Andrew Bennett reviews last season.
December 2009: "Sometimes it gives you that little spurt"
The month got off to a less than dramatic start as under a new requirement under the FA Football Agent Regulations, United were like all other clubs obliged to make public all payments to licensed agents for the twelve months to 30th September 2009. The amount, one payment only, came to £1,740.00. I don't know, these parasitic agents, getting rich off the backs of our players…
Tuesday 1st December 2009: U's 1-0 Chester City (Blue Square Premier - Att. 2,239, away 43)
Goal: Crow 90
'Crisis club' had become a positive understatement when describing Chester: still on minus points, with a threadbare squad, an owner who has become the first to fail the FA's 'fit and proper person' criteria, and two deadlines already extended to sort out their football debts, their game at home to Eastbourne on the Saturday had been abandoned when they led 3-2 due to a second pitch invasion by their protesting supporters, and the threat of expulsion from the Conference was now a very real one indeed.
The United faithful were not too alarmed, then, at the absence through suspension of Hatswell and through injury of Gleeson and Tonkin, leaving McAuley, Coulson and Coakley to join veteran 22-year-old Saah in a decidedly adolescent-looking back four, while Carden and Reason were restored to the midfield.
Chester lined up in a safety-first 4-5-1 formation but United looked in no hurry to break them down, no-one breaking their neck to get forward in support of the front two, and first man into the book was visiting full-back Kevin Roberts for a rather agricultural challenge on Holroyd.
McAuley was forced to withdraw with an eye injury on 35 and Carden dropped back to right-back to allow Ives to replace him in midfield, but it was of no help to a tedious drag of a match in which the visitors had fought valiantly while United had barely turned up at all.
On the hour Phillips replaced Pitt and Holroyd went wide, then the latter was withdrawn in favour of Marriott after his fifth game without a goal, but despite the energetic Ives' prompting there was precious little inspiration on display from anyone else. But in the very last minute an untidy goal settled an untidy match when Willmott's free-kick seemed to have been overhit to the keeper but Crow did not give it up and bravely leaped to nod it over him and into the net. It was United's first league win in a month; never mind the quality, feel the points.
Martin was frank: "It was a total reverse [from Saturday], no great performance but a great result. You go for three points and that's a very scrappy 1-0. Let's be honest, they had the better chances first half, we were a little bit better second half, but nowhere near the standard we set ourselves…It's a funny old game though - Saturday we deserved to win but didn't get it, and today we didn't deserve to win and got the three points.
"…They can do it on the training ground, but sometimes when teams come here to play with a slow tempo we need to be a bit different and a bit more creative. Someone shouted out tonight 'what do you do in training?' and you feel like saying 'it's nothing like what I'm seeing out there.'"
Ling praised Crow's persistence, saying "That puts him on six goals now and perhaps the kick up the backside I gave him a few weeks ago has worked."
There were two new faces in the CRC squad next day with the signing of first-year scholar Remi Garrett from Brantham Athletic and second-year Christy Finch from Lowestoft Town, for whose youth and reserve sides he had scored 91 goals last season.
With illness and injury taking a growing toll on the first team squad, Mark Beesley was recalled from his loan at Chester 48 hours early, with the possibility of playing against Eastbourne for the second weekend in a row...hopefully in a full 90-minute match this time.
Saturday 5th December 2009: Eastbourne Borough 2-2 U's (Blue Square Premier - Att. 1,217, away c.250 [unsegregated])
Goals: Armstrong 15, Enver-Marum 25 / Austin o.g. 22, Saah 47
Eastbourne were experiencing something of the old second season syndrome, without a win since 22nd September, but the welcome to this friendliest of clubs was as warm as the cheesy chips served in their cosy clubhouse, and they still resolutely resisted any call to segregate home and away fans.
Ling wielded the axe after Tuesday's lackadaisical showing and dropped Reason, Holroyd and Coulson in favour of Ives, Phillips and Hatswell. Beesley took Marriott's place on the bench, the latter in FA Vase action for CRC. For the hosts ex-U Liam Marum seemed to have grown an extra surname, but the legendary Danny Brown was suspended after picking up his tenth booking of the season. So he hadn't changed at all.
The ref's kick-off whistle was the cue for the bleak, lowering skies to start disgorging grey globules of chilly rain, and after a lively, end-to-end start, the hosts took the lead when Enver-Marum turned and crossed from the left wing for Paul Armstrong to divert it past Potter with a nod of his head.
United equalised rather fortuitously when Willmott's well-struck free-kick into the box scudded off Ben Austin's head and into his own net, but the hosts were soon back in front when Enver-Marum darted in front of a sleeping Hatswell at the near post to bundle Jamie Taylor's cross home from close range.
