Andrew Bennett reviews last season, continuing with the month of December 2008.
December 2008: "Two-nil is a dangerous scoreline"
After Histon's mud-spattered FA Cup win over Leeds United, the New Year's Day derby at Bridge Road was postponed. It transpired that the Conference has decided in April that any BSP club that made it to the Third Round, due Saturday 3rd January, could postpone their league game on New Year's Day. It looked like being a blank week for the U's because, with Barrow still in the Cup too, United's match at Holker Street scheduled for Third Round day would also have to be moved.
Saturday 6th December 2008: Torquay United 0-0 Cambridge United (BSP)
Att. 2,310 (away 151) | League position: 6th
Points behind Burton Albion: 8
The match between the adopted teams of Soccer AM's two presenters was preceded by United's attempts at the Crossbar Challenge: no winners, sadly. The dreaded bug had returned to the squad and claimed three victims, Gleeson, Hatswell and Willmott, who were replaced by McAuley, Coulson and Challinor. Torquay were also still in the Cup, having defeated Oxford to claim a glamorous home tie with Blackpool.
Early exchanges were tentative, and when Crow was left one-on-one with keeper Bevan on 18 his first touch let him down. But overall United's depleted team made a good fight of a first half which finished on a Convery header, just over from eight yards. The hosts came closer early in part two when Tim Sills' header from a corner crashed against the bar and Potter saved superbly from Elliot Benyon's follow-up shot.
The United no.1 produced another fine stop from Nicky Wroe's outrageous long-range chip, and Pitt replaced a limping Jardim on the hour. Potter then foiled Danny Stevens, and the U's almost snatched a late winner when Rendell had a shot cleared off the line. In truth a draw was the fairest result and United deserved great credit for gaining such a battling point with a depleted line-up and some starters also suffering from the same bug which had kept other players out.
Brabin was philosophical: "It wasn't a great performance but under the circumstances - we've got lads out there who aren't well, other lads who are 18 and 19 years of age - it was a spirited one and we showed great character."
Tuesday 9th December 2008: Burton Albion 3-1 Cambridge United (BSP)
Scorers: McGrath 5, Harrad 42(pen), Pearson 84, Rendell 63 | Att. 1,804 (away 279) | League position: 6th
Points behind Burton Albion: 11
Burton had bounced back forcefully from last season's playoff semi-final defeat by the U's, and were on a run of six consecutive league wins, which was subsequently to extend to an eye-watering thirteen, the surge which ultimately won them the title.
Gleeson, Hatswell and Willmott all returned from illness to replace those who had replaced them at Torquay, and a fourth change saw Brabin hand Courtney Pitt his first start of the season in place of Jardim, 4-4-2 still the order of the day.
The ultra-confident hosts got off to the best possible start when Michael Simpson's corner was flicked on at the near post to John McGrath, who poked home from close range. Unsettled United got stuck in and when Willmott broke clear on 22, 45-year-old keeper Kevin Poole stopped well, but it was the Brewers who were comfortably on top and they began to lay siege to the U's goal.
Potter made save after save, and eventually their pressure paid off when Keith Gilroy fell over Carden's leg and Shaun Harrad converted the spot-kick. There was still time for Poole to save brilliantly from Willmott's shot through a crowd, but United had been very much second best so far and they could not argue with the score.
The visitors made a better start to the second half and they forced several early saves from Burton's veteran custodian, then McGrath committed the hardest foul of the season in felling both Convery and Willmott with one challenge and causing them both to need treatment from Greg Reid.
Convery was soon forced to withdraw in favour of Challinor, but United crowned their improved performance with another goal for the returning hero Rendell, a header from Tonkin's pinpoint cross. Their hopes rose even further when McGrath was dismissed for his second yellow on 68, but after having a penalty claim turned down, they were caught by a sucker punch breakaway while chasing an equaliser, Gilroy sending sub Greg Pearson through to fire past Potter.
There was still time for the hosts to clear a Rendell shot off the line, and with Burton timewasting for all their worth, Willmott hit the bar with a free-kick just before the final whistle. It had been the proverbial game of two halves, but United had just left themselves too much to do after a poor first 45. Gleeson's booking was his fifth of the season and he would serve a one-match suspension after Saturday.
