Andrew Bennett reviews last season, continuing with the month of March 2009.
March 2009: "They deserved to make that mess"
March started with two new arrivals at the Abbey. Much-travelled striker Lee Phillips joined on a free after securing his release from Weymouth under freedom of contract. He was an England Under-21 international... at Rugby Union.
Former Bury keeper Aaron Grundy signed non-contract forms after training with the squad for the last two weeks. He was the first player United had signed with his own website since Gilbert Prilasnig. Brabin advised "He'll be with us for the next month or so and working hard to try to earn a contract."
There was not so good news about Mark Beesley, who had been struggling with a hip related problem. The decision was made for him to have an operation, which could rule him out for the rest of the season.
Monday 2nd March 2009: Histon 1-1 Cambridge United (BSP)
Scorers: Midson 85, Hatswell 74 | Att. 2,579 (away 1,096) | League position: 3rd
Points behind Burton Albion: 14
No recent match between United and their village neighbours has managed to pass without some sort of controversy, but this time the main bone of contention was not only off the pitch, but outside the ground. Histon's decision to reverse the match's original all-ticket status backfired spectacularly as they disastrously underestimated the level of United support.
The queues began forming at the meagre away turnstiles an hour before kickoff and it soon became obvious that the club's admirable but swamped volunteer staff could not cope. They kept running out of change, people were arriving faster than they were being processed, and in desperation they opened a side gate for ticket holders to enter. This immediately drew questions such as how were they being counted? In one harassed steward's head? How accurate was that?
The problems escalated all too predictably, and by kick-off time we were left with the unedifying and frankly unacceptable spectacle of hundreds of United supporters being refused admission to an away end in which there was plenty of room at one end and in the seats, although club staff were conspicuous by their absence from that area, while others were admitted to the home area for an all-too-brief period, thereby storing up conflict for later. If they were refused entrance on the grounds of 'safety,' where was the 'safety' in obliging people to perch precariously en masse on a steep, slippery grass verge, unstewarded, craning uncomfortably for a view of the action? How fortunate that the weather was not more hostile and no-one was seriously hurt.
So Setanta's latest TV spectacular bore witness to an away side with two separate groups of supporters, one congregated inside the ground, the others just outside on the grassy bank, some with tickets but nonetheless refused admittance.
Brabin plumped for a 4-4-2, dropping McMahon and Holroyd with Beesley absent injured, and restoring wingers Willmott and Pitt to the starting line-up, with a surprise choice up front in debutant Lee Phillips, who had signed earlier that day until the end of the season, partnering Rendell. New cover keeper Grundy was on the bench.
Histon were their usual selves, peppering the box with long throws and free-kicks when not pumping long balls down the middle for the front two to chase, but United had grasped by now that if you match them physically, tackle for tackle, run for run, you have laid the foundations to defeat them.
A robust encounter ensued, but a fair one - Histon are committed and physical, but rarely cynical and dirty like some teams one could mention - and best early chances fell to the hosts' Jack Midson, but he could not find the target. The first half was fairly low-key, in stark contrast to the shenanigans pre-match, and with only three games having been played at Bridge Road since United last played there before Christmas, the surface remained reasonably playable.
The U's started part two energetically and home keeper Danny Naisbitt produced the best save so far when he palmed Bolland's header over the top on 49, and on the hour Phillips capped a bustling run with a shot just wide of the far post. Ten minutes later Naisbitt parried a Rendell shot he saw late through a crowd of bodies, and on the follow-up Willmott somehow prodded wide. But the breakthrough was just around the corner.
Danny Wright fouled Willmott out on the right, Carden arrowed the free-kick in and Rendell sneaked behind the home defence to challenge Naisbitt for the ball; the keeper punched to the edge of his box, Patrick Ada flicked on with his head, but it fell to Hatswell 35 yards out. Seeing the exposed goal, the inspirational defender unleashed a superb dipping volley which soared over the scrabbling keeper and landed perfectly in the back of the net. Another Hats special.
We know, however, that Histon never know when they are beaten, and they were not slow to respond. Antonio Murray hit the foot of the post with a shot on 79, and six minutes later came a quintessentially Histonian goal: a Gwillim free-kick swung into the box, a header for goal from an offside-looking Langston, a mistake from Potter, pawing the ball up and onto the bar instead of catching or tipping it to safety, and Midson pounced to rifle home the equaliser.
The usual aerial bombardment ensued, but an excellent defence marshalled by the outstanding Hatswell and Bolland held firm for a deserved point. Three games against Histon this season, and no defeats; that's progress, at least.
