IN PLEASING patches which must have had manager Roy McFarland purring, Cambridge United showed the shape and style of things to come, hopefully, next season.

During one spell early in the second half they passed the ball around with such pace and precision, Plymouth Argyle could not get near enough to a player in possession even to stop the flow by fouling him. It was attacking football fit to grace Division Two. But unfortunately it occurred in the same game as some Dr Martens defending.

So a United side with the skill and strength to have controlled this match, had to battle back from behind against an average Argyle outfit whose confidence was boosted by being handed two goals at corner kicks. And when it was all square with 20 minutes left, the League leaders lacked the energy to go for the victory after having to work so hard under a blazing Devon sun.

Shaun Marshall's broad shoulders were where much of the blame accumulated. A hero of the promotion clincher at Rochdale four days earlier, he got off to a shaky start this time and never fully recovered. The youngster's wayward punch was responsible for the early own goal which gave such a boost to a Plymouth side beaten by struggling Southend and Brighton in their previous home games.

Twice more, soon after the eighth minute mistake, he mistimed his challenge for high balls as well as nearly getting caught in possession making a clearance, and you could almost visualise the uncertainty spreading through his defence.

In the second half he had to stand in front of a bank of home fans who rival Cardiff City's for their vehemence, and as they roared their chant of "dodgy keeper," the hearts were in the mouths of the United supporters at the other end every time he had to deal with a cross or back pass.

The travelling fans played their part in helping United haul themselves back after each gift goal. More than 500 made the 650 miles round trip, and the splash of black and amber along one end terrace must have encouraged McFarland's men as much as their noisy support.

They even managed to upstage a seemingly endless series of end-of-season awards to Plymouth players -- which must have included categories such as best haircut, considering their season -- by making their own award at the touchline to Martin Butler (Away Fans Player of the Year), and John Taylor (Club record scorer). And admirably, instead of the usual silly "reject" taunts, they cheered former United stalwart Mick Heathcote when he received the Argyle Player of the Year trophy.

Although there might just have been a harsher word aimed at the centre-half later on when he, like just about every Argyle player, started scything United down as they threatened to get a grip on the game. They showed signs of doing that right from the kick-off -- delayed by half an hour due to a fire alarm malfunction -- as Alex Russell and Jamie Campbell forced excellent early saves from goalkeeper James Dungey.

But after the eighth minute setback it took them until the 30th to get their game going again up front. In the meantime Marshall made some amends with a reflex save when Glenn Crowe broke through in the 18th minute.

United equalised eight minutes before the break, Ian Ashbee's strength and dogged determination in riding two tackles setting up the power strike which ended Trevor Benjamin's changing room taunting from concerned, rather than critical, team-mates about his run of eight games without scoring.

There was a scare just before the break when another slack moment in the United defence almost handed Darren Bastow a goal. But the warning went unheeded, and the necessary concentration was lacking as Argyle regained the lead from a corner 16 minutes into the second half.

That broke a spell in which United, orchestrated by Russell, made the home defence look like traffic cones on a training pitch. And the fine football almost earned them the lead when a Russell-Butler move set up Benjamin for a shot which flew across the face of goal.

When their next goal did arrive 17 minutes after the near miss it might have set up a rousing finish with both sides striving for the winner. But instead, the match disintergrated into scuffles and squabbles. United skipper Paul Wanless said he quite enjoyed much of the mayhem, which meant many of the tackles and challenges were fairly close to terrifying.

Referee Phil Richards, dragged all the way down from Preston, was scarcely in control during the final ten minutes (or three and a third rounds), and appeared to blow for time slightly early, presumably preferring to go for a relaxing bath, rather than deal with the Argyle defender who had just cut down Michael Kyd.

They played "We'll meet again" at the end, but we will not for a while, and few of the United contingent are likely to shed many tears about that.

We have been waiting for one for three years, and just like a London bus they have arrived at once. The "20 goal a season striker" Cambridge United have lacked during the last three flawed attempts to escape this division from hell has finally been found ... thrice.

