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Cambridge United: (4-3-3) Barrett, Chenery, Ashbee, Duncan, Joseph, Campbell, Wanless, Beall (Taylor 85'), Butler, Kyd, Benjamin.
Subs Not Used: Wilson, Preece.
Booked: Wanless (28' foul), Benjamin (foul 41'), Ashbee (foul 73').
Darlington: Preece, Fickling, Hope, Liddle, Crosby, Atkinson, Oliver, Gaughan (Shaw 69'), Shutt (Ellison 78'), Naylor, Brumwell.
Subs Not Used: Brydon.
Booked: Crosby, Brumwell, Fickling, Atkinson, Gaughan, Atkinson, Oliver, Preece (dissent 90').
Ref: H. A. Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).
Shots On Target: Cambridge 7, Darlington 0
Corners: Cambridge 10, Darlington 2
[Keith Webb's match report] [Terry Wilby's match report] [My summary of media reports]
Keith Webb's match report:
What a pleasure it was to see United get their just deserts and score a late winner rather than concede one. I thought it was going to be another one of those games where we were going to do everything but score for the umpteenth game this season. There is however, a different air about the U's team these days and they look as if they are enjoying their football, there were some valid comments a couple of months back about the fact that even the pre-match warm up was low key. Today I watched the players as they warmed up and there was a lot of chatter and mickey taking and in particular the youngest players looked a lot less apprehensive and looked keen and hungry.
The match itself took quite a while to get going and the first 20 mins or so were fairly scrappy with maybe Darlo having the better of the possession without hurting us much. Slowly though we did get our game going and it was really nice to see the players play football rather than just hoofing it up the park when things stayed tight and we carved out a couple of good chances (must remember to take my glasses!) but couldn't make out who they fell to. One was a cracking header from a corner, which like at Brighton last week was a certain goal if it had been anything other than straight, the other was a shot from Kyd(?) which flashed across the goal. Darlington were increasingly restricted to breakaways but they did look very dangerous at times when they broke out of defence but the United defence is solid these days and we coped fairly easily.
In the second half it was almost one way traffic as good chances fell to Butler who should have scored with a header from six yards, Kyd had a fairly poor game and there was a couple of times when with a little more self belief he would have gotten to balls that he gave up on, he almost seems to expect to lose the ball or get tackled before getting a shot in, he shot from a tight angle when a cross would have been better and also blazed over the bar from 10 yards out. It's quite exciting though to think that we've still yet to see the best of him and a few good performances next season should see his confidence grow. Benjamin, although in headless chicken mode at times made a complete nuisance of himself and should have scored from another corner after about 75 mins. Then when Taylor came on for Beall, who ran himself in to the ground again we got the winner that our pressure deserved when the pinged around in the Darlington box and Taylor back-heeled the ball across the line.
All in all a satisfying display and result, spoilt a little by a whistle happy referee but there really is a different air about the side these days and if we can get in a couple of more experienced players in the close season,who knows what might happen.
PS nice to hear the P*sh fans whining on the phone in, apparently there is even a protest planned against Fry for next Fridays game against Notts County. Aint life just sweet right now :)
Keith
Terry Wilby's match report:
The first half was stalemate, we had a couple of headers wide or over, they did nothing except get 3 bookings for late tackles, and 2 well offside "goals". Wanless was booked for raising his foot to control a bouncing ball and didn't see the other guy challenging from behind!
In the second half it was all United. Butler headed just past from a free kick, Kyd had a good run which the defender cleared off the line, Butler forced a save from the 'keeper, Wanless headed just past the post, Kyd had a goal bound shot charged down, Benjamin headed just over from 3 yards ( he did well to get to the cross, but couldn't keep it down) after good work by Beall, Wanless shot over, as did Kyd, but Kyd should have passed to one of two free players.
10 minutes from the end Shaggy came on for Beall. 5 minutes later Benjamin got to the bye line and shot across goal just out of the reach of Taylor and Kyd. On 45 minutes we got an indirect free kick in the penalty area when their 'keeper picked up the ball from a back-pass. It was a dubious decision as it looked as if the ball was deflected off a Darlington boot, I can't be sure who actually played the ball before that. 9 times out of 10 it wouldn't have been given, but the 'keeper hesitated which I think helped. From the free-kick there was a melee a yard from the line with the ball at stuck at Taylors feet, instead of passing back he back-heeled the ball into the net. The Darlington 'keeper was still a little upset and got himself booked.
