The CEN web site was not updated (again!) on the Monday after the game but Roy McFarland gave his thoughts on the game later in the week:

"It was a bad result, no doubt about that," he admitted "and very disappointing for everybody concerned with the club after the Worthington Cup run. But looking back at the match, for an hour I thought we were probably the better team. I certainly didn't come away thinking we'd been outclassed by a Division Two team.

"They won the match with a burst of three goals in 10 minutes, and we made errors which contributed. Our full-backs, Ben Chenery and Jamie Campbell, played people onside for two of them for instance. And there were other factors, like Marc Joseph and Neil Mustoe only just getting back from injury, and young Martin McNeil having to play when he needed a break.

"Martin has been tremendous coming in as an 18-year-old from the youth team to play in some big games for us, but there's so much for a youngster to take on board. I know from my own experience at that age.

"We competed well against Macclesfield before they got their second goal. We contained them to a shot or two in the first half. And it wasn't as though we didn't create chances. We should have had a goal or two more in the second half, which would have been a truer reflection of the game as a whole. I'm not interested in finding excuses for us going out of the Cup. But there are reasons, things we can improve on, and factors which show we shouldn't read too much into a defeat like that.

"Another thing which might well have had an effect was having to go a fortnight without a match because of the surprise postponement at Rochdale. Physically and mentally teams like to keep their momentum going at this stage of the season. It doesn't help when you have to take an enforced break like that."

'Can we play you every week?' sang the Macclesfield Town fans as they watched their team demolish a United side who mindlessly stumbled through 90 minutes of football which culminated in the most unprofessional, disinterested and ultimately worrying defeat of the season to date.

For the first time in nearly two years in a competitive match, Cambridge United conceded four goals as their progress in the FA Cup was shattered by a bloodthirsty Macclesfield Team who were allowed to feed off harrowing defending, indecisive tackling and a general lack of commitment, enthusiasm or organisation running through the whole United team.

The game began in chilling conditions and was being played on a very heavy and out of condition pitch, unsuited to the quick counter attacking passing game United have adopted for most of the season, leading to some wondrous performances and victories. This however was the other side of the coin, a performance to remind all those there exactly how quickly things can change in football and what can, and ultimately will, happen if you play in this purposeless fashion.

It was however the United team who had the better of the opening exchanges as Trevor Benjamin just failed to connect with a 6th minute John Taylor cross at the far post. Three minutes later provider turned provided as Benjamin did well to dig out a fine cross, which Taylor headed straight into the hands of 'keeper Price.

The best chance for United in the first half fell to Martin Butler on 17 minutes, who latched onto a fine through ball to find himself alone in the penalty area, with his back to goal. He turned and shot in one fluid movement which was anticipated by Price who blocked the shot before gratefully smothering the ball and clear the danger. This was to be the story of the afternoon, as Cambridge never grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and failed to take the initiative.

At the other end Jamie Campbell was having a torrid time against the impressive Whittaker while Martin McNeil in the centre of defence was struggling to find position allowing the Macclesfield attackers the space and time to take the ball on to goal. Andy Duncan did his best to try and organise the defence and covered well on occasions and delivered some accurate well timed saving tackles. It is fortunate though that Whittaker's final ball was lacking as on a few occasions he broke free down the right only to produce crosses too close to Marshall or the feet of the United defenders.

Alex Russell was struggling to find his range at the other end, as he delayed his final ball into the box on many occasions. This allowed the Macclesfield team time to anticipate and deal with the accurate, yet ineffective balls and thus saw him waste his neat and at times impressive approach play. Two free kicks from the left were wasted by Campbell on 21 and 23 minutes respectively, while his team mate on the other side of the pitch, Ben Chenery, gave away possession with poorly placed passes and half hearted tackles enabling the Macclesfield players to emerge with the ball far too often.

Despite United looking very poor in most areas, it took a very lucky break for Macclesfield to take the advantage in the tie. After a sliced clearance from McNeil went out for a corner on 34 minutes, the resulting kick bounced about in the box and dithering defenders failed to clear the danger allowing Askey to fire home wide of the wrong footed Marshall and under the foot of Jamie Campbell on the goal line.

United looked for an immediate response as they took the ball forward from the resulting place kick, only to see Martin Butler fail to connect to a low Benjamin cross at the near post. This was to be a false indication as to the rest of the first half, as Macclesfield came forward and were unlucky not to add to their advantage. Two very well timed headers from Campbell denied Askey as Macclesfield began to realise that this shaky and unsure United team were there for the taking.

The referee blew for half time, ending the torturous half in which United failed to show any of the form which made them the bookies favourites for the match. Indeed after the second half performance I doubt United will be the bookies tip for anything other than a diminishing promotion push for the rest of the season. A team who had not played a competitive fixture for the last two weeks looked anything but the bright, energetic bunch of enthusiastic players you would expect. They looked a slow, ineffective unit unable and seemingly unwilling to exert any degree of control or tempo on the match.

