BRENTFORD'S ninth home win of the season will long be remembered for Tony Folan's 50-yard wonder goal, but it also marked the night when Cambridge United's promotion challenge came of age.

Against the big-spending promotion favourites, on their own patch and after a nightmare start, United proved they are a match for the best the third division has to offer. They lost, but the noises coming from the visitors' dressing room were all about pride in their performance.

"We couldn't have played any better," said full-back Ben Chenery, who watched in anguish as Folan's 50-yarder sailed over the frantically back-pedalling Shaun Marshall. "We lost to an amazing goal -- I probably won't see another like it in my career. Of course, we're disappointed we lost, but we virtually out-played them and we can take a lot of heart from that."

That was a view echoed by Brentford's owner-chairman-manager Ron Noades. "I thought Cambridge deserved something from the game, and I'm glad they didn't get it," he said.

But for a 20-minute period after half time, United dominated a side that has been strengthened by more than £1m of talent since the summer and boasts the best home record in the League. Of course, they had to come out at Brentford after going behind after just four minutes, but there was no desperation about their slick passing, again orchestrated by the impressive Alex Russell.

The only thing missing was the finish, and the suspicion that United lack that killer punch casts a slight shadow over all the positive talk. Martin Butler and Trevor Benjamin both missed excellent chances that strikers on the top of their game would expect to take. Both efforts were on target -- Butler's a free header straight into Kevin Dearden's arms after 28 minutes and Benjamin's a drive too close to the keeper 16 minutes from time -- but both strikers appeared to be hoping rather than expecting to score.

Brentford could not boast a chance to match either of those, their best coming when Folan broke clear on the right, but blazed wide under pressure from Marc Joseph. The 12-2 corner count in United's favour was a fair reflection of their dominance, although almost all of those corners found the head of Jamie Bates, who barely allowed Trevor Benjamin a sniff of even a flick-on for the entire game.

Bates and Robert Quinn dealt comfortably with anything in the air, and United's worst period came at the start of the second half when they lobbed a succession of hopeful balls into the final third of the field. Once they got that idea out of their system, Russell and Paul Wanless went back to trying to play the wide men in and United again began to threaten.

The home side looked anything but as they spent much of the game absorbing pressure and looking for the chance of a breakaway through Folan or Lloyd Owusu. For the last 15 minutes even that was beyond them as United produced a barnstorming finish that, on another night, would have won the game with something in hand.

Debutant Richard Walker played his part in that, giving the side a lift when he came on for John Taylor after 72 minutes just as United were starting to run out of attacking ideas. Walker's passing looked a cut above anything else on the pitch -- with the possible exception of Russell -- and the new boy released Benjamin with a beauty for a chance he should have taken. If those 18 minutes are a taste of things to come, Walker, on loan from Aston Villa, looks capable of serving up a treat or two when he gets his first start.

"Richard Walker came on and did very well," said United manager Roy McFarland. "He passed the ball well and got to the pace of the game very quickly. I was pleased with what I saw."

It was Walker whose cross so nearly set up a goal for Russell with just four minutes left, Butler causing confusion around the penalty spot only for Russell's well-struck shot to be cleared off the line by Herman Hreidarsson. Moments later Fortress Griffin Park celebrated the final whistle like a cup final win. Flattering for the visitors, of course, but bitter-sweet music in United's ears.

One moment of inspiration, brilliance and vision sent Cambridge United reeling to their third consecutive away defeat. Tony Folan showed awareness and ambition above and beyond Division Three to lob an out of position Marshall from all of 50 yards with just 5 minutes on the clock to send Brentford to within a point of top-of-the-table Cardiff City.

The Bees had stung, but just like the creature proceeded to whither and die for the remainder of a match dominated and controlled by United who not only camped themselves, but set up base in the Brentford half. At times the movement of Butler and Russell along with the power of Benjamin was looking an irresistible force, and threatening to overpower the tired Brentford defence exhausted by 120 minutes of football just three days prior.

