Date: Saturday 11th July, 2009
Competition: Pre-season friendly
Weather: Overcast, drizzly
Goals:
City: Fuller 11', Murray 62'
United: Gleeson 27', Holroyd 71'

United continued their pre-season campaign with this friendly at neighbours Cambridge City, who included a number of former United and Histon players in their ranks.

Starting line-ups:

Cambridge City:
Zac Barrett, Tom Pepper (Patrick Bexfield 64'), Lee Chaffey, Dave Theobald, James Krause (Lewis Bailie 68'); Robbie Nightingale (Stephen Smith 46'), Adie Cambridge (Derwayne Stupple 61'), Antonio Murray (Luke Abrahams 70'), Ashley Fuller (Craig Radcliffe 57'); Neil Midgley, Steve Gentle (Angelo Hurrup 46').

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter (Laurie Walker 73'), Dan Gleeson (Rory McAuley 79'), Rhys Day, Wayne Hatswell (Josh Coulson 61'), Darryl Coakley; Jai Reason, Ben Farrell (Sam Ives 68'), Paul Carden (Andy Parkinson 73'); Chris Holroyd (Robbie Willmott 73'), Lee Phillips (Danny Crow 57'), Daryl McMahon (Mark Beesley 73').

With Danny Potter and Wayne Hatswell making their seasonal bow after summer hernia operations, joined by Paul Carden making his first appearance of the campaign, United's line-up had a strong look for this third pre-season game.

The only U's trialist in the starting line-up was Hatswell's partner in the centre of defence, where 26-year-old former Man City, Mansfield and Aldershot centre-half Rhys Day made his first appearance, while out-of-contract midfielder Daryl McMahon made a further appearance, this time starting wide on the right of a front three in a 4-3-3 formation, and former MK Dons keeper Laurie Walker was on the bench.

City included former United players Dave Theobald, Ashley Fuller, Stephen Smith and Jamie Waite in their squad, plus defender Pat Bexfield, who had a trial at the Abbey last summer, while out-of-contract former Histon midfielder Antonio Murray made a surprise appearance alongside other former Stutes Robbie Nightingale and Adie Cambridge.

United started well and Lee Phillips was particularly troublesome for the home side in the opening exchanges but City took the lead after eleven minutes. A quick breakaway from the edge of their own penalty area saw Ashley Fuller drive a rasping shot from the edge of the area that gave Danny Potter no chance.

It was a quality finish but a missed header in the build-up by the returning Hatswell allowed the ball to reach Fuller, and it was a sign of things to come as Hatswell, playing his first game of pre-season, looked rusty and better finishing from the City forwards would have given their side a comfortable half-time lead.

In particular Steve Gentle missed a number of good opportunities after getting into good shooting positions, and City were made to pay when Dan Gleeson scored a goal from nothing in the 27th minute. The full-back made a buccaneering run from halfway then played a one-two with McMahon before beating the keeper to level the scores.

McMahon looked effective cutting in from the right-hand side and was heavily involved as the goal sparked United into life and a number of good passes sought to release Phillips and Holroyd. They were denied on a couple of occasions by smart saves from Zac Barrett, but the best chance of the latter stages came ten minutes before the interval when Adie Cambridge floated a free kick onto the head of Dave Theobald in space at the far post, but he headed wide from four yards.

Half-time 1-1

City were on the front foot after the re-start and United were forced to defend a couple of corners as the sun broke through, and City missed a good chance early on when Krause overlapped down the left but his cross was just missed by Midgley darting through the middle.

In a half interrupted by a rash of substitutions from both sides, United were strong down the right where the buccaneering Gleeson linked well with McMahon, but it was City who took the lead again. Murray had glanced a header wide ten minutes after the restart but he wasn't to be denied for long and United's nemesis turned away from Josh Coulson, who had replaced Hatswell a minute earlier, to ram a shot beyond Potter.

The many substitutions left the game stretched and it was an entertaining contest, Paul Carden causing problems as he was allowed to advance through the middle a couple of times, setting up Danny Crow for a shot that was too close to the keeper midway through the half.

But United were not to be denied and on 71 Dan Gleeson again came to the rescue after Sam Ives' shot was blocked, pouncing with determination to slam a low ball across the face of goal for Chris Holroyd to steal in at the far post and bundle home the equaliser.

Crow kept the City defence on their toes as the game progressed, outpacing the ponderous-looking Theobald and getting to the byeline but just unable to pick out the advancing Ives, and Andy Parkinson also got to the same right-hand byeline but his cross was glanced wide by Crow.

The match ended with United in the ascendancy and Robbie Willmott pinged a ball over the bar three minutes from time, but the final score of 2-2 was probably the right result.

Full-time: 2-2

Referee: Mr Jairo Marin

Att: 605

AT090711 web@cambridge-united.co.uk