Cambridge United vs Doncaster Rovers

United line-up: Barrett, Preece (Hayes 80'), Wilson, Duncan, Joseph, Campbell, Wanless, Brebner, Taylor, Kyd, Youngs (Barnwell 45').
Sub not used: Williamson.
Booked: Wanless (foul 65')
Ref: G Singh.

[Terry Wilby's match report] [Keith Webb's match report] [My summary of media reports]

Terry Wilby's match report:
You know all those games where we've played fairly well but got no points, and we've wished we could play crap but win, - well this was the crap game!

I assume the team changes were forced due to injuries, David Preece at number 2 in place of Chenery, and Tom Youngs in place of Beall at 11. This meant a 4-3-3 formation.

In the first minute Doncaster got a free kick just outside the penalty area, the kick went straight to Barrett who managed to drop it! Luckily there was no forward close enough to score. We only made 1 chance in the first half, Brebner shooting just past from outside the penalty area. Barrett had one other save to make. Their number 3 made a hash of a clear chance after Campbell (I think) cleared the ball straight to him in our penalty area. They scored just before half time when their number 11 beat Joseph for pace, clipped the ball over Barrett, then Campbell managed to dance over the ball rather than clear it and it trickled into the far corner. To be fair it was no more than they deserved, their front players always looked dangerous. Almost immediately Kyd had a headed chance saved.

Barnwell came on for Youngs at the start of the second half, and soon had a good chance but headed wide following a corner. After 8 minutes we equalised, Kyd got the ball from their defender, made a bit of space and crossed low into the penalty area where Shaggy volleyed in. I have my doubts about whether Kyd meant it to be a low cross! After 16 minute Barnwell looped a chance over the 'keeper, but also over the bar. Shaggy had a few chances, but headed or shot just wide or over. Preece was replaced by Hayes. 10 minutes from the end Wanless scored, the ball lifted over the line of defence, Wanless turned and volleyed in. Our time wasting attempts were useless, losing possession then allowing Doncaster a last minute chance which Barrett saved with his legs.

It was a welcome 3 points, but a dire performance, especially the first half. With only 4 at the back neither full back was able to push forward. The front 3 were usually too far apart, Youngs did nothing, about the same as Kyd in the first half. The centre of defence always looked suspect against a runner, often taking 2 or 3 players to close their forwards down. Preece was OK in the middle, but didn't create things like Beall does. Doncaster always closed down space very quickly to stop us doing much.

Taylor gets my MoM, he had a few chances which he missed, but seemed to have some passion which showed in his annoyance after a miss. There was not much passion or will to win from much of the rest of the team. The referee, Gurnham Singh had a reasonable (for him) game, most decisions were quite fair except for the booking of Wanless. The biggest cheers were when Barry Fry left just before the end.

Ratings: Barrett 5, Preece 6 (Hayes 5), Wilson 5, Duncan 5, Joseph 5, Wanless 6, Brebner 5, Taylor 7, Kyd 5, Youngs 4 (Barnwell 6).

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Keith Webb's match report:
Well if we wanted a benchmark for where we really are as a side at the moment or needed a reminder of how fine the line is between staying up and dropping out of the league I think we got both today.

There certainly wasn't any great gulf in my eyes between the two sides, indeed I felt Doncaster were worthy of their half time lead and probably edged the first half as United blundered aimlessly around the pitch, again with seemingly no game plan or clear match tactics. It took 15 mins for us to have our first strike at goal, one of only three real efforts in the first half. Our third resulted in a corner from which Doncaster broke out and promptly scored, having failed to do so on a couple of earlier occasions. As the players trooped off at half time having been roundly booed and with the chant of "what a load of rubbish" ringing in their ears, I looked at the team and just could not see where that extra piece of inventiveness or imagination was going to come from.

Thankfully the U's upped the tempo a little in the second half with Barnwell having a lob bounce agonizingly wide early on before Taylor managed to fire in a vital equalizer and in truth could probably have had a couple more through the same player before Wanless hit the winner.

It was a strange match that United managed to dominate possession wise in the second half but there was always a nagging feeling that Doncaster might break out and sneak another goal. Indeed they nearly did a few minutes from the end when Barrett saved our blushes with a good save from the weirdly named Prince Moncrief. That attack stemmed from the kind of self inflicted pressure that I believe sums up our season, with six minutes to go we were trying to play out time by keeping the ball in the corners and giving away possession needlessly. In the end we were hanging on and praying for the whistle to go, and this against a side that lost 3-0 at home last week and 8-0 away to Orient recently.

Three welcome points but I think that the best thing that can happen is for the season to end so that we can start all over again with fresh optimism and confidence and hopefully a few new faces otherwise next season could be all about staying in the league rather than pushing for promotion.

Keith Top of page

My summary:
The U's ended an unwelcome run of six games without a win by beating bottom club Doncaster Rovers, and although the manner of the win was less than convincing it yields three valuable points and edges the club two places up the table to 16th.

Roy McFarland made three changes to the team beaten at Barnet last week, as he experimented with a 4-4-2 formation. David Preece came in for Ben Chenery, Michael Kyd replaced Jamie Barnwell and youngster Tom Youngs replaced the suspended 'Billy' Beall.

The first half was diabolical as Doncaster dominated and United struggled to produce three chances throughout. People were already on their way to buy the now famous bacon rolls when Rovers took the lead in the 44th minute, courtesy of Padi Wilson. Rovers broke out after a United corner and Wilson beat Marc Joseph to slide the ball home, past Jamie Campbell who somehow ran over the ball without stopping it. It was not until a few seconds before half time that a Michael Kyd header forced the first save of the day from Rovers goalkeeper Craig Davis, and the disappointing U's were booed off at the half-time whistle.

No doubt Roy McFarland had one or two words to say to his team and the result was that United came back from behind to earn the points. He immediately sent on the pacy Jamie Barnwell for Youngs to add some more attacking threat and first John Taylor remembered the way to goal by levelling the scores in the 54th minute. He met Michael Kyd's low centre and shot inside the near post from 12 yards, his ninth goal of the season.

Taylor went on to squander several further chances but the winner came when Doncaster failed to clear a United corner, substitute Adi Hayes headed the ball back in and Paul Wanless turned on the edge of the box and volleyed the ball under the crossbar. United could have thrown it away at the death when orange-haired substitute Price Moncrieffe forced a brave save from Scott Barrett in injury time.

This win was not as convincing as we might have liked but it was very welcome nonetheless. The three points could well be a vital boost for confidence ahead of next Friday's televised home game against high-flying Lincoln City.

Many thanks to Terry and Keith for their reports.

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