Brabin's verdict: "We dominated the game for all but the last ten minutes and I thought we deserved the win... I feel like I'm saying the same things but I was very disappointed with the referee and I'm absolutely gobsmacked at some of his decisions. He said he just wanted to even things up at half-time so that's what we're dealing with... Once we'd scored the goal, you never feel safe and that's what they're good at - piling the pressure on in the last ten minutes. They just sort of lump everything forward and they get a lot of reward from that."
Hatswell said simply, "I caught it sweet and it was nice to see it go in, but I can't go mad because we haven't won."
George Rolls remarked, "I have the greatest sympathy with those of our supporters who were unable to get into Histon's ground last night. It was totally out of our hands - we took advice from Histon regarding the lifting of the all-ticket requirement, but they reduced our allocation to 1,200 when it was probably clear that we would take more fans than that." Rolls added that unadmitted ticket holders would be offered free admission to Saturday's clash with Burton.
United's game at Barrow due on the 17th was belatedly postponed to allow them to replay their abandoned Setanta Shield semi-final with Telford. Barrow now had no free midweek dates before the end of the season so would have to play two in a week at some stage; discussions were ongoing.
Wayne Purser was unimpressed: "We are extremely disappointed at this late cancellation. We had already booked hotels and coaches and training facilities for the squad, and we know supporters are already booked on the Away Travel coach and have booked days off work, but this decision has been made for us by the Conference."
On a cheerier note, Gary Brabin was named BSP Manager of the Month following a February in which United had gained 13 points from 15 and accrued four away wins.
Paul Carden was awarded BSP Player of the Month for his inspirational displays during the same period, and also picked up Setanta's Goal of the Month for his volley against Oxford…in January.
The fixture frenzy just kept fizzing. The Barrow game was reinstated to its original date thanks to the co-operation of a number of clubs and the Conference, but Northwich at home was moved from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 14th as both clubs were free that weekend. The away match at Stevenage in April was made all-ticket.
Jez and Matt arrived back in Cambridge on the last leg of their Walk For Equality. They were due to meet up with BBC TV for an interview but misjudged the mileage and were compelled to jog the last couple of miles to the Grand Arcade. They would return in triumph to the Abbey the next day, for the match against the runaway league leaders.
Saturday 7th March 2009: Cambridge United 2-0 Burton Albion (BSP)
Scorers: Rendell 55, Willmott 76 | Att. 4,377 (away 372) | League position: 2nd
Points behind Burton Albion: 11
Uncle Roy had kept Burton's momentum going thus far in his temporary tenure at the Pirelli Stadium, and for his sentimental return to the Abbey he gave Martin Butler his first start in place of Greg Pearson; needless to say both ex-U's were afforded a deservedly warm welcome by the Amber Army.
United remained unchanged except for the replacement of the injured Phillips by Holroyd, but there was a heartening return to the bench for the first time since his August injury for Andy Parkinson.
Early exchanges were inconclusive, both teams all neat build-up and no finish, with the hosts' best early chance a Pitt snap shot well saved by the veteran Kevin Poole, and on 35 Potter produced a superb tip over from a Shaun Harrad drive. Reason's dipping free-kick just before the interval forced Poole into a similar stop, and so far the war of attrition had been entertaining but won by the defences, with Rendell looking strangely out of sorts.
The U's changed up a couple of gears in part two and their early pressure paid off when a Pitt cross deflected over the Burton defence for Rendell at the far post to poke home. Roy Mac responded positively by introducing a third striker, Pearson, but his move had the effect of leaving United more room in midfield, and the pace of Willmott and Holroyd became a major threat to the leaders.
Rendell should have made it two on the hour when Poole foiled him in a breakaway one-on-one and his follow-up shot was cleared from inside the six-yard box. United continued to dominate, however, and their deserved second came when Reason split the defence apart with a diagonal through ball onto which Willmott scampered and coolly slipped past Poole.
Eight minutes from time Butler was unluckily dismissed when he caught Potter while stretching for a through ball - we know he isn't that sort of player - and he received the possibly unique accolade of being applauded from the field by the opposition's supporters after receiving his red card.
Parkinson was also acclaimed when he replaced Willmott on 85 and he almost brought the house down with a last-minute 30-yard chip that Poole just managed to tip from under his own bar. United finished on top to round off a tremendous performance, which inflicted upon Burton their first defeat in 18 league games. They couldn't be caught though... could they?
Brabin said simply "I'm delighted with the performance - we really believed we were going to win today."