John Taylor, Martin Butler and Trevor Benjamin now have a staggering 59 goals between them this season. Once again one of our pulsating attacking diamonds clinched another point to push the U's closer to the Third Division Championship on a sunny day in Devon.

Trevor Benjamin mustered the electric form his game has been missing ever since his goals against Sheffield Wednesday made national headlines. Today he served up a treat of a performance, brimming with every single attribute you would expect a top class striker to have in their pocket.

The U's had to come from behind twice, as they produced a performance littered with uncharacteristically poor defending -gifting Argyle two goals- but made up for it with competent, classy and at times sublime passing football. The hot Devon sun relentlessly powered down on the pitch, and the 500 or so long distance supporters in the open terrace away end took the opportunity to start off their summer holiday tans a few weeks early. For much of the opening exchanges the team looked as though they were treating the game as some sort of holiday as well, strolling around the park allowing Argyle to dictate the pace and take advantage of the seemingly casual attitude adopted by their already promoted visitors.

United still managed to have the clearest opportunities in the opening five minutes. Jamie Campbell saw a fine attempt saved, and moments later Martin Butler connected well to an Alex Russell cross only to see the ball go just wide of the near post. Paul Wanless also struck a long-range attempt over the bar.

Despite the early United pressure Argyle took the lead following a bizarre defensive mix up. Shaun Marshall 'dealt' with a corner by punching the ball into the ground five feet in front of him, where his teammates Scott Eustace and Paul Wanless combined to force the ball over the wrong goal line. It seemed to come as much as a shock to Plymouth as it did United, and the league leaders did not react very well to the set back. Marshall lapsed into a worrying state, seemingly reduced to some sort of dithering wreck by the rare experience of costing United a goal. His indecision and lack of confidence began to spread to the rest of the team, but they had the character to get a grip of themselves before any more damage was done.

The goal gave Argyle confidence to take the game at United, and this led to a very open and enjoyable game of football. Trevor Benjamin should have equalised for United shortly after the goal as he made space for himself on the edge of the box but watched his final shot sail high over the crossbar. The U's seem to like it when teams 'dare' come at them, and this was no exception. After soaking up the pressure and confidence the goal instilled into the home side they slowly, then surely took a grip on the game. They picked, pulled, eyed up then tore at the Argyle defence.

Trevor Benjamin was causing them no end of problems down the left and through the middle. Ashbee and Wanless were imposing their dominance in midfield and showing composure and ability when taking the ball forward. Alex Russell was, as ever, spraying neat, effective and play making passes here, there and everywhere. The only surprise was that it took United until the 38th minute to level the scores. Ian Ashbee and Alex Russell combined well to set Benjamin clear inside the penalty area. The young striker unleashed a powerful drive that zoomed into the back of the net to register his 18th goal of the season, and first in eight matches.

This triggered not only celebrations in the away end, but the beginning of a 30-minute chant of "Roy McFarland's Amber Army" which lasted for the rest of the half, during half time and the beginning of the second period. This left many supporters with sore throats and arms, but the players seemed determined to reward their fans after the break.

During the second half the sun continued to beat down, and United started to use it as some sort of cruel weapon, beating them into submission with their own weather, in their own backyard. They were passing with a crisp cocky accuracy that led to frustration and perhaps even disbelief in the Argyle camp. They might not have believed they were playing the top team in the division during the first half, but they certainly would have realised it as they watched the ball zip between the light blue shirts like a pinball. United were showing the energy and commitment of a team playing for their lives. I suspect there were a number of questions going through the home side's heads ... "How are we going to deal with this?" or perhaps more accurately ... "How long can we hold out before Cambridge are going to score?".

The possession and passing was relentless but the final ball needed to cut the last thread by which the Argyle defence was hanging only rarely materialised. Trevor Benjamin and Martin Butler, whose work-rate under the sun was breathtaking, both came within a whisker of giving United the lead just before the hour mark. Butler raced through into the area and took the ball around the keeper but found himself facing a narrow angle. He cut the ball back to Benjamin who unleashed a shot from 10 yards that grazed the foot of the post before going behind for a goal kick.