United remained mediocrity personified and Eastbourne just about deserved their half-time lead for their sheer hard graft. But the visitors were soon back level after the break when Willmott's corner found Saah drifting in undetected at the far post to notch his second goal of the season.
Now the contest could go either way as the rain and wind intensified. Coakley had a long-range screamer tipped over by keeper Danny Knowles, Potter did the same to a Matt Crabb thunderbolt, then the referee went off injured, swapping places with the fourth official. And United might have won it at the death when Willmott raced unhindered down the middle but poked his shot straight at Knowles when he should have done better, then Hatswell sent a diving header just the wrong side of the post.
It has been another wildly inconsistent performance from the U's in which Saah and the younger players had been the pick of the bunch.
Ling summarised "It's the story of the season so far. I think we're a 'nearly team'; we're nearly good, we've nearly got things right and we nearly always have to chase the game at the moment. I'd like to see us get our noses in front and get a little bit of belief and confidence from that, and show the character to do that… Their goals were too soft for me…The goals were cheap goals from first and second phase headers when no-one is picking them up, so that's disappointing."
Of his decision to drop internationals Holroyd and Reason, Ling explained "Both Chrissy and Jai have done everything this season and they've both been away and played for England and I felt like a little bit of a change. I looked at the conditions and went with two people up front in Phillips and Crow who are more combative, and Ives has done well in the last couple of games and deserved the nod over Reason.
"I spoke to Chrissy about and it and he knows he's been off form a little bit recently, so it's a decision that was made and we're coming away with a point. Was it the right decision? Who's going to know, but as a manager you're paid to make them. It's the same as I did with Danny Crow. I need to find out about these players, both for this season and beyond. You look for a reaction from them and I think both Jai and Chrissy gave me a positive reaction to being left out of the side."
The same day CRC bowed out of the FA Vase at the Third Round stage, going down 2-1 at home to Ridgeons League championship rivals Needham Market. Luke Berry scored their goal from the penalty spot.
A flu-like virus hit the Abbey during the next week, affecting the manager and several players, including both goalkeepers, so much so that United were granted permission to bring a keeper in on an emergency loan. As it turned out, they recovered sufficiently to be available on the Saturday.
Saturday 12th December 2009: U's 3-1 Luton Town (FA Trophy 1st Round - Att. 1,665, away 517)
Goals: Crow 6, Holroyd 30, 36 / Hatswell o.g. 68
Luton's second visit to the Abbey in eleven weeks attracted a dramatically lower crowd than before for a number of reasons: the antics of a minority of their 'fans' last time, the lunchtime kick-off time and all-ticket status which were a consequence of those antics, Christmas shoppers and, in all probability, the sheer lack of glamour of the FA Trophy, now the runt of the silverware litter after the demise of the Setanta Shield despite it being United's best chance of getting to a major Wembley final. Or perhaps after their last two visits to the 'home of football,' the thought of a third trip was too much to bear.
Both managers, however, named full-strength teams. Holroyd returned for the injured Phillips and Gleeson and Tonkin replaced the youth of McAuley and Tonkin, while the Hatters fielded the same side which had impressively beaten League Two promotion hopefuls Rotherham United 3-0 in the FA Cup earlier in the week.
The King's Lynn supporters' trust held a bucket collection to help relaunch their liquidated club, a tragedy for a well-supported side which had brought the largest away contingent of 2007-08 to the Abbey two seasons ago in the same competition. The Main Stand looked nice, though, redecorated as the Greene King IPA Stand with United's new strapline 'Cambridge United - Your City, Your Club' also prominent.
In a somewhat echoey Abbey, United took the lead with their first shot: Pitt curled a fine low angled cross into the box from the left channel, and it ran perfectly for Crow to lash home from eight yards past the helpless Pilkington. A lively encounter ensued for a time, but the energy gradually drained from the game in the lifeless atmosphere - think the Glass World any alternate Saturday - and a half-paced game that resembled a pre-season friendly became the order of the day.
United doubled their lead on the half hour, Pitt's deftly swung cross finding Holroyd outwitting the Luton defence with his movement, losing his man to meet it with a deft header across Pilkington to nestle perfectly into goal at the far post. It was his first goal since 7th November.
Six minutes later it looked to be all over when the ball was cleared to Hatswell on the edge of the centre circle, and his ambitious long-range shot ricocheted off White straight into the path of Holroyd near the penalty spot; the United No.9 took his time before coolly dispatching his shot into the bottom corner past the exposed keeper. The Luton players' apparent lack of passion dissipated as skipper Nicholls aimed an angry, finger-pointing volley at his defenders and a heated debate ensued as the U's players and supporters celebrated.
The U's had of course led by two goals at half-time the last time Luton visited, and went on to lose 4-3, but lightning looked unlikely to strike this time. The visitors introduced two more strikers in place of the centre-backs and reshuffled their pack for an attempted comeback.