The Brentford goal occurred about 4 seconds after United should have taken the lead. Jamie Campbell rose majestically to meet an Alex Russell cross but the ball was scraped free to Tony Folan inside his own half. Three seconds, and two touches later the ball was in the back of the United net as he unleashed a shot from 50 yards which appeared to be going high and over before it dipped under the crossbar and sent Griffin Park into raptures of 'Folan, from the halfway line!'

To say United went on to control the half would tell only half the tale. Brentford failed to force one corner during the first period and relied on the exceptional Bates and Hreidarsson at the back to keep United at bay. It was one way traffic, yet the Brentford goal appeared to have a 'No Entry' sign posted above of it as United failed to find the luck or touch in front of goal.

Being beaten from 50 yards appeared to have reduced Marshall to a dithering wreck, drained of confidence and awareness. I can only remember him making one save all night, yet he still gave the impression of a goalkeeper walking on ice. On 14 minutes the young keeper, under no pressure, decided on punching instead of catching a lofted ball into the box and went on to have more decidedly uncertain moments later in the game. It was fortunate that in front of him were a defence playing a neat and controlled game frustrating and shutting out the Brentford front line. Duncan and Joseph were affectedly reducing Brentford to nine men as Owusu and Rowlands failed to get near the ball on any occasion.

Despite the dominance of possession there were few clear-cut opportunities for United to draw level during the first period, more a belief that our constant pressure in the final third would eventually lead to the breakthrough. Martin Butler had the best opportunity of the half as he drifted off his marker, timed his jump to perfection and powered a header straight at Dearden who after a brief fumble gratefully clutched the ball in his arms.

Brentford had their only other chance of the half on 35 minutes when after Ian Ashbee flicked on a ball in the United box, Freeman struck a shot over the United bar from the penalty spot. If United had gone in two goals down it would have been very unjust indeed, as we deserved on the balance of play and chances to be ahead.

The second half began with United starting where they left off, and could have found themselves equal after a few minutes. Paul Wanless struck a shot which was clearly blocked by the hand of Kevin Mahon but the referee waved away the appeals for a penalty. This disappointment appeared to comatose United as they allowed Brentford back into the game with inaccurate passing, and an inability to use the flanks that brought them such success in the first period. The game deteriorated in to a scrappy and un-entertaining affair during which Brentford had the better of the chances. Folan should have doubled his and Brentford's tally for the evening on 55 minutes as after neat build up play he found himself with a clear sight of goal, yet blazed his shot high and wide of post and bar.

After a rare defensive lapse from Marc Joseph on 66 minutes Freeman raced on to the United goal. Joseph attempted in vein to regain his ground, but watched gratefully as Freeman's shot troubled only the few face painted Brentford fans behind the goal. Then Shaun Marshall was called into meaningful action for the first time in the match, and seeing as it was on 70 minutes it perhaps gives an indication as to the pattern of the game. Folan, the nationwide man-of-the-match, danced through the tackles on the edge of the box and drilled in a low shot, which Marshall was relieved to gather at the first attempt.

Then began a spell of relentless and ruthless pressure from a United team baying for Brentford blood. Perhaps it was fitting that this was the last match before Christmas, as quite how Brentford survived this late onslaught without conceding a goal defies belief. Indeed the barrels of luck that fell down the chimney of Griffin Park one week early was the only thing that prevented United from taking all the points they deserved.

Trevor Benjamin began to come to life, and on 71 minutes terrorised the Brentford defence as he tore past Bates and Rowland only to see a last ditch tackle rob him of the ball just as he cocked the trigger. From the resulting corner the ball was cleared off the goal line from a John Taylor header. This was to be the King's last offering to the game, a game in which he failed to assert his presence and gave away possession on a few too many occasions. He was replaced by Andrew Walker, giving the youngster a chance to impress on only his second senior level performance, and his United debut.

His first contribution to the game was to deliver a defence-shattering ball to Trevor Benjamin to put his fellow teenager on an angled clear run on goal. Trevor hit a fierce shot which was saved well by the goalkeeper and punched behind for yet another corner. United were on fire, simply too hot to handle as they rampaged their way through the Brentford defence with Alex Russell twisting and turning them inside out. Brentford once again were camped in their own half, unable to find any accurate distribution from defence meaning the ball appeared to be on elastic.