The disappointment of this miss had only just sank in when United were hit with a sucker punch. From the resulting counter attack Argyle forced a corner of their own, and once again took a shock lead following poor defending. The Cambridge defenders had time and space to clear the ball from danger, but dithered allowing Crowe to stab home from 2 yards. The team reacted well to this though, and drew level less than 10 minutes later. They continued to play the game the way they had been, tiring the Argyle team and giving them a lesson as to how to play in the early summer. Michael Kyd made a welcome return to first team action when he replaced Richard Walker and showed some neat skill on the ball and was involved in the second United goal. His header found Benjamin in the box who stabbed home from 12 yards to notch his 19th goal of the season.

Argyle were no mugs however, and once they got hold of the ball knew what to do with it. They launched many quick counter attacks that tested United down the flanks and through the middle. Except for the two playground mistakes that led to the goals, United dealt with the home side's front line quite well. They are not as free scoring as many teams in the division, but put five past Scunthorpe and were clearly a team who once in front were capable of playing fine football. Their defence is one of the best in the division, and their home record of just 17 goals conceded -that's just 0.7 per game- is frightening. It is therefore very encouraging that United looked capable of breaking it down almost at ease, and became one of only five other teams who have managed to score more than one goal against them at home this season.

Jamie Campbell had probably his best league game of the season, as he looked both creative and dangerous going forward as well as producing some vital and well timed tackles at the back. His overall play was a joy to behold. It is this standard of play he must maintain, as opposed to showing in occasional matches throughout the season as playing like this he will more than hold his own in the Second Division.

Chances during the last 10 minutes were few and far between, but it was still United who had all the possession. Martin Butler headed a tame attempt into the goalkeeper's hands just before the end, and Benjamin fell inside the area much to the annoyance of the home fans who claimed he had dived. They felt he had in some way disgraced himself during the afternoon, they jeered his every touch. He had the last laugh though, as his two goals mathematically condemned Argyle to yet another year in the basement Division.

Those two goals also ensured Cambridge United will enter the last day of the season knowing that victory will give them the Championship. It could all be wrapped up before that though, as we make a long trip to Wales on Thursday night for the third instalment of the promotion party of the millennium.

Man of the match: Trevor Benjamin returned to top form and bagged a brace to move United within touching distance of the title. His power and competence on the ball combined with his neat passing and skilful running produced his most effective and promising performance for many months. Trevor is back ... let's hope it is for good.

Another hard earned point and another point towards the championship.

United faced a fired up Plymouth who had to win to stand any chance of making the play-offs and the afternoon started off in an un-nerving fashion with the kick-off delayed for 30 mins apparently for a fire alarm somewhere in the ground.

The start of the match seemed somewhat strange after all that waiting and the half hour delay and the hostile atmosphere inside Home Park seemed to unsettle United as they got off to a somewhat untidy start. Most nervous and unsettled of all seemed to be Shaun Marshall who from kick off was in uncertain mood and struggled for the first half with the aerial threat from the Plymouth strikers.

It was from a poor piece of keeping that Plymouth took an early lead as Marshall came off his line for a cross but was caught in two minds between catching the ball and punching it, in the end he palmed the ball against the unlucky Eustace and the ball rebounded off him and rolled into the net.

United were clearly rattled and spent the next ten minutes or so trying to regain their composure. They managed to get through this spell unscathed despite Marshall having one or two more moments of uncertainty with corners and communication problems with his defence.

Gradually United imposed themselves on the game with their neat passing play and subdued the noisy home fans with some excellent football in a 15 minute spell which saw them go close twice before deservedly drawing level through the impressive Trevor Benjamin. The goal came just at the right time as United were enjoying their best spell of the game thus far and following yet another attack Ashbee slipped the ball through to Benjamin who cracked home an unstoppable shot from just inside the left hand corner of the penalty area.

United continued to improve and there was only one other real scare after yet another mix up between Marshall and defence saw the 'keeper hesitate over a long through ball from the Plymouth midfield, with the U's defenders expecting Marshall to come and collect, he opted to stay on his line as a Plymouth striker nipped in and hit a shot which hit either Marshall or Eustace and flew just over the bar.