Brabin was forthright: "I wasn't happy with how we started the first half. There were so many individual errors and I'm singling out Paul Carden here but he probably made more mistakes today than he's made in 6 or 7 years. But several other players were making mistakes too and we were getting punished for it... I thought we absolutely dominated the second half and they sat back even when they had 12 - sorry, 11(!) - men on the pitch but we were chasing it and they killed it off."
The former New Year's Day match at Histon was rearranged for Monday 2nd March, and Setanta would still be showing it. Bussens and Collins' loans at Sudbury and Weymouth were extended to the end of the season.
There was bad news for Mark Convery, who, Mr Edwards said, would be out for three months; he had ruptured his medial collateral ligament (or 'knee') when it twisted at Burton when pushed by McGrath into Robbie Willmott. Beesley would miss the next game due to hamstring damage in training, or as Greg put it, "some adverse neuro-dynamics."
Saturday 13th December 2008: Histon 2-3 Cambridge United (FA Trophy 1st Round)
Scorers: Midson 5, Knight-Percival 60, Rendell 46,52(pen), Willmott 90 | Att. 1,146 (away 645)
Our neighbours' mudheap of a pitch passed a 10am inspection, and their chairman was gracious enough to apologise in his programme notes for the primitive facilities that the United fans had endured last season; "You've got more flags than people!" sang the Amber Army as Graham Eales addressed us in a Santa hat. Yes, it was just another game at the Glass World Stadium.
Crow, Pitt and the injured Convery were missing from the side that started at Burton, with Holroyd, Farrell and Challinor coming in, and although the line-up looked like a 4-3-3, it more closely resembled a fluid 4-4-2 once they got going, with Willmott wide left and Farrell mainly sticking to the opposite flank, almost literally in the churning mud which quickly worsened as the rain began to fall shortly after kick-off.
United started determinedly, but made the mistake of conceding a free-kick early on, and when Gareth Gwillim's set piece was only half-cleared, Jack Midson pounced to score with the hosts' first shot of the match.
It did not take long for things to turn unpleasant in this traditionally fractious fixture, and on the quarter hour Gwillim and Holroyd went down in a heap, a melee ensued and after the muck had settled, Histon skipper Mat Mitchel-King was dismissed for pushing Bolland in the face. Bolly was booked for dissent and Stuart Bimson was banished to the stand for whatever it was he did in the chaos.
The rain fell harder and Histon resisted, United enjoying more possession but creating little in the worsening conditions. They finally forced a good save from keeper Naisbitt just before the break, Holroyd deflecting Farrell's drive towards the corner.
The pitch resembled Grimpen Mire when the teams re-emerged for the second half, but all that was forgotten forty seconds after the restart when Rendell's mis-hit right wing cross sailed inexorably over Naisbitt's head and into the net for the equaliser. At last United had scored at this place after two fruitless seasons of trying.
Midson was forced to withdraw and was replaced by Craig Pope, given a rousing welcome by the Amber Army after his twice-tried guilty verdict. To the Army's delight, he had scarcely been on the pitch for thirty seconds when he conceded a penalty, clumsily upending Willmott; Rendell stepped up to slot confidently home and suddenly the U's had their noses in front.
United relaxed prematurely and Histon fought back in familiar style, piling on the pressure with long balls and longer throws. On 58 Nathaniel Knight-Percival cannoned a shot off the bar but it was a brief let-off and two minutes later Matt Langston (apparently he's a postman) flicked another long throw to the unmarked NKP who drove home the equaliser.
The hosts' direct approach certainly suited the conditions, but United dug in and gave as good as they got, and Histon were reduced to nine men on 83 when Langston was yellow-carded on two separate occasions within a minute for clumsy fouls on Willmott. The postman always fouls twice.
Two minutes later Gleeson and Danny Wright chased a through ball shoulder-to-shoulder down the middle and Wright cynically tumbled in the area, a blatant dive that somehow fooled the ref. Karma was restored, however, when Wright took the penalty and Potter produced a brilliant one-handed save.