Roy Mac was a gracious as ever: "Gary Brabin has done a tremendous job here and I wish Cambridge every success, although my priority is with Burton. If both of us could go up together I'd be delighted, because I have a lot of friends here, a lot of good memories and good times here. I enjoyed my time here very much and wish the team and supporters all the very best."
To everyone's relief, Jai Reason's loan was extended for a further month with the possibility of extending it further.
Tuesday 10th March 2009: Cambridge United 2-1 Mansfield Town (BSP)
Scorers: Rendell 49, Reason 90, Duffy 34 | Att. 2,781 (away 177) | League position: 2nd
Points behind Burton Albion: 8
Mansfield were another BSP club who had been galvanised by a change of manager, David Holdsworth having presided over six wins and two draws in the nine games since he had taken over, his miserly defence conceding a mere two goals in that time. Ex-U's Matt Somner and Robert Duffy were in his starting line-up, while 'Countdown' wiz Neil Mackenzie was on the bench.
Brabin's selection was unchanged, as one would expect, although Crow replaced Grundy on the bench after recovering from a bout of food poisoning.
Despite such an impressive showing for the U's on the Saturday, it was the visitors who started the better, looking confident and dictating the tempo with tireless closing down of their opponents. Initially United had no answer, and Mansfield peppered their goal with shots, although best early effort came when Ryan Williams' free-kick skidded off Hatswell's head and was bound for the top corner until tipped over by a flying Potter.
The hosts gradually began to work their way into the game, but the Stags took a deserved lead when Williams played a one-two from a free-kick and floated over a free-kick which Duffy ghosted in to head home.
Duffy reacted as if he had just scored the winner in the World Cup Final rather than a four-yard tap-in, and his ludicrously over-the-top celebration, in which he clearly goaded the denizens of the NRE, was rightly punished by a yellow card. The guy was only at the Abbey for a month in 2005, failed to score a goal and was let go, and frankly there were probably few people at that end who even remembered him, so his reaction was all the more bizarre. He still kept pointing to the name on the back of shirt while being lectured by the ref, perhaps frustrated by most supporters' reaction of "...Duffy, you say? No, sorry, doesn't ring a bell..."
United stumbled unconvincingly to the interval, but Brabin must have come up with some inspirational words during the break as the reinvigorated U's tore into the visitors from the restart. And within four minutes they were level, Willmott galloping down the right then arrowing a perfect cross for Rendell to head home, seeming to hang in the air like a tousled, wingless angel as the ball billowed the net.
The hosts continued in the ascendant and on the hour Mansfield replaced their strikers, Stallard and Duffy, to an NRE cry of "You're (censored) and you always were." Ah, so they had remembered him after all...
Nathan Arnold looked nippy for the visitors, but the bulk of chances still fell United's way, although a boot to the face forced a bloody withdrawal for Holroyd, replaced by Parkinson. By now an overrun Mansfield were just hanging on grimly, and Somner blocked a goalbound Parky effort, a diving Marriott foiled Reason, and sub Crow set up Rendell but he could not make the right contact from close range.
But a rampant United were not to be denied, and in the third minute of added time, Hatswell nodded Carden's free-kick into the danger zone, and there was Reason lunging in to ram home his first goal in black'n'amber and a deserved winner.
Equally good news on the night was Burton's 2-1 defeat at Ebbsfleet and Barrow's 1-0 defeat of Histon. The chase was officially on.
Brabin beamed, "I thought we were outstanding and I thought we footballed them to death. We looked fitter, stronger and I'm absolutely made up and proud of their performance in the second half."
Holdsworth commented enigmatically "I'm disappointed that we lost a game we deserved a point from, but there were things we were up against that I can't train against."
The next night, Mark Convery scored on his comeback from injury in CRC's 4-0 win over Haverhill Rovers.
Brabin spoke glowingly but cautiously of the other comeback kid, Parkinson: "He's fit enough to start a game, he's doing all the training the other lads are doing, and he's chomping at the bit and wanting to start. But he's got some good competition and it wouldn't be fair to throw him in and expect him to come back in the form he was in before he got injured... At the moment it's just great having him involved in the squad."
Saturday 14th March 2009: Cambridge United 4-1 Northwich Victoria (BSP)
Scorers: Holroyd 25, Rendell 30,37, Parkinson 80, Joyce 36 | Att. 2,662 (away 29) | League position: 2nd
Points behind Burton Albion: 5
After their hopeful finish to last season, which ended against the U's, and optimistic start to this one, which started against the U's, Northwich's hopes of survival had all too soon divebombed into on-field depression and off-field financial disaster... again. By contrast, Parkinson was in party mood during the warm-up, spraying his bottled water around like a F1 driver when he heard that his beloved Liverpool had battered Man U 4-1 at Old Trafford in the lunchtime kickoff.