There was no radical change in the play and proceedings remained low-key until Hatswell managed to score his second own goal of the season with an unstoppable header from Nicholls' inswinging free-kick into a crowded box. But United kept a lid on the match and worked hard and effectively to stop the visitors from making any further progress.
A pleased Ling said "It was good in the first half and professional in the second half just to see it out. You know when you play a team as good as Luton they're going to have a spell in the game, but I think that was as good as we've played for a long time.
"I left Danny Crow out a few games ago and he's come back and answered me, and I left Chrissy out last week because I feel sometimes you need to freshen them up, and today it's worked. As Chrissy came off I said 'that's how you answer a manager that leaves you out' and that's what I'm looking for from players. He went five games without a goal, and I'm not saying he looked stale but sometimes it gives you that little spurt and they need that little reminder that sometimes you need to work without goals and the goals will come, like they did today for him."
Holroyd agreed: "I've said to the manager that that I don't think I was doing myself justice and it was right that I was left on the bench last week. I've come back in eager to impress and I think I did that. The service for my first goal was brilliant down the left, and I think Tonks and Pitty were really effective. And for my second I just tried to get into a position and luckily it came to me and it was an instinctive finish."
A home draw to Eastbourne was United's reward, with the princely sum of £6,000 in prize money awaiting the victors.
A scan on the knee which Lee Phillips had injured in training on Friday revealed a posterior cruciate ligament injury (nothing to do with bottoms) which would not require an operation but which would rule him out for the next few weeks, including the vital holiday period. Ling advised "It's a chance for Adam Marriott to be part of the four man strike force and when he's had his opportunity this season he's taken it well."
On the Thursday came the news that Andrea Thrussell was to take a back seat from running the official CUFC website to spend more time with her family, after starting the first proper United website, U's Net, in 1996, then three years later establishing the club's official site and making it a phenomenal success, the envy of many clubs higher up the pyramid.
Andrea commented "It was a privilege to be asked by Paul [Barry] to build the website from scratch, and it's been a delight to interact constantly with so many United supporters throughout the world, and to work with every manager, chairman and player from Roy McFarland and Reg Smart onwards…
"It's been fun and challenging and I've had help from some great contributors past and present. It will be a wrench to finish but I feel after ten very demanding years it is time to take a break and recharge my batteries and enjoy some time with my family, who have been incredibly supportive as my hobby grew into more than a full-time role."
It seemed strangely apposite that there should then have been six inches of snow overnight, and with the pitch and stands covered in crisp white frosting and more snow forecast, a local referee decreed that Friday night's game at home to Oxford United should be postponed. The continued freezing weather also meant that Monday's Carol Concert was called off, and Ian Darler and team would have their work cut out to make the ground playable in time for Boxing Day.
Saturday 26th December 2009: U's 1-3 Stevenage Borough (Blue Square Premier - Att. 4,439, away 652)
Goals: Crow 5 (pen) / Odubade 27 (pen), Griffin 54, Beardsley 85
Thanks to Darler and co the pitch was an immaculate green sward for the traditional festive local derby, albeit a different one to last year, decorated with piles of snow around its edges like so much Christmas cake icing. United fielded the same side as in the Trophy match and Stevenage brought along a couple of old friends in Mark Albrighton and David 'The Invisible Man' Bridges.
The U's got off to a dream start when Holroyd ran onto Crow's chip over the top and was blatantly tugged back by Albrighton as he was about to shoot. It was a clear-cut penalty and a certain denial of a goalscoring opportunity, but somehow the Boro defender saw only yellow, the first of a series of baffling and inconsistent decisions by Mr Cooper, the worst ref seen at the Abbey this season. Crow, now no.1 penalty taker, slotted home coolly from the spot.
In Chris Beardsley and Yemi Odubade the visitors had strikers to rival York's in the tumbling stakes, and a stoppage-ridden encounter unfolded. And Odubade gained his side a reciprocal penalty when he fell theatrically under Tonkin's challenge and although the linesman appeared to see it as outside the box, Mr Cooper went one better. Odubade stepped up and Potter went the wrong way as usual to level the scores.
Two minutes later it got worse for the hosts when Beardsley crumpled as if shot by a sniper under a tackle from Hatswell and the ref showed him an extremely harsh red card, triggering an unseemly, bad-tempered melee and a booking for Potter for booting the ball into the Habbin in disgust. Why do all games with Stevenage end up like this?
McAuley came on for Pitt, United adopted a positive 4-3-2 formation, and a ding-dong battle ensued, with the best chance of the half falling to Holroyd just before the break when he broke clear 35 yards out, but he seemed to lack confidence, took one touch too many and allowed keeper Chris Day to block his eventual unconvincing shot.
