THIS match took some losing. The bookmakers' new-fangled handicap odds would have offered a tasty 50-1 or so against Scarborough repeating last year's 3-2 victory at the Abbey. Who would have ventured anything on a team with six League and cup defeats out of seven this season, especially if they had to give their home opponents a two goals start?

Certainly not Borough boss Mick Wadsworth who lost the big striker he reckoned he needed desperately due to boardroom problems the day before the match wrecking his bid for Cardiff's Andy Saville.

It looked like he needed a lot more than that when Martin Butler struck twice inside three minutes to give United a 2-0 lead just 10 minutes into the game. Scarborough's defence was a shambles. And it took their attack half an hour to mount the first attack, when Steve Brodie headed wide.

This was the side who were to stage a three goals fightback which had United walking heads bowed from the pitch to the boos of their hardcore fans, the only ones to turn up on a foul day of torrential rain. Brodie's goal attempt was the clue to the remarkable turnaround. He may have missed the target, but he beat the United defence in the air with embarrassing ease.

Nine minutes later, Jason Lydiate had just as much freedom at the far post when he pulled a goal back from a corner kick.

Said Wadsworth: "I didn't need to motivate my men at half time. That goal did it. It showed us how vulnerable Cambridge were in the air, and how important the set-pieces were going to be."

It took only six minutes of the second half to prove his theory when French defender Alex Mirankov leapt above Marc Joseph to equalise. Worryingly for Roy McFarland Scarborough looked the more likely winners from that point.

Having suggested he was going to recall Trevor Benjamin and start with three strikers, the United manager changed his mind and stuck with the side who won 3-0 at Chester in midweek. He knew player-coach David Preece was not going to last 90 minutes, but that did not seem to matter after an influential opening half an hour from the veteran midfielder which saw United apparently coasting to a comfortable home win.

A good group of Moosenetters escaped the rain to meet in the Supporters Club for a lucky pint with Ste G. putting in an appearance. Also appearing were the new shirts on the backs of fans.

After 15 minutes we were 2-0 up and strolling. Unfortunately that was as good as it would get as we continued strolling and let Scarborough score 3 goals. The afternoon got even worse when the final score from Underhill came through with a 9-1 win for boring. (I didn't know any of their fans could count that high!)

Tom Youngs started the match in place of the injured Kyd, Preece starting again keeping Benjamin on the bench. Scarborough are not a big side they even had a player Preece could look down on!

Our passing was quick and accurate, and we took the lead on 8 minutes, Russell playing the ball out to Preece on our left wing, his low cross controlled by Martin Butler who turned and scored. A couple of minutes later a poor back pass was straight to Butler, who rounded the 'keeper and scored his second goal of the game. Their 'keeper was wearing a bright orange shirt, the defender may well have confused the two colours.

Tom Youngs was having a pretty good game, taking on defenders, and having a shot just wide, and later trying to do too much when a pass to Butler or Russell would have set up an easy chance, although perhaps he is too similar a player to Martin Butler. Campbell was having an awful time with his passing, consistent only in giving the ball away or off the pitch.

It was half an hour before Scarborough did anything of note, a free header from a curling cross went wide. The referee was having a reasonable game too, booking a Scarborough player for tripping Joseph which in itself was harsh, but the same player had already done two similar fouls.

We conceded their first goal from a corner, Van Heusden calling to take the cross but stayed on the line, their player was alone 3 yards out and glanced the header in. Needless to say the rest of the defence had a go at Van Heusden, who should have taken the ball easily. Soon after we nearly conceded an own goal again from a corner. We did manage a few more chances towards the end of the half, Butler crossing just behind the incoming Ashbee, then a cross headed back across goal but no-one followed in, and a Russell shot went past their post.

Scarborough equalised 7 minutes into the second half, a corner half cleared then a cross not properly defended allowed an easy chance which Van Heusden had no chance of saving. Benjamin came on for Preece, soon after Mustoe for Youngs. Van Heusden continued to look suspect on crosses, just managing to palm away a curling cross shot at the far post, then managing to drop a cross when he had both hands on the ball.

We did muster a bit of pressure, forcing a clearance off their goaline although the ball hit Butler's hand as he dived for it, then Russell had another shot go just past from 20 yards, and Benjamin shot tamely at the 'keeper when a pass to Russell would have been better.

10 minutes from the end they scored what turned out to be the winner, again a cross not defended properly, leaving the forward all alone at the back post to beat Van Heusden. Taylor came on for Ashbee, and in the final minutes we again had a goalline clearance from a Benjamin header, and Russell had a shot go just over the bar.

Neither 'keeper had a great deal to do, and we created less chances than against Hartlepool. For 20 minutes Scarborough looked the worst team we've seen at the Abbey this season, for the remaining 70 it was us!

Despite being 6 feet+, Van Heusden does not command his 6 yard area, and their first goal is down to him, like one of the Hartlepool goals last week. In open play the back four look OK, but from a corner or free kick they seem to freeze or all go for the ball and get in each others way. Apart from short periods of quick passing, the midfield did little, being closed down quickly with no option but to pass back.

At the front Butler looked lively but needed support quicker. Youngs as I said did well, but the understanding with his team-mates will take a few games to get right. Butler gets my MoM for his 2 goals, although Russell was not far behind for his industry, and Preece for his good all round vision. Mustoe looked busy when he came on, and at least he put some effort in.

Rory had decided to watch from the Habbin in order to see more action, a good move as four of the goals were scored at the Allotments end in front of one ball boy. Ste G. should stick to tea in the office if that is what happens when he has a lucky pint before the game!