The second half started as the first had finished with United dominating territorially but wasting neat approach play with the final ball often being poor, although Trevor Benjamin was having one of his best games for weeks and was a thorn in the side of the Plymouth defence all afternoon with his tenacious tackling and powerful running.

Then against the run of play Plymouth took the lead due to slack marking by the United defence and following two chances to clear their lines the U's fell behind for the second time in the game. At this point heads could have dropped but a feature of this year's United side has been an added determination and a will to succeed that has been perhaps lacking in the last two or three seasons, and led by the ever courageous Paul Wanless and cheered on by a good contingent of U's fans that had made the long trip down to Devon United picked themselves up and carried on where they had left off.

With Benjamin and Campbell having great success down Uniteds left flank the U's continued to press forward restricting Plymouth to break aways which although dangerous at times, for the most part were dealt with by a sturdy United defence, Campbell in particular made one crucial tackle inside his own penalty area just as a Plymouth player prepared to let fly with just the somewhat more composed Marshall to beat. Alongside him Eustace, Duncan and the improving Chenery were able to snuff out the lightening quick break aways by the smooth passing home team.

In midfield Wanless, Ashbee and Russell were having plenty of joy in both winning and distributing the ball to keep the pressure on the home defence.

Up front United were also busy with Benjamin proving to be the key to nearly all Uniteds best chances as he worked well with the tireless Butler, Walker had one of his quietest games for a while but still did enough to warrant his inclusion in the starting line-up ahead of John Taylor and Michael Kyd.

Benjamin's hard work and tenacious battling down the wing earned him some rough treatment from the Plymouth defence and verbal abuse from the home fans and for a while it seemed as if he might lose his head, but under the guidance of Wanless and Butler he kept his cool despite being clattered twice more, one offence earning a Plymouth player a yellow card for a wild challenge on the big striker as he burst down the Plymouth right wing, much to the disdain of the nearby supporters.

Trev repaid the opposing defenders and irate home fans in the best possible manner by scoring a deserved equaliser for United, the ball was pumped into the Plymouth box and was headed down for Benjamin to volley home from six yards sending the noisy travelling support dancing around the terracing in celebration.

The rest of the game was played out without much incident although United came closest to snatching a winner after Butler went close twice.

It was a hard earned and well deserved point against a fairly talented play-off chasing home side and the U's were deservedly applauded off the pitch by the delighted United fans with another point towards the championship tucked safely in the bag.

Roy McFarland named an unchanged team this afternoon but kick-off was delayed for half an hour by a recalcitrant fire alarm. The alarm bells were soon ringing in United's defence when Shaun Marshall had a nightmare at an eighth minute corner, and Scott Eustace could only deflect a spinning ball over the line.

The mistake unsettled Marshall and United were rocking until the 38th minute when Trevor Benjamin got on the end of Ian Ashbee's pass and thumped an emphatic shot past Dungey. (Half-time 1-1)

The goal set up a classy start to the second half and the U's sprayed the ball around with some style, although they were unable to apply the finish and Plymouth took the lead again in the 61st minute. It was from another corner when former Abbey favourite Mick Heathcote rose well, Guinan hooked the ball on and the defence watched as Glen Crowe smuggled the ball over the line.

Michael Kyd was instantly thrown into the fray in place of Richard Walker, and it was from his 70th minute header that Trevor Benjamin sprang the offside trap to put the Us back on terms. United finished strongly but tempers frayed, elbows flew and the referee appeared to lose the plot, and despite completely dominating the last five minutes a United winner failed to materialise.

Reporter Mark Johnson's Man of the Match was Ian Ashbee: "He covered every blade of grass, some classy passing, great anchoring of midfield .. he out-Wanlessed Paul Wanless."

Elsewhere both Cardiff (0-0 against Scunthorpe) and Brentford (3-0 against Exeter) ensured their automatic promotion places, but the championship still depends on results next week.