Wayne Hatswell scored a near-repeat of his 'goal of the season' against Forest Green in February to win Saturday's match at home to Barrow and allow the U's to leapfrog over Barrow to the top of the table.

Lee McEvilly had given United the lead when he tapped home the rebound from Mark Beesley's spilled shot, Paul Tait headed the visitors level on 36 but Hatswell stepped up four minutes later to drive a powerful shot through Tim Deasy's gloves.

"Obviously the ball moved a bit in the air and the keeper probably thought he had it but it swerved a little bit," said the veteran defender as he recalled the goal.

"I just think it was pure power and he couldn't hold it. He had enough treatment afterwards so it must have hurt him!

"It was nice to see it go in because at the time we were having a funny spell for 15 or 20 minutes where I didn't think we got any decision. Then again, I don't think we did all day but sometimes officials are like that. It was during that period they got their goal which we could have done a bit better with. They had their tails up then but my goal killed that off, leaving us just to grind it out till half-time."

Paul Carden was substituted at half-time with an ankle problem and Gary Brabin sent on Ben Farrell and tightened things up for the second half, as Hatswell explained.

"After reshaping at half-time I thought we shut up shop and Potts didn't have too much to do after the break. We've got a new formation and line-up in defence and it takes time to gel but we've got the experience to be dogged and grind results like this. We dealt well with the aerial threat and in the end of the game we deserved the win."

Assessing Barrow's chances this season, Hatswell expects the Conference North Play-off winners to do well: "Their keeper made some good saves late on and if one of those had gone in it would have been game over, but while it was still 1-0 they made it difficult for us and to be fair to them they will do that to a lot of teams this season."

"They are very reminiscent of Histon last season, although a lot less direct, and they'll go to some of the big clubs and beat them but that's this league all over."

Warning that United will have to unpick defensive visiting teams, he added, "A lot of the teams will be like Barrow, especially here. Teams will come here and try to keep a clean sheet or nick a goal and then shut up shop. We will have to stop them doing that, and with the pace we have throughout the side and the two good strikers we have we'll always look like scoring goals.

"Felino and Robbie will hurt some teams this year and although it's a shame for Parky this is Robbie's chance. And he's taking it at the moment; he's been a breath of fresh air when he gets on the ball," he said of the 18-year-old.

"He's direct and we try to encourage him to express himself and get the ball and give fullbacks problems. If we give him and Felino the ball they will create all the chances we need to win games. As we saw Felino do for the second game running, if he continues to do that week in week out he'll be my best mate!"

Interview by David Gray

[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]

Make Your Click Count For The U's - talk about it on the Message Board!

You are respectfully reminded that any article, as with all content on this website, unless otherwise stated, is subject to copyright © and the Official Cambridge United Website must be acknowledged as the original source including all quotes.

AT080818