Still the drama was not over, and in the last minute Rendell ran down the right channel, cut inside, squared it to the unmarked Willmott and the young winger made no mistake, sliding home for a riotously acclaimed winner. It was Histon's first defeat in fourteen games (discounting the Setanta Shield, and who doesn't?) and United's first defeat of their neighbours since their Cambs Professional Cup win in 2006. And it was also United's first-ever away win in the FA Trophy.
Brabin's verdict: "It was a bit of a mudbath in the end and it was a proper derby atmosphere with both teams going at it hell for leather. I thought we were the better side and we deserved it overall, but full credit to Histon... I might be slightly biased but I thought the two sendings-off were fair. One of their lads has punched one of our players, and the other lad blatantly dived in and received two yellows so I thought he was spot on with those. But some of the other decisions were a bit strange."
Of the matchwinner, he added, "I've been working with Robbie all season and sometimes he hurts my head with the times I have to speak to him, but I've never stopped believing in him. I think he's got loads of talent and I keep telling him to believe in himself and keep working all the time, and it's little moments like that that make it rewarding for both of us." A home tie with Chesham or Crawley awaited in round two.
Histon boss Steve Fallon was proud of his battlers: "We were magnificent... certainly in the second half with ten men we were the better side and we're looking forward to the Boxing Day game."
Robbie Willmott had a few words to say about Mr Pope: "Last season when I played here for CRC he ruptured my ligaments, and when he came on today the first thing he did was gift us the penalty, which was off me, so I was quite delighted, as you could see from my reaction."
Andy Parkinson began the functional phase of his rehabilitation, and he was now able to tolerate some controlled multi-directional running and ballwork drills.
As if the Histon match had not been dramatic enough, the Scott Rendell saga now erupted. Peterborough United's official website bore the statement: "Peterborough United have ended negotiations with Blue Square Premier League side Cambridge United over a proposed transfer of striker Scott Rendell, who is currently on loan at the Abbey Stadium. Posh chairman Darragh McAnthony accepted a bid for the striker on Saturday, but Cambridge have tried to renegotiate the deal and director of football Barry Fry has revealed the club have now pulled out of discussions.
"'Scott will not be signing for Cambridge on a permanent basis. We accepted a bid at the weekend and Cambridge have come back and said they now just want to extend his loan deal. Scott has scored a number of goals for Cambridge in recent weeks and has been performing very well. We will not be extending his loan deal with Cambridge,' Fry said. Rendell's loan spell is set to conclude at the beginning of January. A number of clubs are interested in the front man's services."
George Rolls denied Fry's claim that he had agreed a transfer fee with the Posh chairman then tried to renegotiate: "We were quoted a fee that the club cannot afford so we tried to negotiate to extend Scott's loan deal, which was turned down... I'm sure people realise that we are not in a position to pay a transfer fee to sign Scott permanently, and I have left messages for Barry Fry to call me and explain his comments."
Brabin chipped in, "We've left it to the powers-that-be to try to negotiate a deal, but our relationship with Scotty is fantastic and I think Scott's desperate to stay. We have to respect the decision if he has to go back but I want him to stay and we'll be trying really hard to keep him."
The most (in)famous quote went to Bazza in the local press: "My chairman doesn't like the mickey being taken out of him, so Rendell will come back to Peterborough. He won't be staying at Cambridge - that's a one billion per cent certainty."
Meanwhile, there was another convenient TV switch as United's match at Kidderminster was moved from Saturday 7th to Monday 9th February.
Brabin revealed that there was no spare budget for players and any inward transfers in January would have to be matched financially by movements out. Said Gary: "I've been told there's no money and I know there's a credit crunch, so I've got to respect the financial side of things and I've always got to choose the players I bring to the club carefully."
Saturday 20th December 2008: Cambridge United 4-0 Salisbury City (BSP)
Scorers: Willmott 24, Rendell 52, Holroyd 62, Pitt 64 | Att. 3,340 (away 45) | League position: 6th
Points behind Burton Albion: 11
Salisbury came to the Abbey in all sorts of financial trouble, having fallen a mere £67,000 short of their target of an immediate cash injection of £100,000 and shorn of many squad members, many of whom have left rather than take an enforced pay cut. Their desperation was evident in the presence of new striker, ex-U Danny Webb, one of the least prolific United strikers ever, who was accompanied up front by former U's loanee Charles Ademeno.
