARD: Platt is too good for Crawley again there, brought down in full flight by Neilson, who is rightly carded. Willmott's free kick fizzes into the goal mouth but is headed away.

21.13: Russell skips away from a challenge, and his chipped cross from the byline takes out the keeper but is agonisingly just too high for Wright. That was a good chance.

21.11: Another Crawley free kick causes panic in the United box. Wilson this time finds space at the back post, but volleys wildly over.

21.10: Tonight's attendence is 2,558, with 93 away fans.

21.08: Blimey, Neilson streaks away from Brian Saah, great pace from the ex-U's man. He pulls the ball back into the six yard box, Roberts blocks and Brown falls on it right on the line.

21.06: Another free kick for United, again on the left after Russell is checked. This time Willmott's delivery is awesome, and flies behind off the head of a defender. Corner to United, which is the sort you'd need a chalk board to explain. It culminates in Jennings chipping the ball up to the back post where Saah heads it across but the keeper clings on.

21.04: YELLOW CARD: Twinkle toes from Platt who step-overs away from Wilson and is fouled. The defender boots the ball away in frustration and is booked. United have a free in a good position but Willmott wellies it straight into the wall.

21.03: Ball still down in the right corner. Long throw comes in from Wilson but there's some pushing and UNited have a free kick.

21.02: Crawley come again, McAllister in acres of space heads it down and Coulson clears behind. In it comes and Quinn is all alone but heads straight at Simon Brown who makes a great reaction save. That should have been a goal though.

21.01: That was intricate, with Miller playing the ball through Jennings legs for Willmott, whose shot flies wide.

20.59: Platt has been excellent tonight, and wins a free kick there after being fouledby Wilson. Jennings stands a cross up to the back, Wright wins the flick but Crawley clear. Not too far though and that's another foul, this on Wright by Hall. This free kick is in a better position. Fairly central, 35 yards out.

20.57: Wright forces Quinn to concede a throw. The restart finds Platt, who spots the keeper slightly off his line and curls a shot inches over the angle. Jordan wasn't getting there I don't think. Route one from Crawley presents Tubbs with a chance, but under pressure from Roberts he slices a shot wide. Might feel he should have done better.

20.55: Wicked cross from Jennings, plenty of bend but Platt can't quite connect.

20.54: Crawley break with Masterton and Tubbs, but he can't find Neilson with his cross.

20.53: Miller over the top looking for Willmott, but that's slightly overcooked and Jordan collects.

20.50: One minute played and a Crawley player is already down. I think it's Masterton after a challenge from Miller. Despite appearing to be mortally injured he's back on his feet and they have a free kick. Mills into the box but the U's clear.

20.49: Here come the teams again, time to start again. This could go either way, United finished the stronger but Crawley looked threatening every time they went forward.

HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 2 CRAWLEY TOWN

20.33: Crawley's keeper takes offence to a challenge from Danny Wright. It's a free kick, nothing more, and from it Crawley nearly profit. More uncertain defending as the ball comes in, Brown starts to come, then retreats, and McAllister sees his shot on the turn blocked on the line. Not that it would have mattered as the offside flag was already up. That's half time, and that was an incredible half of football. United have been attrocious at the back, but Crawley aren't much better, and you would have to say there are probably more goals in this.

20.30: Evans is  waving his arms around like the Go Compare man, not sure what he's trying to say. Neilson crumbles to win the softest of free kicks, which is skimmed into the area where Miller clears.

20.29: Free kick to the U's launched into the box but the imperious Quinn heads clear.

20.27: Miscue from Roberts almost lets Tubbs in, but Russell and Coulson clear the danger.

20.24: Bit of a lull in proceedings now. Forgot to say how pleased I am for Russell, who has deserved a goal for about six months. Crawley free kick, which Masterton whips in but Brown holds.

20.21: Poor delivery from Jennings that time, low and behind for a goal kick.

20.20: Great play from Wright, holding the ball up despite Hall yanking the shirt off his back and winning a free kick. 30 yards out in the left channel. Willmott's inswinger is on target and the keeper claws it behind for a corner.

20.18: This is an incredible game, I reckon it could be 5-4 to Crawley and no-one could complain. Here go the visitors again with McAllister, who cuts the ball back for Torres, who drags a shot wide. The Argentine is certainly the visitors' dangerman.

20.16: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 2 CRAWLEY TOWN. Get in there, United level through Brian Saah, who races in onto Jennings' corner and heads in. A hint of shirt pulling I thought, but frankly who cares. All square now.

20.15: Great stuff from Willmott, holding the ball up and cutting it inside for Platt, whose shot is blocked. United come again though and have a corner on their right.

20.14: Crawley keeper time wasting already, that's nice to see.

20.12: Another Crawley corner cleared by Carden, who is all over the place at the moment. In a good way of course, unlike our defence, who are all over the place in a bad way.