Darlington did score another offside "goal", from about their only attacking move of the second half. The referee played 52 minutes 30 seconds in the second half (I time the halves too!). Although there was not much time for injuries, there was a lot of time lost booking their players, I lost count but I think they had 7 booked, most for fouls, 1 was for blocking a quickly taken free kick.
The referee was not too good (except for the free kick), there was one occasion where the defender was all over Kyd I think in their penalty area, but he gave nothing, almost immediately he gave a free kick against Joseph for a similar but not so bad offence.
Beall was my MoM, always available, looking to make things happen, and when he got boxed in by 3 players by the touchline he had enough skill to get out of trouble by turning as he dragged the ball back with his studs. Butler looked sharp on his come back. Kyd is improving but too often chose the wrong option by shooting from a tight angle when other players were better placed. Benjamin put himself about in a more controlled manner. The defence looked reasonably sound. Wanless ought to be scoring more than he does, at least he is getting on the end of chances.
Even if the goal came from an iffy decision, the goal was no more than we deserved.
I presume that even if Duncan can be signed he will not be able to play against Boring what a shame they lost again.
Ratings: Barrett 6, Chenery 6, Ashbee 6, Duncan 7, Joseph 6, Campbell 6, Wanless 7, Beall 9 (Taylor 7), Butler 8, Kyd 7, Benjamin 8.
Subs. not used: Preece, Wilson.
My summary:
As anticipated, the only change to the team today was the return to the starting line-up of Martin Butler. He replaced Lee Charles who has returned to QPR.
This was a bad-tempered match, niggly and the dour and scrappy first half gave no hint of what lay ahead in this ultimately controversial match, although the referee gave an indication by liberally issuing yellow cards. The final count was three for United and seven for the visitors! The first twenty minutes saw an untidy battle but eventually the U's seemed to get into their stride and created a few chances. Darlington were pressed back in their own half but looked dangerous on the break. They had the ball in United's net twice but both times they were well off-side.
After the break it was one-way traffic as United mounted wave after wave of constant pressure on the Darlington goal while the visitors' defence stood resolute. The football was measured and patient, with a noticeable lack of the hoofed long ball even when it seemed the easy option. Butler and Kyd both had opportunities while Benjamin caused the defence lots of problems without ever really looking like scoring, although he had a good chance from a corner about 15 minutes from time.
The Darlo keeper made reflex saves from Wanless and Kyd and several times United players blazed over the bar when team-mates were better placed. It looked as though it was going to be yet another of those games we saw earlier in the season when United dominated without getting the goals.
The crowd had been calling for John Taylor to be thrown into the fray and five minutes from time the big striker replaced the excellent 'Billy' Beall, who had once again run himself into the ground. As the clock ran down Darlo keeper David Preece - not to be confused with our own player-coach who sat on the bench today - was adjudged to have picked up a back pass and an indirect free-kick was awarded. The ball was played into the packed goalmouth, bobbled around and John Taylor back-heeled it over the line from five yards for his tenth goal of the season.
The watching United fans endured about eight minutes of injury time and a disallowed Darlington goal before the three points were safe. At the final whistle Preece had to be man-handled away from the referee by the Police and his opposite number Scott Barrett, as they tried to prevent him from getting himself into serious trouble with the official. His manager Dave Hodgson called the late free-kick a "scandalous" decision, claiming the ball took a deflection and his goalkeeper was entitled to pick up the ball. He also had to be restrained from approaching Mr Halsey.
United climb to 15th place in the table after this fourth win in a six game unbeaten run, and the sixth clean sheet in the last eight games.
Notts County became the first team this season to celebrate promotion after their 1-0 win over Leyton Orient this afternoon left them 19 points ahead of second-placed Torquay. But a cloud fell over football this afternoon with the news that a fan was killed after running trouble at the Gillingham-Fulham match this afternoon.
Many thanks to Keith and Terry for their reports.
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