United line-up: Barrett, Matt Joseph, Granville, Thompson, Palmer, Xavier San Miguel (Raynor 65), Richards, Hyde, McGleish, Barnwell, Beall.
Subs not used: Wanless, Wilde.

Terry Wilby's report:
This time I wore a replica shirt, Moose hat and bought some raffle tickets in the supporters club, and we managed a draw so some improvement.

More changes to the team, Matt Joseph at full back with Palmer, Thompson and Richards; San Miguel, Billy Beall, Hyde, Granville in the middle; Scott McGleish and Barnwell in attack. It worked pretty well, lots of passing and movement. Tommy Taylor thought Matt had a good game at full back, I thought he was OK except for messing around instead of clearing the ball which led to Palmer conceding the penalty and being sent off midway through the second half. The referee was absolutely right on that occasion. He booked a number of other players and sent off a Hereford guy at the end for accidental handball. It wasn't a dirty game at all, yet all gave was a free kick when Richards was blatently obstructed just outside the penalty area.

We equalised with a Tommo side foot after good work from Richards on the wing. Both new guys looked useful, Xavier doing a number of good runs, McGleish should have scored but volleyed high just like the Boro reject Robbie Cooke of a few years ago. Micah had a good game, looks a class above the rest. Billy Beall was solid in midfield along with Granville. Although the result wasn't as required, the performance was good. If we can stop conceding goals from individual mistakes we will win.

There was some poor gamesmanship when Richards went down after a challenge on the keeper. The keeper threw the ball out so Richards could get treatment, but instead of giving the ball back we tried to score, which slightly upset some of the Hereford players.

Terry Wilby

A report by Ben Mynott's Dad!:
My Dad wrote the following report for me; I'm sure he won't mind me forwarding it to the list!

Match report time now: CUFC 1 (Thompson) Hereford 1 (Smith)
Tommy Taylor unveiled a new formation and gave a run out for a Spanish trialist, Xavier San Miguel, who played on the left side of a 3 man midfield. Up front was Barnwell partnered by Scott McGleish, on loan from the dreaded Posh. Midfield was completed by Billy Beall and Micah Hyde on the right. Micah was also captain for the night. Wing backs were Richards and Granville, with the 3 centrebacks being Thompson, Palmer and, wait for it, Matt Joseph! Matt played a kind of sweeper role behind the other two. It was one of the best games I've seen him play recently and I was happier with him in this position than rightback in a flat back four or even as a wing back. He was made Man of the Match, but Mandy's, Mum's and my verdict went overwhelmingly to Micah Hyde. He was the only one that threatened anything unusual, he tackled bravely and ran up and down the pitch all game. Perhaps at times he over elaborated. I think at times, he looked slow to make a decision but you could put this down to the rest of the team not giving him options. A real captain's performance, which Tommy praised on the radio.

Tommy felt the wing backs pushed too far forward in the first half which gave Hereford too much space. He also was critical of both sendings off. Palmer was sent off for a foul in the penalty area (we thought he just touched the ball first - the TV was inconclusive) but it did look a genuine attempt to get the ball and therefore rather harsh to be sent off. Hereford scored from the resulting penalty but 10 man Cambridge fought with real spirit to level the scores after good work on the right from Hyde led to a cross from Richards which eluded everyone bar Thompson at the far post who simply had to side foot it in the net. Hereford's number 8 was sent off in the 90th minute, again rather harshly when he handled the ball in the centre circle and the ref deemed it to be his second bookable offence.

The ref did not have a good game and the fans most common chant for the whole game after the penalty consisted of a description of the referee, especially as he got near the Newmarket Road end. The low point for us was when Raynor, who came on for San Miguel, was guilty of bad sportsmanship. Richards had got injured in the penalty area (he pushed forward after Palmer was sent off) and the Hereford goalie threw the ball into touch so that he could be treated. At the restart Raynor threw the ball to Barnwell when everyone expected him to throw it back to the Hereford defence. Unfortunately, the Newmarket Road fans seemed to like this although all of us in the Habbin disapproved. I say all of us, the grand total attendance was 1,164 - Stevenage had had 2,400 in miserable weather the day before! Mandy had a birthday greeting announced at half-time - from Mum Dad, Ben and Carol (I said it should have come from Hopper and Gazza as it would have sounded much more interesting).

Anyway, a bit more on the match. Some good football and 2 or 3 good chances missed - notably by McGleish and Hyde, with vollies from inside the penalty area. One blinding save from Barrett. A lot of excitement especially when we down to 10 men and if the spirit shown in this game continues then it should put the U's in good stead.

Individual ratings:

Barrett    7 - did nothing wrong although still not the commanding figure 
               on crosses
Joseph     8
Thompson   7 - was quite a threat at corners and late in the game
Palmer     5
Granville  4 - would have been better but had a mare in the last half hour
Richards   5 - would have been better if he could have only crossed the 
               ball
San Miguel 5 - didn't work very hard
Beall      8 - did work very hard
Hyde       9
Barnwell   6
McGleish   6
Raynor     0 - for his bad sportsmanship, he actually played reasonably 
               well when he came on.

With thanks to Terry Wilby and Ben Mynott's Dad for their views.

Back to Match fixtures, results and reports

Home