Date: Tuesday 7th July, 2009
Competition: Pre-season friendly
Weather: Rain
Goals:
Robbins 30', Amory 41', Holroyd 83'

United kicked off their pre-season campaign at Ely City after less than a week of training, and ran out comfortable winners in the heavy rain.

With Gary Brabin naming two almost entirely different sides for each half, and also taking a look at four trialists, the game was a useful first work-out of pre-season.

Starting line-ups:

Ely City starting line-up:
Lee Pacey, Adam Dolby, Jamie Alsop, Brady Stone, Dave Werthmann, Wayne Goddard, Simon Warren, Dave Daniels, Andy Salmons, Robbie Mason, Richard Chadwick.

Cambridge United (first half line-up)
Laurie Walker, Dan Gleeson, Josh Coulson, Darryl Coakley (c), Anthony Tonkin (Courtney Pitt 22'); Andy Parkinson, Jai Reason, Daryl McMahon, Tyrone Amory; Lee Phillips, Grant Robbins.

A largely familiar-looking United side started the first half in a 4-4-2 formation, the only new faces being 19-year-old trialist goalkeeper Laurie Walker (ex-MK Dons and Millwall), winger Tyrone Amory (19, ex-Derby County and Atherstone) and young Somersham striker Grant Robbins.

Midfielder Daryl McMahon, who joined United for the latter stages of last season from Stevenage and is currently out of contract, also lined up in the blue away strip, while first year pro Darryl Coakley wore the captain's armband and partnered Josh Coulson in the centre of defence.

It was a comfortable first half for United with a goal apiece from both outfield trialists, although Ely had the first opportunity inside ten minutes with Mason's snap shot whilst off balance. United had plenty of possession, with McMahon particularly eager and always demanding the ball, and Lee Phillips was denied by Ely keeper Lee Pacey on 15 while Andy Parkinson had a shot blocked almost immediately afterwards.

The game went through a feisty spell as Parkinson, Walker and Jai Reason were all on the end of late challenges and Reason looked close to losing his cool for a moment, but the referee decided a warning word with Salmons, Mason and Chadwick was sufficient.

Gary Brabin made an early change when Anthony Tonkin was withdrawn on 22 as a precaution with a slight groin problem, to be replaced by the transfer-listed and yellow-booted Courtney Pitt. The winger slotted in at left-back but marauded forward on the half hour, played a one-two with Phillips and went down to earn a free kick that Reason curled into the keeper's arms.

That chance sparked United into the best spell of the half and although Mason looped a header over from ten yards, the visitors were soon in front after Robbins chased Reason's through ball and the striker got there just in front of Werthmann to steer the ball past the advancing keeper.

Robbins, who scored 22 goals for Somersham last season, was almost through again a minute later when he rounded the keeper but this time found the sidenetting with an angled shot. Soon afterwards Pitt got forward, linking with Phillips who set up McMahon to fire just wide from 22 yards.

But United were not to be denied, with Reason and McMahon seeing lots of the ball in the middle and Coulson and Coakley looking imperious in the centre of defence, and the score was 2-0 by half-time.

The goal came on the break after an acrobatic interception in his own area by Pitt, he worked the ball to Reason who found Robbins, the striker turned and picked out Amory sprinting clear to slide the ball past the advancing keeper and cap a comfortable half for the U's.

Half-time 0-2

Only goalkeeper Laurie Walker, young skipper Darryl Coakley and Courtney Pitt returned for the second half as Brabin made eight changes to the side that finished the half. First year pro Jordan Patrick, primarily a winger, lined up at right-back, while fellow first year Sam Ives partnered Ben Farrell in the centre of midfield and trialist Dean Lodge (23, former Kingstonian and Northwich) patrolled the left wing.

Cambridge United (second half line-up)
Laurie Walker, Jordan Patrick, Rory McAuley, Darryl Coakley (c), Courtney Pitt; Robbie Willmott, Ben Farrell, Sam Ives, Dean Lodge; Chris Holroyd, Danny Crow.

A second half notable for its torrential rain and a steady stream of substitutes for the home side, held little in the way of cohesive football as the match submerged in the conditions. United still enjoyed plenty of possession, with trialist Lodge working to make an impact down the left wing, but Chris Holroyd and Danny Crow saw little of the ball for long spells as the game was broken up by the substitutions.

An early chance saw Crow's reverse pass met by the charging Willmott but his cross was just ahead of Lodge, and as the heavy rain fell there was a shout for a penalty when Crow went down under pressure from Alsop on the hour following Lodge's low cross.

Fifteen minutes from time Willmott splashed a shot just wide, but there was little of note until the 83rd minute when Willmott curled an inch perfect cross onto the head of Holroyd, who duly nodded home. It could have been four when Sam Ives was denied by a smart, low stop from Ely substitute keeper Alec Bamthorpe just a few moments before the final whistle drew the match to a close.

Full-time: 0-3

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