With Gleeson suspended, Challinor moved to right-back and Pitt was installed wide left, the only other change enforced when Bolland fell ill during the warm-up and Coulson stood in to leave United with only four subs on the bench.
Salisbury did not play like a team in crisis, but United's patient probing was rewarded when Tonkin's throw was headed on by Coulson, then by Holroyd, and there was Willmott storming in at the far post to bullet a header into the net for his first league goal. The visitors' heads did not go down, but the U's cruised to a comfortable interval lead.
The floodgates opened, however, early in the second half when Willmott hared down the right, crossed to Holroyd, his goalbound nod was parried by keeper Bittner, but the arch-predator Rendell was waiting to tuck home number two.
Goal number three was a training ground special. Willmott's corner found Challinor making a perfectly-timed run to the far post, he nodded it back across the box and there was Holroyd to power his header home.
Within a minute it was four, Tonkin's long throw helped on by Carden, and in a crowd of bodies Pitt got his toe to the ball to prod home his first goal of the season. His celebration was more memorable than the goal: he dropped his voluminous shorts and flashed his Superman underpants. 'Tis the season to be jolly...
The only remaining surprise, after that shock, was that United did not add any further goals, although to their credit Salisbury did not lie down and Bittner was resolute at the back. It should, however, have been five in added time when Ian Herring's catastrophic back-pass sent Willmott clear on goal with only Bittner to beat; but Robbie failed to act decisively and eventually scuffed embarrassingly wide. No matter. It was United's biggest win of the season and a perfect Christmas present for the beaming Amber hordes.
Said a pleased Brabin: "I've been saying for a while now that that result has been due. I don't think we played any better than we have in previous games, it's just that we're getting on the end of things now, which I don't think we have in the past." On the subject of Willmott, he beamed, "He showed me today he's a man. He's setting his standards higher and higher all the time and he was fantastic; I could go through and praise the whole side today."
For visiting boss Nick Holmes, the phrase 'men against boys' figured prominently.
With Boxing Day looming, the Main Stand was virtually sold out with only single seats and restricted views left, and there were less than 400 tickets left for the North Habbin. The Police and Trading Standards agreed to the club's request to lift the all-ticket restriction on the basis that the cash burden on the turnstiles had effectively been removed.
Friday 26th December 2008: Cambridge United 2-2 Histon (BSP)
Scorers: Hatswell 15, Rendell 42, Midson 49, Murray 59 | Att. 6,488 (away 540) | League position: 5th
Points behind Burton Albion: 13
United's highest attendance of the season, mostly full except for the away section, ensured that the atmosphere crackled like burning turkey fat, and they fielded an unchanged team, Gleeson available again but unable to dislodge Challinor from the right-back slot.
They started purposefully, dominating the early stages, and took the lead when Farrell latched onto a half-cleared corner, he centred to Hatswell on the edge of the box, and with one touch United's player of the season blasted low past stand-in keeper Joe Welch. The hosts remained on top, with just the occasional forward foray from Histon, but it was not until just before the interval that they doubled their lead when Hatswell kept Willmott's corner alive, Coulson lifted an overhead cross back into the six-yard box, and there was goal machine Rendell popping up unmarked at the far post to head home from almost under the bar.
Game over? History has taught us that you underestimate Histon at your peril. And within four minutes of the restart, the rejuvenated visitors had pulled one back, from - what else - a long throw, Gwillim's chuck helped on to Wright, Potter parrying, but Midson pouncing to poke home, to halt United's seven-match home shutout run.
The U's were starting to make too many unforced errors as Histon's pressure grew, winning those 50/50s, and it told on the hour when Midson's mazy run drew three defenders towards him and his cross found Murray unmarked in the middle, the son of a United legend smashing home the equaliser.
Histon had played at twice their first-half pace and United had failed to respond, but a competitive end-to-end contest ensued with a steady flow of yellow cards but no dismissals and ultimately no further goals. Over the ninety minutes it was a fair result, and credit to Histon for a spirited comeback, but the Amber Army could not help but be disappointed after seeing their side blow a comfortable half-time lead.