An unchanged United made a pretty champagne start, too, laying siege to Vics' ponderous back line, and after some stout resistance they finally succumbed to the pace of Holroyd when he scurried onto Carden's superb through ball and slotted calmly home from the edge of the box.
Five minutes later Carden's corner was headed against the bar by Bolland, Hatswell smashed the rebound goalward, keeper Clarke parried spectacularly on his goal-line, but there was poacher Rendell to turn home number two.
Two-nil is, of course, a dangerous lead, and it became two-one when Luke Joyce's curling free-kick from the left flank bounced and trundled through a sea of bodies to nestle apologetically into the far corner of the net. But United's swift rejoinder was a goal of sweeping beauty, Willmott beating his man down the right, slipping it to Holroyd, and his pinpoint cross into the middle saw Rendell ghost through the statuesque back four to slide comfortably home from close range past an aghast and exposed Clarke.
The second half was predictably anticlimactic as United set the gearbox to cruise control and Northwich set their collective jaw to avoid humiliation, although they did not have nearly enough quality to pull one back. Parkinson enlivened proceedings when he replaced Pitt on 73, forcing Clarke into an early save, and the little Scouser was rewarded for his season-long patience when a Tonkin long throw caused a melee in the six-yard box and he rammed gleefully home for a popular fourth.
Then came the remarkable news that Burton's season-long unbeaten home record had gone, Charles Ademeno notching the winner in a 2-1 win for Salisbury. The season was just getting better and better.
A happy Brabin remarked, "I think we deserved the scoreline in the end but we've played better than that and not scored as many goals... Parky's been brilliant and he's a real asset, even as a sub at the moment. I thought this would be one of those games where we'd have to make subs and we've got players chomping at the bit on the bench - Danny Crow, Parky, McMahon, Challinor and Josh Coulson."
The Easter Monday game at Kettering became the latest to be made all-ticket. The United Board was strengthened by two new appointments in Renford Sargent (director) and Richard Smith (associate director), both lifelong supporters and previous Board members.
Tuesday 17th March 2009: Barrow 0-2 Cambridge United (BSP)
Scorers: Holroyd 63,83 | Att. 1,341 (away 131) | League position: 2nd
Points behind Burton Albion: 5
The epic midweek journey to deepest darkest Barrow-in-Furness was one to test the loyalty of the most hardened away supporter, but a tremendous amber turnout enjoyed the dilapidated but characterful surroundings of Holker Street, like the town which housed it a real 'Life On Mars' trip back to the early 1970s, and something of a fortress for the BSP new boys with only four defeats there all season.
The locals were passionate but friendly and the doughty Cambridge following was allocated one corner of a terrace upon which the rather under-powered floodlights eerily lit its only seating, a lone wooden bench perched at the top.
United's side was unchanged for the fourth match in a row, although Parkinson was missing from the bench with a gammy ear and replaced by a fit-again Lee Phillips. Barrow's game plan was familiar: get the ball forward quickly and directly, shoot early, chase and harry and play everything at 100 mph on a hard, bumpy pitch.
On a cold night with a chilly, swirling wind at their backs, this would be a real test of character for United and their ten-match unbeaten run, and they kept were on the back foot in the early stages, but Potter was well protected by a back line marshalled as usual by Hatswell and Bolland. The U's were happy to go in goalless at half-time.
Having soaked up everything Barrow could throw at them, United began to assert themselves in part two, gaining the first corner of the match on 56, and not long after they were in front with a Route One goal of their own. Bolland hoisted a long ball forward, Marcus Holness let it bounce, and as he hesitated, Holroyd was away, his lightning pace leaving his oppo for dead. Keeper Deasy advanced to intercept, but the U's striker did well to control a high-bouncing ball and hook it past the home keeper, through his legs and into the net.
Now the visitors were in control. Rendell had a header from Carden's corner blocked on the line, and the contest was ended when Gleeson flighted a free-kick deep into the box and found Holroyd, who controlled neatly with his back to goal ten yards out; in one swift movement he turned and before his marker, Paul Jones, could react, he had fired ruthlessly left-footed into the net past a helpless Deasy.