Ratings: Van Heusden 4, Chenery 6, Ashbee 5 (Taylor 5), Duncan 5, Joseph 5, Campbell 5, Wanless 5, Youngs 6 (Mustoe 6), Butler 7, Preece 6 (Benjamin 5), Russell 6

It was a dull, wet and dreary day, and the team produced the perfect second half performance to match these conditions. This incoherent, unmotivated, disinterested and diabolical shambles of a performance has added another pattern on Cambridge United's patchwork season and another nail in the coffin of Arjan Van Heusden whose mind-numbingly poor performances are beginning to become far to regular.

The first half, in direct and total contrast to the second, saw Cambridge United playing neat, attractive and penetrative football, which by as early at the 10 minute looked to already have the game sewn up.

After capitalising first on awful goalkeeping, and then on diabolical defending Martin Butler put United two goals into the lead. There could have been several more as Scarborough started to show signs that they may be near to a total collapse. This was not to be, as on 38mins and from one of their few attacks of the half they scored a free header from a corner.

This did not shake United into life, and were fortunate to go in ahead, as this goal seemed to give Scarborough the confidence they needed. The last five mins of the first half would be perfect indications as to what was coming after the break.

What was coming was one of the most heartless, numb and passionless 45 minutes of football I can ever remember having the misfortune to spectate. The team was functioning as a disorganised mess. The defence was once again out-fought, out-thought and most importantly out-jumped. The midfield and forwards might have well been playing on different pitches to each other, as they showed no creation, imagination or inventiveness. Once again the inability for the defence or even the midfield to break quickly and turn defence into attack was present.

The puddles on the pitch were growing in size as the game wore on. Perhaps the most noticeable puddle was in United's penalty area, where after another abysmal performance Van 'ice man' Heusden was reduced to water. His inability to organise his defence, defend set pieces, catch the ball from crosses and kick accurately or confidently from a rolling ball situation is costing us points which we simply can't afford to lose.

After out-jumping the entire defence twice, first on 49mins then on 79mins, Scarborough destroyed any confidence that had been restored by the midweek win at Chester and run out 3-2 winners.

The introduction of Neil Mustoe (interestingly described by one Radio Cambridgeshire phone in fan as Neil Mustgo) and John Taylor seemed to inject a little enthusiasm and creation into the attack. Indeed it took two desperate goal line clearances to keep United out in the last 10 mins. To be honest though, to take a point from a game when players have played as if they don't care would have been flattering in the least.

It is performances such as these which infuriate me beyond comprehension. I am not prepared to mask the total and undeniable fact that in the second half I feel I witnessed players who didn't care, and who were not giving 100% for their team.

The Rotherham and Hartlepool performances were bad, but this was on a different level altogether. We know what the players are capable of, but it seems that they are yet to develop the ability to do it in consecutive games. The inability to do this will lead to nothing more than yet another season of frustration and inconsistency. After witnessing what this team is capable of, failure to achieve any degree of success this season will indicate that there is something else wrong, which like all faulty things will have to be replaced.

The rain started pouring down on Cambridge this morning so the match was played in very wet conditions. United were unchanged from Tuesday night's victory at Chester, and in such weather conditions it was fitting that it should start raining goals at the Abbey Stadium.

Martin Butler put the U's ahead after just eight minutes, after a move that started with Alex Russell. The midfielder's pinpoint pass found David Preece scampering down the left, and Preece's equally accurate cross into the box arrived with Butler. His first touch controlled the ball and with his second he drilled home a left foot shot from fifteen yards.

Two minutes later some woeful defending by Scarborough saw our lead extended. Jackson's backpass was intercepted by Martin Butler who walked the ball past goalkeeper Elliott and rolled it into the empty net. United were comfortably in control at this stage while Scarborough looked extremely shaky at the back, but the visitors steadied the ship after about half an hour and started to threaten.

It was United's turn not to defend in the 38th minute when Jason Lydiate was left unmarked at a corner, and the defender was allowed to nod a free header past the isolated Van Heusden. Ominously, the visitors looked stronger after their goal as they sensed that they were not out of the game yet, although United managed the final attacking move of the half. (Half-time 2-1)

Despite undoubtedly harsh words from Roy McFarland at half-time, United failed to get to grips with a Scarborough side revitalised by the half-time introduction of Paddy Atkinson. He had his first chance within seconds of the re-start and on 51 minutes his cross was put behind for a corner which United once again failed to clear. Brodie hoisted the ball back into the area and woeful defending saw Marinkov rise above Joseph to head home the equaliser.

Trevor Benjamin was immediately sent on to replace David Preece and boost United's attack, as at this stage of the game only one side looked like going on to win the game ... and that side was not United. Six minutes later Tom Youngs was replaced by Neil Mustoe as the teenager looked tired after starting his second game in five days.

United's new goalkeeper Arjan Van Heusden continued to looked unconvincing as he flapped at crosses - which is ironic as the biggest criticism of predecessor Scott Barrett was that he never came for crosses - and in front of him the defence were simply not at the races. The U's vulnerability at set pieces was underlined when the collapse continued in the 79th minute. A Brodie free-kick was flicked on by Lydiate to Gareth Williams at the far post, and the striker scored to put his side into the lead and cap an amazing fight-back for the Yorkshiremen, for the second season in succession.

John Taylor was sent on a minute later for Ian Ashbee in United's last throw of the dice and he helped United mount an all-out attack on Scarborough's goal for the closing five minutes, but it was all in vain. The early suspicion that after Scarborough's first goal there was only going to be one winner of this game was proved to be correct, and today's performance leaves a serious question mark over the communication between Van Heusden and his defence. When they're good they're very, very good, but when they're bad ...