Lincoln City vs Cambridge United

United line-up: Barrett, Hayes, Wilson, Marc Joseph, Foster, Campbell, Wanless, Barnwell, Taylor (Benjamin 87'), Butler, Preece.
Subs not used: Matt Joseph, Beall.

None of the usual contributors wrote a match report for this dire match so first of all here is my summary based on various media sources:

Roy McFarland changed to a 4-3-3 formation this afternoon to combat the anticipated aerial bombardment from Lincoln City. Martin Butler returned to the first team after recovering from a stomach bug, but Matt Joseph remained on the bench as Marc Joseph moved over to right-back in place of the injured Ben Chenery. Adie Hayes played on the left of midfield and after Jason Rees aggravated an ankle injury in pre-match training, player-coach David Preece took his place and wore the captain's armband.

The United team and the 350 travelling U's knew exactly what tactics to expect from a John Beck team at Sincil Bank and they were not to be disappointed. John Beck's famous long-ball game is now totally lacking any of the minor refinements tolerated in his United days, his neanderthal tactics led to a dreadful first half. It was quickly obvious that United were the only team on the pitch who knew what to do with the ball once it hit the grass, and Lincoln goalkeeper Barry Richardson had to dive at Martin Butler's feet after half an hour. United's defence were mainly occupied with clearing up balls punted hopefully into the corners, and the rest of the team probably have sore necks tonight from watching the ball whizz over their heads!

The action was only marginally better after the break, with Marc Joseph heading a Steve Brown chance off the line mid-way through the half. Adie Hayes had a good game buzzing up and down on the left, Butler was busy up front and in the 64th minute John Taylor had a superb shot well saved by Barry Richardson. Nine minutes later Richardson was tested by a volley from former Imps player Paul Wanless and ten minutes from time Taylor tricked his way through the Lincoln defence only for his shot to skim the far post.

Late in the half Jamie Campbell may have been fortunate to stay on the field after a challenge on Phil Stant, while Trevor Benjamin replaced Shaggy with three minutes left to keep the Imps defence occupied. Lincoln might have snatched a winner in the last minute when Jason Barnett fired in a cross from the left but luckily no City player was on hand to get the vital touch.

Although the lack of goals is disappointing, overall this will be a welcome point from a difficult away match. United stay fifth in the table after this third successive draw.

Keith Webb from the Moosenet list kindly gave permission for me to reproduce his thoughts about the game:
My god, did we really used to play that way under Beck??? I don't remember the style being so extreme except maybe in the last few months of his reign at the Abbey. I feel sorry for any Lincoln fans that pay to watch that every other week.

The first half was utter and complete toilet and it took too long for the U's players to settle and realise that they could beat that sorry shower by playing football. The second half was better, particularly the last 25 mins when we stepped up a gear and began to play some neat passing football. Unfortunately we suffered in this match as we have in the last 3 or 4 - nothing in attack, so much good approach play was spoiled by the final ball going astray. We really do need someone who can run at defenders like Kyddie does and I thought Jamie B was a little dissapointing today along with Taylor who had a real off day.

Defensively we looked pretty solid and my initial dissapointment at Matty being on the bench instead of starting soon disappeared as Adi Hayes put in what I consider to be one of his finest performances for Cambridge. Anyone who was at the Cardiff match and joined in the ridiculous chorus of boos when he got the ball should have been at Lincoln today to see him play. It has been mentioned several times this week on the list, booing players and in particular the young ones does nothing other than shatter their confidence. Away from the home crowd Hayes played with great style and confidence and for me, him and Marc Joseph were our joint men of the match. Well done the young 'uns

Grateful thanks to Keith for his report.

Usual match reporter Ben Mynott did not manage a report but sent his player ratings:

Basically we never looked like letting a goal in but didn't really look like scoring either.

Ben.

I have also taken the liberty of reproducing the match report from the Cambridge Evening News:

THERE was one huge consolation for the 350 Cambridge United fans who wasted their money on this gormless draw. They were sitting in the away enclosure. Unless there is some cruel fate lurking in the FA Cup draw they will not have to sit and suffer at Sincel Bank again this season.

It is true, not so long ago, they hailed John Beck as their hero when his howitzer campaign took United from the bottom division to the brink of the Premiership. But the game which frightened the life out of visitors to the Abbey Stadium was never as cynically extreme as the mind-numbing nonsense Lincoln City are serving up. It is thin and ghastly gruel lacking any of the power of John Taylor and Liam Daish, the skill of Steve Claridge and Lee Philpott and the style of Dion Dublin and Richard Wilkins.

Taylor once had a famous argument with Beck in the pages of the News about the reason for the success of the long-ball "percentage game" at Cambridge. "The system makes players," insisted the manager. "No, you have to have the right people to make it work," retorted the striker.

Saturday's sterile excuse for a football match was conclusive proof that Taylor was right. Lincoln had a player, Terry Fleming, capable of hurling a throw-in to the six- yard box, and that was the only recognisable link with the teams from United's exciting era. Beck is literally playing an even narrower game at Lincoln. This season the touchline has been squeezed in six feet on one side to help the throwers and corner takers.

But United used to hit passes down the channels which their wingers had a chance of catching; the crosses were probing and precise; and the men in the middle strong in the air and sharp on the ground. Now the ball is lumped anywhere in the general direction of the corner flag by players frightened to hold on to it long enough to set up a proper move. They know the penalty is to be hauled off the pitch and substituted at any stage of the match.

So many balls disappeared over the stands there was an extraordinary hold up just before half time because they ran out of spares! Referee Jeff Robinson had to stop his watch while we waited for someone to bring one back. When the home side did manage to lob a pass into the box, they found giant centre-back Colin Foster in magnificent aerial form.

He had too much strength and know-how, even for wily campaigner Phil Stant. And he was well backed by young Marc Joseph who on the one occasion in the 73rd minute when a City player got to a cross first, headed off the goal-line from Steve Brown.

United were responsible for what little other enter-tainment occurred, mainly in a 20-minute spell late in the game when they mercifully silenced the manic drummer supposed to stir Beck's bombardier's to blitzkrieg victory. David Preece, Paul Wanless, and Adie Hayes, replacing Jason Rees, who aggravated an ankle injury in pre-match training, actually managed to play some football in midfield. They made Lincoln look silly at times as they passed the ball around their robotic runners.

But, as in recent matches, the finish to some attractive approach play was feeble. Good moves were ruined by careless crosses.

Lincoln keeper Barry Richardson, significantly the sponsors' man of the match, had to dive at Martin Butler's feet after half an hour. His only other real save, though, was when Wanless whipped in a 20-yard volley with a quarter of an hour to go. Taylor should have beaten him, but missed a chance to get a winning goal to gloat over. Weaving his way into the box eight minutes from the blessed sound of the final whistle, he shot wide of the far post.

"That's Lincoln's fourth consecutive clean sheet," said their despairing local radio man. "And it was about as exciting as watching washing drying on calm day."

Roy McFarland commented on Monday: "We played some good football against Lincoln. We defended very well, and we had them going in the second half. But again we couldn't come up with the end product. Our crossing and our decision making was poor."

That was also his opinion of the goalless game in general against former United manager John Beck's long ball team. "I feel sorry for the Lincoln fans having to watch that sort of thing all the time," he said. "Supporters are precious. The loyal ones turn up whatever kind of football is served up.

"But anyone coming along to see what the game is like at our level would have gone away very disappointed. And I think that's sad for football."

© Copyright Cambridge Evening News 1997

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