Once again though, United failed to capitalise on their overwhelming territorial advantage and allowed the game to fade out in the last ten minutes to disappointingly low key ending. Brentford are the only team in the United Kingdom not to have drawn a league game, so perhaps a last gasp equaliser was never really on the cards. Indeed the best chances in the final ten minutes probably fell to the home side as Shaun Marshall made another mistake to seemingly secure Brentford with the points. He failed to control a very weak shot and pushed it out to the feet of Owusu but to his credit recovered well to dive at his feet and reclaim the ball.

Walker continued to show neat touch and awareness up front, but the minutes were running out for United. The lifeline we were crying out for appeared to have been given in the 86th minute when Dearden made an awful hash of claiming a cross and the ball fell at the feet of Russell with the goalkeeper stranded. The fact his goal-bound shot was blocked on the line by Hreidarsson summed up the evening perfectly, or to be more exact, summed up an imperfect evening.

United would have one last opportunity to draw level, but an infringement by Butler on the goalkeeper meant that the ball running agonisingly across the goal line was irrelevant, and from the resulting free kick full time was blown to end this luckless encounter.

Brentford showed great character and determination to hang in there and indeed the goal they scored is worthy of winning any match at any level. It would however be unfair to dismiss the effort and determination by the United team who put in another fine all round performance. The most worrying aspect to come out of the game was the performance of Shaun Marshall in goal who has been building up to a performance such as this for the last few matches, as one fan described it as a 'game too far' for the youngster who I feel will benefit more from a spell out of the team in the next few games rather than being kept in it.

One thing is for sure, playing like this for the remainder of the season will secure that Cambridge United will not suffer the agony of yet another season of optimism turned sour. We will flourish and grow into a better team based on defeats like this, as they serve as a reminder that we are able to outplay and outclass anyone from this division. We are now half way there, half way to the end of the season. Not so much living on a prayer, but living on the belief that what we have witnessed for the first half of the season is a team capable of escaping this division based on the ability, spirit and commitment they have displayed in all but a few matches.

Will Jones

I left Melbourn about 4:30 and picked up Dave Halls in Royston soon after. Bypassed Baldock by taking the back roads into Stevenage to the A1(M), then to the M25 where the traffic was heavy but still moving quite swiftly. It started to drizzle as we got to the M4, and the rain got heavier as we got closer to Brentford. Navigator Dave got us to the streets around the ground, one possible parking space was rejected as it was in a dark and slightly dodgy looking area, but found a better place a few minutes walk away by 6:30, so a 2 hour journey was much quicker than anticipated.

We had the directions from Gunnersbury station to The Barge, unfortunately my map didn't show stations, so a wander round found us in The Lord Nelson pub (Peter, is this on your site?) just the other side of the M4 from the ground, which had a TV showing the preview of the match. Of course they showed Brentford first, and we had to leave by the time the got to show United!

In the ground (in the dry) I met James for the first time, a number of other regular Moosenetters and guests were also there. I managed to knock a few balloons around. Julie, were they yours I managed to get my hands on??????

The game started with us looking the livelier, in the 3rd minute a Butler cross was put out for a corner, from which Shaggy had a header cleared almost off the line. The clearance fell to one of their players midway in his half who took it forward to around the halfway line where he hoofed it downfield, unfortunately for us Marshall was off his line and the ball dropped just under the bar and into the net. (Having just watched the sport round-up on Sky this morning where they showed the goal the player looked up to the other side of the pitch before playing the ball, and I reckon he was going for a crossfield pass! Sky thought it could be a contender for goal of the season as it was very Beckham like).

We continued to press forward, a Campbell cross was palmed onto the bar and away by their keeper, a 1-2 gave Benjamin a chance but the keeper saved at his feet, a short corner allowed Russell a low shot which was saved at the near post, and a free kick a few yards outside the penalty area was put wide by Russell, and Shaggy had a header saved after a good cross from Campbell.

