| Shrewsbury Town | 1-1 | Cambridge United |
| Taylor o.g. 1' | Taylor 10' | |
| Att: 2,210 |
United line-up: Barrett, Chenery (Duncan 78'), Wilson, Ashbee, Marc Joseph, Campbell, Brebner, Preece, Taylor, Kyd (Benjamin 74'), Beall.
Sub not used: Williamson.
Booked: Beall (foul 34'), Duncan (unsporting behaviour 85').
Ref: Mr Jones.
No-one from the list attended this match so here is my summary of media reports:
John Taylor single-handedly settled this match, first by putting through his own net in the first minute, and then by hitting the equaliser nine minutes later!
As anticipated, Roy McFarland made three changes to the starting line-up although one was forced upon him. Colin Foster failed his late fitness test on a calf strain and was replaced by Marc Joseph, while David Preece and Michael Kyd returned at the expense of Jamie Barnwell and Trevor Benjamin. Alongside Benjamin on the bench were Davey Williamson and Manchester United loanee Andy Duncan after impressive displays for the reserves in midweek.
The opening ten minutes at Gay Meadow were quite extraordinary. First the home side won a free kick almost immediately after the kick-off and were ahead after just 51 seconds, courtsey of John Taylor. The United skipper gave the home side a massive boost when he headed Paul Evans' inswinging free-kick past Scott Barrett as he was challenged by Peter Wilding.
United had a mountain to climb against a Shrewsbury side stung by last week's defeat by bottom club Doncaster, but going behind so early and in such bizarre circumstances certainly encouraged United to come out and attack. In the ninth minute a neatly worked short corner routine saw 'Billy' Beall cross from the right and Taylor headed powerfully home, cancelling out his earlier aberration to the delight of the 100 or so travelling U's.
Shrews keeper Paul Edwards saved at Michael Kyd's feet in the 14th minute, but that was United's last attack of any menace as the the game failed to live up to its early promise and went rapidly downhill. The U's definitely missed the ideas and power of suspended pair Martin Butler and Paul Wanless from attack and midfield. John Taylor drifted back into midfield, helping out and looking for the ball, but that left the U's attack looking increasingly toothless with Michael Kyd full of running but still well short of his early season form.
Trevor Benjamin replaced Kyd with 15 minutes left which coincided with the home side's late charge. United had to resort to some 'all hands to the pump' defending to repel their late threat and Andy Duncan replaced Ben Chenery in the 78th minute. But apart from collecting a yellow card five minutes from time for kicking the ball away, the Man Utd youngster was as anonymous as his team-mate Grant Brebner had been for the whole game. Ian Ashbee hacked the ball off the line a minute from time to deny substitute Brown the winner, and he and his fellow defenders are the only United players to emerge from this match with any sort of credit.
The 1-1 scoreline was probably a fair result for this dire match and United remain in 16th place. Elsewhere Notts County maintained their lead with a 3-1 home win over Cardiff, Peterborough stayed seven points behind in second place after a 3-1 win at home to Rochdale and Rotherham moved up to third with a 3-0 win over Darlington at Millmoor.
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