Brabin's verdict: "Sometimes our youthfulness costs us. Having a bright, young, exciting team looks great when you're on top, but sometimes - and it was certainly evident in that second half - a little bit of naivete told... They're a confident bunch and they do believe in themselves, but one thing I do keep trying to get over to them is that games are never won, certainly against a team like Histon with their style of play. Two-nil is a dangerous scoreline..."
The managers' opinions of ref Whitton varied wildly. Brabin: "I thought the referee was consistent - all the 50/50s he seemed to favour them more than us." Fallon: "Some of those decisions were diabolical and the professional nature that their players went about getting them and trying to get our players booked isn't something our players would do."
Rendell summed it all up eloquently: "There are a lot of ifs and buts in that game and no doubt people will have a go at the gaffer, but that's not fair. We are the ones who went out there in the second half and we are the ones that take full responsibility for the performance... All the lads are deeply disappointed with the result."
Sunday 28th December 2008: Cambridge United 1-1 Stevenage Borough (BSP)
Scorers: Rendell 3, Cole 90(pen) | Att. 3,351 (away 406) | League position: 6th
Points behind Burton Albion: 12
Brabin restored his first-choice back four to full strength for his side's second local derby in three days, recalling Gleeson and Bolland in place of Challinor and Coulson, but showed a little festive devil-may-care spirit by naming five outfield players on the Drench-less bench. Strikers Boylan and Morison were missing for the visitors, but they did field two ex-U's in Mark Albrighton and David Bridges, whose shirt mysteriously bore no name on the back. Come on, Bridgo, we know it's you.
United made the perfect start with an early goal from a corner routine, Willmott's flag-kick finding Gleeson who controlled with his chest, fired into the crowded box and there was Rendell popping up to divert it home from close range. It was like he had never been away.
The visitors, however, fought their way back into the game, and Potter produced a superb reflex block when one-on-one with a runaway Mitchell Cole. Potter also made a fine double save from Bridges, then Boro keeper Chris Day evened up the one-on-one saves with a stop from Holroyd.
Come the second half Potter made yet another fine save from Andy Drury's free-kick, although the ref gave a goal-kick, and United seemed to lose their way in midfield with Farrell and Carden below par. The already-booked Bridges was lucky to avoid seeing red when he flattened Rendell with an elbow, and Holroyd could have sealed it on 82 when he took advantage of an Albrighton slip to sprint clear, but with Rendell awaiting an easy tap-in to his right, he shot tamely into Day's arms.
And United came to regret that missed opportunity when as added time ticked around, Bridges surged through the middle, tumbled all too easily under Carden's challenge, and ref Bull awarded the softest of penalties. An incensed Gleeson was dismissed for a potty-mouthed tirade at the man in black which was foolish but only voicing what the supporters were thinking.
Cole put it away for the equaliser and it was all over, another fair result overall but again disappointing in the manner of its achievement.
Brabin was unimpressed with somebody: "I've told our lads we've just got to try and be better than the referees because at the moment no-one seems to want to do Cambridge United any favours... And the sending off: he's stayed on his feet and it wasn't even a foul, but they've dived all afternoon and he's let them get away so we've got to carry on. There's no point in appealing. We have to pay to appeal and they all back each other anyway so it's a waste of time."
Anthony Tonkin summarised: "Like Friday, this feels like a defeat. A lot of the lads aren't happy with the penalty decision - the lad bustled into the box and tried his luck and conned the referee really, and that's hard to take."
There was good news to round off the year, however, when after all that pre-Christmas kerfuffle, it was announced that Rendell would be staying at the Abbey on loan until the end of the season, with no recall clause, after 'amicable' talks between Messrs Rolls and Fry.
George told the local media, "I had a civil conversation with Barry Fry after yesterday's game and we both agreed it makes perfect sense for Scott to stay with us. Scott is enjoying being back with us and scoring goals, and we've achieved our aim of keeping him until the end of the season."
The match at Barrow, cancelled from 3rd January, was rearranged for Tuesday 17th March, a delightful midweek away trip for some...
Andrew Bennett
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