Brentford were defending in depth, but occasionally pressured our defence, usually because of over-elaboration on a pitch which was cutting up badly meant possession was lost. Marshall chose to punch a couple of crosses away when he had time to catch, and some of his kicks when under pressure did not have enough distance. They had one good chance which was blazed over from around 8 yards. We definitely had more possession in the first half, made a number of chances and were unlucky to be behind.

The second half started with us putting them under pressure, a Benjamin flick-on at the near post was cleared, Wanless had a shot (slightly sliced) which appeared to hit a defenders hand but no penalty, another shot was charged down, Butler was held off just enough to prevent him getting on to a through ball, an Ashbee cross went to Benjamin who missed but Ashbee had been offside. Benjamin had a run into the penalty area and his cross to Shaggy was headed goalwards but kicked off the line, Butler had a good run stopped for a corner, which caused more panic in their defence when the keeper missed the corner but the ball somehow got cleared, then Wanless almost got on the end of another corner but got a knock for his efforts and conceded a free kick.

Brentford were again limited to very few chances, Marshall having a couple of shots to save with relative ease. 28 minutes into the half Richard Walker ( the Aston Villa loanee) came on for Shaggy, and immediately showed some good touches. Benjamin had another shot saved, and our corners were causing them a lot of problems. Butler was taken out just outside the penalty area which resulted in their defender being booked, the resulting free kick was cleared.

Marshall made a bit of a mess gathering a weak shot, allowing the ball to spill out, but he recovered to grab the ball before the forward could pass it. Leo Fortune-West came on for them in the last few minutes, and almost immediately caused a rumpus near the touchline, lots of players being involved but just a lot of hot air rather than any punches being thrown. We had another chance kicked off the their goal line with the keeper beaten, then a Russell cross caused panic but the keeper had been fouled.

So we lost 1-0. We were the better team and made many more chances, and on another day could have won handsomely. Brentford defended in depth, and that looks to be their strength as they showed little in attack. Their best player seemed to be "Kicked off goal-line"!

Duncan and Joseph had good games at the back, Chenery and Campbell were OK with Campbell slightly better getting forward. In the middle Wanless and Ashbee could have done better, but Russell was superb and my MOM. Whenever he got the ball he kept control, made space for himself and made a good pass. At the front Benjamin was on the wing, and nearly always had to go past two defenders, something he didn't manage too often. Butler struggled to control the ball with a big defender right behind him but was lively, and Shaggy didn't seem to get into the game too often. Walker held the ball well, and as I said showed some good touches, and may perhaps start in the next game.

In goal I think Marshall may get a rest. I don't think he can be blamed for the goal, but some of his kicking and punches did not relieve the pressure as they should have, but hopefully he will learn from the experience and improve on his weaker areas.

I don't know if it was because the game was on TV, but for a top of the table clash it was played in a very good spirit (apart from the little disagreement in the last minute), and the referee had relatively little to do and allowed the game to flow where possible. We got away from the ground quite quickly, had a good journey back and dropped off Dave in Cambridge at 11:20. The brief report on the radio coming home mentioned that Brentford were a little lucky to get the win. I'd say extremely lucky!

Ratings:
Marshall 5, Chenery 7, Ashbee 6, Duncan 8, Joseph 8, Campbell 7, Wanless 7, Taylor 6 (Walker 8), Butler 7, Benjamin 7, Russell 9
Subs not used: Preece, Youngs.

Here's wishing you all a very Happy Christmas, and look forward to a good home win on Boxing Day.

United made one enforced change to the team for tonight's televised top-of-the-table clash with big-spending Brentford, Ian Ashbee coming in for the suspended Neil Mustoe. Brentford had used hot air blowers to ensure that the game went ahead and to dry the pitch following recent heavy rain, but a further downpour late this afternoon, after the covers were removed, ensured that the pitch was going to be heavy and cut up easily.