Three minutes from time chief tormentor Holroyd sprinted clear again, but Deasy palmed his shot away, and in added time Carden floated a free-kick to which Rendell rose to beat a flailing Deasy, but with his header going in, Holroyd instinctively followed up and was flagged offside. He later apologised to Scotty for denying him a certain goal, but he had no need to apologise for a match-winning performance against spirited but limited opposition.
The only sour note of the night was Weymouth's 0-5 home surrender to Burton; if that was the best they could do, they surely should not be in the league.
Brabin was pleased with the night's work: "...I was delighted with our lads because from minute one we were very professional and disciplined and patient. At the times when we could play football I thought we played some good football, but this was never going to be an easy place to come and I'm absolutely delighted with every one of them."
And with the fans: "They were brilliant again and they've made a right mess here for the stewards to clean up, so I think they've enjoyed themselves. It was a really tough fixture and it's a long way to come, and the travelling fans have shown how fanatical they are to come this far - I think they deserved to make that mess!"
United were absolutely flying, which made it particularly frustrating that they would not have another fixture for thirteen days.
Out-of-favour Mark Convery had his contract cancelled by mutual consent, returning to his native North East to join Newcastle Blue Star. Fans were thankful for memories of his marvellous goals at Stevenage last season and Crawley this term.
Phil Bolland finally signed a contract to the end of the season after being on non-contract terms since August, the spindly-legged maestro happy to sign to allow the club to protect its interests in view of interest from other clubs and the impending registration deadline. Said Brabin: "He's been a massive, integral part of everything we've done this season, and him and Wayne Hatswell have been fantastic at the back."
Darren Quinton became the second player to have his contract cancelled by mutual consent in a week. He had made one appearance since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Salisbury in October 2007, then had undergone surgery to repair torn knee cartilage after the Telford game but was unlikely to play again this season. He joined his brother Bradley at Braintree Town.
Simon Ainge arrived at the Abbey on loan from Bradford City until the end of the season, as additional defensive cover in case of injury or suspension. Brabin advised, "He's strong, he's a good defender and he's someone I've had my eye on for a couple of years."
Three second-year scholars earned their first professional contracts to cap a fine season for second-placed CRC: Adam Marriott, Jordan Patrick and Sam Ives.
In a busy month for transfer activity, Ben Farrell joined Cambridge City on a month's loan to assist their Southern League playoff push. Brabin explained, "We wouldn't normally loan a player of Ben's quality but this is a chance to help City and build up our relationship with them, as well as for Ben to play some first team football."
Monday 30th March 2009: Woking 0-1 Cambridge United (BSP)
Scorer: Reason 82 | Att. 1,775 (away 450) | League position: 2nd
Points behind Burton Albion: 8
United at last returned to match action, live on TV, although their return was delayed by a power outage which plunged Kingfield into darkness. After a delay in which even Paul Parker ran out of cliches to spout, play finally commenced shortly after 8.15 under Woking's safety lights, nowhere near as powerful as the real thing but just about adequate, although it is a moot point whether it would have gone ahead without the presence of the Setanta cameras.
In the two weeks since the U's had last played, a succession of teams below them in the table had blown games in hand that would have seen them overtaken, leaving Histon as the only side now able to catch them; Burton had beaten a feeble Grays team to take them further ahead again at the top.
Only Dan Gleeson was missing from the team which won at Barrow, injury forcing Jon Challinor to stand in, and new boy Ainge was on the bench as Gary Brabin continued to eschew the reserve keeper option.
Woking had graced the Conference since 1992 but this term were on their way out after some disastrous managerial choices. They started spiritedly against a distinctly rusty-looking United, playing a similarly direct game to Barrow, but as at Holker Street the visitors' rearguard held firm.
Pitt wasted a good chance on 26, firing straight at keeper Knowles, and Potter saved well from Wilfried Domoraud ten minutes later, and United began to look more like their old selves the longer the game went on. However it took them 67 minutes to gain a corner, and they could be thankful that they had saved such a mediocre performance for opposition that lacked the quality to take advantage.
And in the last ten minutes they snatched a barely deserved winner when Willmott pulled the ball back for Reason to guide his shot coolly into the bottom corner. Ainge got a five-minute debut and United cruised to a victory that had been more hard-fought than it had really needed to be. Had that 13-day layoff halted their momentum? Only time, and better opposition, would tell.
Brabin took the points: "This was a sticky game and Woking fought tooth and nail from minute one - if they carry on playing like that they'll be OK this season." Two days later, Woking lost 5-1 at home to Kidderminster.
Having sold out their initial allocation of 1,402, United were allocated another 250 tickets for the upcoming match at Stevenage. April would be make-or-break month.
Andrew Bennett
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