| Rotherham United | 2-2 | Cambridge United |
| Richardson 90' | Kyd 59' | |
| Taylor 90' | Chenery 72' | |
| Att: 3,096 |
United line-up: Larkin, Chenery, Wilson, Duncan, Joseph, Campbell, Wanless (Preece 89'), Brebner, Barnwell, Kyd, Beall.
Sub not used: Youngs, Taylor.
Booked: Wilson (foul 45'), Chenery (foul 63')
Ref: C J Foy (St Helens).
[Mark Slater's match report] [My summary of media reports]
Mark Slater's match report:
There were several changes to the United team from Saturday. Jim Larkin replaced Barrett in goal, Chenery in at "wing back" for Duncan who was switched to centre-half to replace Ashbee. Barnwell took Shaggy's place up front alongside Kyddo.
The first half was pretty ordinary with both defences well on top with the only chances of note both falling to Rotherham. The first was effectively an open goal with a player sliding in at the far post but was only able to slice the ball over the bar from 2 yards out (a la Benjamin). The second chance was blocked by Larkin's legs. Kyd looked the sharpest and a couple of times did the defenders for pace, only to put a poor cross in or subsequently lose the ball. He was badly fouled twice, leading to bookings for their players.
The second half was a far more open and entertaining affair with most of our attacking moves being orchestrated by Billy Beall who seemed to be playing where our left wing back should have been. Again, there weren't that many scoring chances but the ones we got we buried. The first came when Kyddo got to the ball near the corner flag, beat the nearest defender and after a shot (I think from Barnwell) the ball rebounded to Kyd who scored well. I can't recall the build-up to the second but it fell to Chenery, who was running into the area un-marked and a good finish with a well-placed shot put us 2-0 up.
Rotherham attacked more following this set-back without ever looking really dangerous. Then it happened. A foul from Joseph gave them a free-kick on the edge of the box and a powerful shot gave Larkin little chance. I assume it went through the wall. The second was our usual poor marking in the box ... a high ball knocked down into the path of an un-marked forward and Urghhhhhh.
I really thought that this would be the first away victory I had witnessed north of SCUM, travelling up the same day. I've been to umpteen games up the A1/M1 and M6 and have yet to see us win (Lincoln, Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Mansfield, Hull, Derby, Leicester, Chesterfield, Blackburn, Macclesfield, ManUre, Sunderland, Port Vale etc etc).
In summary ... we threw it away (again) and letting in goals in the 85-90 min range seems to be something that has afflicted Cambridge for years. If we ever score that late it's always a bloody consolation goal. And why do we have to play a flat back five ?? Why wasn't Shaggy brought on to add some height and ability to hold the ball up ?? And to make matters worse the SCUM won.
U's Supporters -- approx 80. A dozen or so who were intent on abusing Roy McFarland and Steve Greenall for most of the game.
Ratings:
Larkin 6 Bit of a worry, seemed very Barrett-like and did not command his area but
didn't do much wrong.
Chenery 6 Not bad ... and he scored
Wilson 4 Very poor, constantly missed tackles and I can't remember a cross.
Duncan 6 Steady game
Joseph 5 Like Heathcote (ie hoof) but lacks his presence and gave away that needless
free-kick.
Campbell 7 Good game and was the pick of the defense.
Wanless 7 Usual commitment and 2-0 up when he left the pitch injured. Only one able
to win a header up front too.
Brebner 4 Negative with virtually every pass being backwards.
Barnwell 5 Did bugger all really.
Kyd 7 Constant threat to the Rotherham defence and could be coming back to his best.
Beall 8 *MOM* Top Man
Subs:
Preece 5 Not the calming influence one would expect
Taylor Not used
Youngs Not used
Summary of media reports:
Scott Barrett was the surprise absentee from tonight's team, replaced by Canadian goalkeeper Jim Larkin after some less than reassuring displays. Defenders Colin Foster and Ian Ashbee were also absent but they missed out through injury and illness. Jamie Barnwell was preferred to skipper John Taylor in attack.
When the side in fifth place entertain a side who have not won away since the 5th September you might reasonably expect a home win. But after a dire first half in which defences were on top, United almost upset the odds in style. Rotherham pushed forward after the break and United were able to exploit the spaces in style.
First Michael Kyd put United ahead in the 59th minute after a good move down the right. Jamie Barnwell's shot on the turn rebounded to Kyd who curled his shot past the keeper for his first goal since the end of November. The travelling U's understandably went barmy.
Unbelievably United then went on to double the lead in the 72nd minute, and the goal came from a most unlikely source. Ben Chenery - yes, the man who rarely crosses the half-way line - got on the end of a pass from stand-in skipper Paul Wanless to score his first ever League goal with an emphatic finish. By now the United supporters could hardly believe their eyes.
United were fielding their most inexperienced side of the season and it showed when they failed to kill the game off at that stage. Instead, as we have seen so many times before, the U's have a tendency to give away late goals and so there was no great surprise when Rotherham pulled one back with 90 minutes on the clock. Marc Joseph conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box and Neil Richardson curled the ball around United's wall from 25-yards.
It was all hands to the pump once again as Rotherham threw everything at a packed U's defence but, as on Saturday, it wasn't to be enough. In the 93rd minute Scott Taylor got on the end of a goalmouth scramble to bury the ball and snatch an undeserved point for his side.
Many thanks to Mark for his report and ratings.
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