United started brightly and forced Brentford on the back foot from the first minute, and had a good chance to take the lead in the fifth minute. Jamie Campbell met Alex Russell's corner with a firm header but the ball was cleared by Freeman to Tony Folan as Brentford broke out at speed. Folan showed great skill and vision to spot Shaun Marshall off his line and scored with an extravagent curling lob from just inside the U's half as Marshall back-pedalled in vain.

Unied responded well and continued to attack Brentford, dominating the half with good possession football on a pitch that soon showed the effects of a mid-week game and heavy rain. In the 10th minute a cross to the far post was palmed over by Dearden as Paul Wanless charged in, but in the 13th minute a shaken Marshall punched a poor clearance that fortunately landed at the feet of Trevor Benjamin and not a Brentford forward.

Dearden smothered a low shot from Russell in the 16th minute as United continued to press and seek a way back into the game, and the three front men were stretching Brentford's back four with their width and the movement of Butler and Benjamin. The Bees had switched to a back four from their usual wing-back system and captain Jamie Bates was playing at right-back, apparently to mark Benjamin. At the other end Owusu had barely seen the ball and Andy Duncan and Marc Joseph were combining well to work an effective offside trap.

In the 22nd minute a United counter-attack saw Ben Chenery scamper up the right wing before finding Butler with a cross, but the striker took one touch too many and it was cleared off his toe just inside the box. The pitch was cutting up badly in the Brentford half, where most of the game was being played. After 24 minutes a free kick was awarded centrally and just outside the box after Hreidarsson was penalised for climbing all over John Taylor, but Alex Russell curled his kick wide of the post. In the next minute there was another scare for the U's when Ijah Anderson's deep cross from wide on the left dipped to bounce off the crossbar and behind. A goal kick was given although TV replays showed that Marshall got a finger to the ball.

United's clearest chance to equalise came in the 28th minute when Chenery's good cross into the box presented Butler with a free header but he directed the ball straight at Dearden who collected the ball at the second attempt after an initial fumble. After 32 minutes Sky TV confirmed United's dominance with their corner count of five to United to Brentford's none, but the U's were struggling to make that dominance count in the final third, where Benjamin was getting little joy from the experienced Bates.

There was a minor flashpoint in the 34th minute when Darren Freeman slid through the back of Jamie Campbell near the touchline and raised his foot to catch the back of Campbell's thigh, then held him down as he tried to go after the ball, but Campbell wisely restrained himself from extending their tussle and the referee stepped in to defuse the situation. Freeman spurned a glorious opportunity a minute later when he volleyed Folan's cross narrowly over the bar from a couple of yards out.

In the 38th minute Campbell's shot was deflected out of play and Marc Joseph's long throw caused confusion in the Brentford box, play resembling a game of pinball as the ball pinged off the legs of three Bees players before being hacked clear. Ian Ashbee was having a good game, covering well and always looking for a positive pass when in possession, and in the 42nd minute his header was cleared out of the box after Russell and Campbell combined on a short corner routine.

The half-time stats confirmed that the U's were somewhat unlucky to be behind, with 42% of the game having taken place in the Brentford half and yielding nine shots at goal, six on target, and seven corners. (Half-time 1-0)

Brentford made a change at the start of the second half when Oatway replaced Dirk Hebel, and the home side were much improved after the break although United had the first chance at goal. Four minutes in, a far post cross was nodded back across goal by Taylor to Wanless, who appealed in vain for a handball by Kevin Mahon as the ball spun wide. Brentford were picking up the pace and soon forced their first corner of the game, and after 55 minutes Folan fired over after some neat approach work and a cool backheel along the edge of the box by Mahon.

The game entered a scrappy spell as Brentford worked hard to close United down and break up their rhythm, and both sides were guilty of misplaced passes on the dreadful surface. Brentford had the next chance in the 66th minute when Freeman again fired over the bar after breaking clear between defenders, and on 70 minutes Folan danced along the edge of the box before firing at Marshall who collected the ball safely. A minute later Trevor Benjamin at last got free, cutting inside Bates and Rowlands diverted his goalbound shot behind to concede another corner.