20.10: Disgraceful from Quinn, who collapses under challenge from Danny Wright. For a big bloke he needs to toughen up a bit, there was no contact at all. But Crawley get a free kick, and subsequently a corner. U's clear their lines though, the visitors have lost a bit of momentum, but still look very dangerous.

20.07: Wright connects with the centre, turns, and sees his shot blocked. Crawley clear, and, ahem, win a soft free kick as Rusk collapses to the ground in agony amid howls of protest from the visiting bench.

20.06: Willmott with the ball over the top and Wright seems to be in the clear. But the ball takes an age to come down and Quinn gets back to block. Another corner though,.

20.05: Blimey, United energised now. Willmott wins a corner, which Jennings takes, deep towards Saah, who is eased off the ball by a defender who heads behind. Saah also meets the second set piece but can only head into the side netting.

20.04: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1 - 2 CRAWLEY TOWN. That's more like it, magnificent breakaway instigated by Platt sees United sweep downfield. Crawley are exposed and Platt holds the ball before releasing Simon Russell, who keeps his cool and slots under the keeper.

20.03: Torres roasts Roberts again, winning Crawley another corner. This time it's low to the near post and Carden volleys behind. Masterton will try again

19.59: United clear and Willmott always breaks away before being thwarted by Hall.

19.58: Crawley look a yard quicker all over the place, United are clearly rattled. Another corner for the visitors, this time on their right.

19.57: Nearly a goal back there, Crawley's defending not much better than United's. Willmott's inswinging free kick misses everyone and the keeper turns it onto the post. Wright can't force in the rebound and Crawley clear. In between times Crawley could have gone 3-0 up, with Neilson finding space in the box but shooting over.

19.54: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0 - 2 CRAWLEY TOWN. Apparently it was Matt Tubbs who got the final touch for the first, and there is no doubt he netted the second. United are all over the place, and Torres bamboozles Kevin Roberts and delivers a low cross which the former Salisbury striker slams in at the near post. The phrase "a lot to do" comes to mind.

19.51: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0 - 1 CRAWLEY TOWN. Awful defending from the U's and Crawley are in front. Brown fails to gather the inswinging corner, and as the ball bobbles around Adam Miller tries to head clear but only suceeds in heading against his own bar. In the ensuing scuffle the ball crosses the line, Matt Tubbs getting the final touch.

19.50: First moment of danger for the visitors, Masterson winning a corner off Carden.

19.48: Early possession for the U's down the right, but Roberts and Russell can't make the most of it and Crawley get their chance to clear. However they don't do it very well, and a short back pass almost lets Wright in, but Jordan races out to scuff the ball into touch.

19.46: We're off. United go long immediately looking for Wright but it goes out for a goal kick. WIllmott is indeed up front with DW, Platt on the left and Russell on the right.

19.45: United attacking the Newmarket Road End in the first half, Crawley evidently won the toss.

19.43: Evans of course joined on the bench by his assistant, and one of my first United heroes, Paul Raynor. Good noise being generated by both sets of fans, the Red Devils faithful are crowded into a tiny section of the South Habbin.

19.42: Last time Crawley visited the Abbey it finished 1-0 to the visitors, with Jamie Cook, who isn't in the 16 tonight, scoring the only goal for Steve Evans men. Here come the teams.

19.35: Crawley's front six looks decent, especially with the addition of Neilson. Roberts and Jennings could have a tough task keeping him and Sergio Torres quiet. Though not in the 16, Daryl Clare is out there warming up with the subs.

Cambridge United: Simon Brown, Kevin Roberts, James Jennings, Josh Coulson, Brian Saah, Paul Carden, Adam Miller, Simon Russell, Conal Platt, Robbie Willmott, Danny Wright. Subs: Danny Naisbett, Jonathan Thorpe, Sam Ives, Adam Marriott, Wayne Gray.

Crawley Town: Nick Jordan, Simon Rusk, Glenn Wilson, Danny Hall, Adam Quinn, Sergio Torres, Steve Masterton, Pablo Mills, Scott Neilson, Matt Tubbs, Craig McAllister. Subs: Liam Enver-Marum, Jai Reason, Barry Cogan, Michael Malcolm, Chris Flood.

19.17: TEAM NEWS: Yep, as expected, Coulson in for Partridge is the only change for the U's. If it is to be 4-4-2 I suspect Robbie Willmott will be up front alongside Danny Wright, which looks a potentially exciting partnership. For Crawley, there's an immediate debut for former United loanee Scott Neilson, while Nick Jordan takes over in goal from Michael Kuipers. Ex-U's lurk on the bench too, with Liam Marum, plus his Enver, and Jai Reason among the Crawley subs.

19.11: Evening everybody and welcome to the Abbey Stadium for tonight's match against Crawley. It's the first home game of the season, and despite having driven through (in this order) bright sunshine, torential rain, more bright sunshine and more torential rain to be here, I couldn't be more excited. No team sheets as yet, but I understand Josh Coulson starts in place of Dave Partridge and that United will be lining up 4-4-2.