Macclesfield began the second period in a formidable fashion as they exploited the inexperienced McNeil at the back and were unfortunate not to double their lead. On 49 minutes Tomlinson rounded Marshall after being allowed a free run on goal, only to hit an angled shot against the foot of the post. Two minutes later the same player found himself two yards out with the goal at his mercy, only to stroke his shot a yard wide to the amazement and relief of the United faithful.

Then came the moment which looked as though it might turn the match on it's head. After an aerial battle with Butler goalkeeper Brian Price punched the ball seemingly to safety outside the penalty area. Jamie Campbell caught the ball on the volley, and watched it travel like a guided missile through the legs of team-mate Benjamin before nestling neatly in the bottom right hand corner of the Macclesfield net. United were back in the game, and for the next five minutes looked as though they could even win it.

To say this was misguided hope though would be the understatement of the millennium. Despite some neat build up play, poor crossing from Russell and Campbell highlighted the fact it was just not United's day. Just 15 minutes after the United equaliser the game was dead and buried as a contest as Tomlinson swaggered through the United defence on 60, 65 and 70 minutes to claim a remarkable 10 minute hat-trick and shatter the fragile sense of hope installed by Campbell's 55th minute strike.

All three were well taken, the first and second with both a hint of offside before he rounded the keeper and slotted neatly home on both occasions. The third was a tap in, a shot which needed little accuracy or power as John Askey had bypassed the defence and goalkeeper with his accurate ball across the box. United substitute Mustoe entered the game and didn't really put a foot wrong. He showed the level of determination and commitment lacking from the rest of the team. After his introduction it was United who looked the most likely team to score, but when you are down you are unlikely to get that slice of luck you need.

Martin Butler did very little wrong for most of the game, but when given the opportunities simply failed to show the killer instinct necessary. He found himself with a chance to reduce the deficit on two occasions. On 67 minutes with the score at 3-1 he rounded the keeper but from a narrow angle stumbled as he attempted to play the ball across the area to the waiting Benjamin and the chance was wasted. On 85 minutes a brave Benjamin challenge on the keeper saw the ball break free to him 8 yards from goal with just a solitary defender on the line. The fact that the defender managed to get his body in the way of the shot just illustrated once again that today was not going to be our day.

Trevor Benjamin saved it until the last minute before doing anything resembling attacking play. Laboured, motionless and seemingly disinterested for the previous 89 minutes he had two fine opportunities to score a consolation goal. He headed wide and lost his footing to cap a fifth consecutive display of lacklustre and ineffective forward play during which he looked like he had never played the game before in his life.

A confidence crushing performance and result, which must be forgotten as quickly as possible. Mind-numbingly poor performances such as this though are not easily dismissed from memory, and perhaps the most worrying aspect of the whole game was the fact the team looked, for probably the first time all season, the only side going to lose.

We were outfought and outplayed on all areas of the pitch. We failed to display any of the class, ability or purposeful play needed to win the game. The fans were left with not just the bitter feelings of cup exit, but the feeling that they witnessed a complacent lethargic display which if repeated in the league will swiftly dismiss any chance of promotion from Division Three.

I sometimes wonder if the players *really* understand what fans have to go through to get to matches and how they feel after seeing the object their arduous journey appear to put less than 50% effort into an event that has left a lot of people considerably out of pocket. Personally the journey took me 3 hours and 45 mins each way, almost 8 hours traveling, I drove through rain, sleet and snow on the way there and on the way back some of the minor roads that I had to take were like skidpans, on the terrace we were allocated it was bone numbingly cold.

I was fuming after the game and the chants of "can we play you every week" from the understandably jubilant Macclesfield fans really hurt. To compound the pain even more it was obvious to all that traveled that we were not beaten by a vastly superior side from a higher division, more the fact that United were pathetic for want of a better word.

Indeed for the first 15 mins Macclesfield look very poor and low on confidence and you could sense that if United stepped up a gear that a place in round 3 was a distinct possibility, but the U's never even got out of first gear and seemed to have left their pride and desire at home until Mustoe came on for the last 15 mins and we looked a totally different side.

We missed 3 golden chances in the last quarter of an hour when first Taylor scuffed a shot from 4 yards into the 'keepers hands, then Butler found himself clean through but his shot hit the only player between him and the net and rebounded into the 'keepers arms, then Benjamin (who IMO had a dreadful game and contributed virtually nothing to the game, not even in terms of effort) went for power in front of an empty net when a simple tap-in would have almost certainly resulted in a goal, he completely missed the ball.

It's a shame that United didn't wake up until they were 4-1 down and the kind of effort and play evident in the last 15 mins was more what we are used to seeing, hopefully Roy gave them a roasting after the game for such a woeful display and with a little luck one or two of the players will have noted the response of the frozen and dejected U's fans after the game and realised that they at least need to try and match the commitment of the fans.

The one comforting note was the fact that it was a game that we could afford to lose and not have to worry about losing ground in the league and hopefully the team will realise that" pretty football" is nice to watch but needs to tempered with effort and desire, too many repeats of yesterdays spectacle will see us plummeting down the league in no time at all.

