| Swansea City | 1-1 | Cambridge United |
| Watkin 11' | Wilson 59' (pen) | |
| Att: 2,605 |
United line-up: Barrett, Chenery (Rees 69'), Wilson, Ashbee, Foster, Campbell, Wanless, Benjamin (Kyd 55'), Taylor, Butler, Beall (Marc Joseph 85').
Booked: Beall (foul 44')
Ref: A R Hall (Birmingham).
[The Abbey Rabbit match report] [My summary of media reports]
The Abbey Rabbit match report:
A rather disappointing performance and one at which the players and supporters (including 42 United) ably demonstrated that they'd all rather be Christmas shopping.
United were unchanged from Monday's debacle and started the game reasonably brightly. Wanless and Beall looked particularly busy in the middle and the central defensive trio of Foster, Campbell and Ashbee looked calm and composed... And then disaster as shades of Scarborough the whole defence falls asleep, fails to deal with a near post flick-on following a corner and Watkins had a free header at the far post. Scotty, bien-sur, remained rooted to his line...
To be fair, United fought back bravely and had two reasonable shouts for a penalty turned down. Firstly the ever sharp Butler appeared to have his legs taken from him and as the ball broke free Beall(?) was bundled over...
Unfortunately for all our possesion, once again the final ball was our undoing... as were the rather "muscular" challenges from the Swansea players - coupled with a ref who played to the letter of the law, this ensured that a fair number of the home side entered the ref's notebook after a series of crude challenges. Wanless, who seemed to be on more than his fair share of bad tackles was poleaxed just outside the box and having seen the challenge on TV the Swansea player can have no complaints about the second yellow card (even if the first was rather stupidly for encroachment).
The second half was a huge disappointment. United searched in vain for an equaliser and finally got it when after one of our few incisive moves of the half. Wanny (again) was rugby-tackled in the box - Wilson converted the penalty. Kyd replaced a subdued Benjamin and then rarely got a touch of the ball!
United lost interest, seemingly incapable of making the extra man advantage - no bloody width again! In fact it has to be said tht on the break Swansea always looked dangerous - and at least they could cross the ball!
All in all a draw was a fair result - no one deserved to win!
SteveJ
Summary of (rare!) media reports:
Roy McFarland had the luxury of naming an unchanged side for the second game in succession for this game at the Vetch Field, although all three substitutes were used by the end of the game. United fell behind to an early Steve Watkins goal - headed in from a corner - but had two excellent penalty claims turned down.
Swansea striker Richard Appleby was returning after back-to-back suspensions but he was booked early in the game for encroaching at a free kick. Then in first-half stoppage time he caught Paul Wanless with a neck-high tackle and had turned towards the dugout before Mr Hall had time to issue yellow and red cards. But in what was never really a dirty game the youngest referee in the League saw fit to book six other Swans players and United midfielder Billy Beall.
In the 59th minute Paul Wanless was brought down in the box by Swans skipper Keith Walker and the referee finally awarded a penalty, which Paul Wilson stepped up to convert for his fourth goal of the season. The U's then had chances to go on and win the game but Roger Freestone was alert and twice denied Martin Butler after the United striker had an earlier effort cleared off the line. This draw leaves United looking for their first away win since the victory at Leyton Orient on the 5th September.
Ironically Orient are our next opponents when they visit the Abbey on Boxing Day (12pm k.o.)
Many thanks to Steve for his report.
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