His effort seemed to raise United's game and from Russell's corner John Taylor saw his shot cleared off the line by Freeman. By this stage Richard Walker, on loan from Aston Villa, was ready to enter the fray but he had to wait a few more minutes as United continued to press. Paul Wanless and Jamie Bates both required attention in the 73rd minute after clashing heads at another United corner, and Roy McFarland chose that moment to hand Walker his United debut as he replaced Taylor.

The 21-year-old made an instant impact when with his first touch he released Benjamin on the left. The big striker burst into the box only to delay his shot as he moved the ball onto his left foot and allowed Dearden the time to make a good save. United continued to up the tempo and Butler was crudely felled six inches outside the box on the left, the foul earning Quinn the first and only booking of the game. Russell's free kick was cleared by Quinn and Folan again broke clear at pace, provoking fears of a repeat of his fifth minute goal, but Chenery eventually tidied up.

Walker caught the eye again in the 79th minute when he broke down the right wing, but his speculative shot was collected by Dearden. As the game entered its final ten minutes the action was turning scrappy again, probably due to tiring legs as well as the increasingly awful pitch. Shaun Marshall had another heart-stopping moment when he fumbled the ball on the by-line under pressure from Owusu, but he scrambled after Owusu as the striker tried to turn for a shot and pinched the ball cleanly off the striker's boot.

United had a late chance when in the 86th minute Dearden spilled the ball in the box and Alex Russell pounced to shoot from near the penalty spot, but heart-breakingly Hermann Hreidarsson was on the line to clear the ball. A minute later the referee stopped play as two Brentford players were down, Owusu clutching his shoulder after an aerial challenge with Andy Duncan and Freeman lying in the goalmouth after Joseph and Marshall had combined to clear the ball from inside the box. United's Ken Steggles attended to Owusu's shoulder while the Brentford physio treated Freeman.

Folan fired an 89th minute free kick across the box but several Brentford heads failed to make contact, and then Ron Noades withdrew Owusu and sent Leo Fortune-West into the fray. With three minutes stoppage time indicated, Brentford dug in to preserve the three points and this caused a minor incident right in front of the benches when Paul Wanless and Trevor Benjamin were both trying to win possession from Brentford players who were playing keep-ball. The harrassment and frustration boiled over into a minor scuffle involving several players from each side, and Roy McFarland could be seen on the touchline telling the players to cool it.

The final chance of the game came in the 93rd minute when Walker fed Russell in a wide position, the midfielder produced a good cross into the box but Butler was adjudged to have fouled Dearden in the melee and a free kick was awarded. As soon as Brentford had cleared the ball the whistle blew for full-time and a clearly delighted Noades was congratulated by McFarland.

Even at full-time, after the Bees had improved and dug in for the second half, the statistics showed that overall United could be counted a little unlucky to come away from London empty-handed. The U's had ten shots to Brentford's six, seven on target compared to three, and eleven corners compared to two.

Sky TV's Man of the Match Folan said, somewhat mysteriously, "They had most of the match and they had most of the chances but I think we deserved to win." When told he had scored from 48 yards the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international joked, "I've only got little legs, I didn't know I could hit it that far! I saw the keeper off his line and I just whacked it."

Brentford owner-manager Ron Noades said afterwards, "I think Cambridge deserved something but I'm glad they didn't get it!" Referring to his side's mid-week FA Cup defeat by Oldham after extra-time and penalties he added, "Today was the harder game for us. The players kept going and I'm delighted with them."

Roy McFarland faced the cameras to say, "I think we've had a little bit of bad luck. Lady Luck doesn't seem to be running for us at the moment. I certainly think we deserved something out of the game. I thought overall we were the better team and without doubt deserved something."

Asked what he had been saying to his players he replied, "Consoling them. The players are also gutted. Our fans got drenched and it will be a long journey back for them. We do feel for them as we had a good turnout tonight as regards supporters. But I got a little reward tonight. Richard Walker showed quite a bit, his first touch was a tremendous ball to put Trevor Benjamin through. Trevor did get a shot on target and obviously the keeper made a great save.