On a lighter and happier note it was great to meet Andrea and her husband (classic example of fans' devotion-they flew over from the Isle of Man just to see the game ...maybe the players should be made to pay the cost of *that* little trip ) ....hope you had a safe journey home Andrea, plus I met one or two other moosenetters for the first time.

Also Julie didn't kick my shins as previously promised after I suggested that big Trev be rested after a few below par games(like yesterday) although she wouldn't give me one of her balloons :-)

Here's hoping that yesterday was a watershed for United and that the team is more focused on Saturday for the visit of Plymouth which heralds what is IMO a crucial stage of the season for the U's with some tough games coming up, I think after the next eight games we will have a true picture of what this side is made of and what we can realistically expect from the second half of the season.

Cambridge United looked a shadow of the side that recorded such impressive Worthington Cup wins earlier this season as they were swept aside by Macclesfield Town. The scoreline flatters the Silkmen a little but there can be no denying the fact that this United team produced a performance that numbed the minds of the supporters as much as the freezing weather numbed our extremities!

An unchanged United team took the field this afternoon, although Marc Joseph and Neil Mustoe were named among the five substitutes after missing all of last month through injury. The game got off to a steady start with little to excite the freezing supporters of either side, but United enjoyed the territorial advantage for most of the first half without really threatening the Macclesfield defence.

Trevor Benjamin, John Taylor and Martin Butler all had chances in the first 20 minutes but their efforts were too tame to test Ryan Price. At the other end, in front of the frozen travelling U's, United were struggling to cope with the width provided by Macclesfield's impressive winger Stuart Whittaker, and Andy Duncan was left to do a lot of covering as his three defensive colleagues went missing or played each other into trouble.

In midfield Wanless looked muted, Ashbee was playing too deep and often played the ball back when the game was crying out for someone to carry the ball forwards, and even the in-form Alex Russell struggled to raise his game. The front three were left isolated and when Taylor and Butler came deep looking for the ball the front men were too far apart to link effectively. Trevor Benjamin had a disappointing, static game that frustrated the supporters and he only came to life in the dying stages.

Both sides were poor in the first half as misplaced passes were the order of the day, and it took a defensive lapse to hand Macclesfield the lead in the 35th minute. The United defence failed to clear a corner as the ball bobbled in the area and John Askey was perfectly placed to bury Graeme Tomlinson's rebound. The Silkmen were buoyed by their goal and put United's shaky defence under severe pressure until the break, and Jamie Campbell's aerial strength was valuable as he intercepted some of their inviting crosses. (Half-time 1-0)

No doubt Roy McFarland delivered a roasting to his under-par players at half-time and they started the second half well, but Macclesfield had also raised their game and Whittaker was soon back to torturing Campbell and pulling McNeil out of position. The lively Tomlinson twice went close to scoring but his shots hit the post and flew wide, and then Jamie Campbell handed the U's a few minutes of false hope with his strike in the 55th minute. He met a clearance first time and his 25-yard thunderbolt skimmed through the penalty area and low into the corner of the net, and for a few moments afterwards it looked as though the real Cambridge United had arrived and were about to make up for lost time.

But the sometimes neat approach play fell down with the final ball and a ten minute hattrick by Tomlinson ended any chance of a revival. United's defence had looked shaky throughout, and when the offside trap was sprung in the 61st minute by Tinson's through-ball Tomlinson made light work of rounding Marshall before slotting the ball home from about 20 yards out. Five minutes later United fans appealed vainly for offside as Tomlinson again broke through and struck from the edge of the box for his second, and Marc Joseph replaced McNeil shortly afterwards to bring some experience to the disintegrating defence.

Jamie Campbell picked out Trevor Benjamin with a rare accurate cross but the big striker headed the ball straight at Price, and it was all over in the 71st minute when Tomlinson was well-placed to tap the ball in from ten yards. John Taylor had faded during the second half on the heavy surface and he was replaced by Neil Mustoe after 74 minutes. The little midfielder tore into the game at full-tilt and immediately lit up the game, showing the determination that United had been crying out for all afternoon. He harried and chased, called for the ball, attacked with it, and United looked the more dangerous side once he was on the pitch as he single-handedly lifted the team and gave the supporters something to cling to.

The static Benjamin was finally sparked into life and forced a couple of late chances, although one free header was directed straight into the arms of Price and when he eventually took on and beat a defender his low cross was hit with too much power and fizzed across the goalmouth too fast for Wanless or Butler to connect. Another Benjamin shot was somehow blocked by the one defender on the line, and it was at this point that United supporters knew that we could play all night and never score a second goal!

Looking for good points from this afternoon's match, at least Neil Mustoe and Marc Joseph have returned to the first team and young Martin McNeil was probably relieved to be replaced by Joseph after having a torrid afternoon against Macclesfield's front men. Andy Duncan underlined his growing reputation with a good personal performance although he was let down by his defensive colleagues today, and Martin Butler never stopped running and looking for the ball on an afternoon when most of his team mates looked as though they would rather join the travelling U's who departed early.

Next weekend United are back in League action with a big game in prospect against Plymouth Argyle, and the team performance today has made it easy for Roy McFarland to make the changes that there are sure to be after such an afternoon.