Stevenage made two changes at the interval and went to 3-4-3 to attack United's ten men, and their pressure paid off early when Odubade's cross from the left evaded everyone in the middle, but sub Charlie Griffin arrived late just beyond the far post and his downward header squirmed into the net via Potter's foot.
United continued to battle gamely against their workmanlike visitors, but neither keeper was overly troubled. And typically, Stevenage sealed the match when the U's were down to nine men, McAuley off the pitch having his head bandaged. Ronnie Henry arrowed over a low cross from the right, Potter and Saah both froze in an agony of indecision, and Beardsley pounced to guide home past the statues from close range.
Ling was as unimpressed with Mr Cooper as the United fans, calling his decision not to dismiss Albrighton as 'contentious' and saying of the second penalty "The referee's blown his whistle and the linesman in reaction has put his arms across his chest, there was absolutely no contact whatsoever, and even though I haven't seen it yet I can tell from the reaction of the people on their bench and how embarrassed they looked that it wasn't a penalty.
"You talk about referees evening things out, and maybe the game was a little too big for the officials today. There was a really good atmosphere today and it turned out that there were some really bad decisions, that being the worst one." Hatswell's red card? "I would say it was reckless, I'd day there wasn't any intent on Wayne's part. You might have got away with just a yellow card. I'll have to look at it again on the video but my gut reaction would be it's probably not worth appealing."
"Sometimes you look at your players and say could they have done things better, or could you have done things better as a manager, and I think the answer has to be no today. Nothing's gone for us today, and though I'm not normally an excuse maker, you'd have to say we haven't had the rub of the green.
The boss concluded festively, "Santa owes me something. My presents were good but I didn't get any here today so I'm hoping for better on Monday then on New Year's Day." Bah, humbug.
Danny Potter was not a fan of his former club: "It was frustrating out there, nothing really went for us and it makes it worse especially as Stevenage are such a nasty team to play against. They work for set pieces and don't overtly like to play football, as it showed once we had the man sent off. Until then we were the better side; all they could do was hit it on the turn into the channels and hit diagonal balls into the box that we could have dealt with all day. After the red card it became a different game."
Monday 28th December 2009: Mansfield Town 2-1 U's (Blue Square Premier - Att. 3,368, away 395)
Goals: Perry 27, Speight 73 / Holroyd 42
Those nice people from Greene King subsidised two supporters' coach to get the hungover amber hordes to a freezing but playable Field Mill, with a cheery greeting from the butcher's around the corner: 'Pleased to meet you - meat to please you.'
United emerged sporting a brand new alternative strip of white and green, and their team sported a very inexperienced core; with Hatswell suspended and Saah and Carden injured, McAuley and Coulson were paired at centre-back and Ives and Reason formed the central midfield partnership, Gleeson skipper for the day.
The youthful U's got off to a lively start, Pitt forcing a fine save from Alan Marriott in the Mansfield goal, and the sides probed each other while the air seemed to grow colder by the minute. The subdued fans needed a winter warmer, and it was the hosts who provided the mulled wine somewhat against the run of play when Ryan Williams' cross bisected the United defence and Kyle Perry fired home from ten yards.
The visitors kept playing their football, however, and they were rewarded just before the break when Tonkin played a one-two with Pitt, loped to the byline and his low cross was met by the alert Holroyd who rammed home at the near post. All in all it had been so far, so satisfactory considering the key players who were missing.
Holroyd miscued an excellent close-range chance shortly after the restart, and Paul Heckingbottom was lucky to avoid a red card for a stamp on Willmott, before Gleeson had to withdraw with a broken nose from an accidental clash with Williams. Coakley brought the average age of the side down even further as Tonkin switched to right-back, but the stoppage had broken United's flow as well as disrupting their back line.
And they were soon behind again, as in the blink of an eye Jake Speight latched onto a flicked-on throw-in, dragged it past Tonkin and slashed past Potter before he could move. Ling gambled boldly by withdrawing Coulson and going to 3-5-2 with Beesley just behind the front two, but it turned out to be a change too many with several players just looking confused as the team lost all shape and understanding.
Although United had clearly lost their way, Mansfield started shamelessly time-wasting a good five minutes from time but there was no danger of them failing to hang onto their lead. And for all their spirit, the U's were now looking at an away record which showed no league wins since the first two games of the season.
Ling summarised "We keep making excuses, I think Rory and Coulson between them got caught out for their second goal and that's what's cost us. You end up with Tonkin at right-back and Coakley at left-back, and you've got no Saah, no Hatswell, no Gleeson at that stage and no Carden. Against a side that had lost that much of its experience we looked decent but not good enough to get a point."
"We had the luck earlier in the season with injuries and suspensions but that luck's gone against us and it starts to expose you a little bit."
End of month position: 12th
Andrew Bennett
Cambridge United: YOUR CITY - YOUR CLUB
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