RANDALL BUTT reports as United squander another lead on their way to a 3-2 defeat
SCUNTHORPE'S game plan was obvious. Let Cambridge score first then we are bound to get three. Well, it's worked for the last two years.

United, having failed to create a chance in the opening 20 minutes, had the ball presented to them by goalkeeper Tim Clarke, enabling Martin Butler to chip a superb shot over him. Then the old curse combined with the current set-piece malaise to cut United down yet again at Glanford Park.

Two goals up in the previous two seasons, only to lose 3-2 and draw 3-3, they blundered their way to another 3-2 defeat, with, it has to be said, a little help from referee Kevin Lynch.

There was one crucial point when they might have made it 2-2, producing a fascinating final half an hour in what in overall play was a fairly even contest. Young winger Adam Wilde, who got a surprise call-up in front of Neil Mustoe and Trevor Benjamin, cut into the Scunthorpe box at speed in the 61st minute. It looked as though fullback Ashley Fickling brought him down with a lunging tackle, but the referee ignored it, then booked the enraged Butler for protesting about it.

"The defender took my leg away," said Wilde. "It was a blatant penalty," stormed United manager Roy McFarland. "It just about decided the game, the referee gave us nothing all night," commented United skipper Paul Wanless.

But Lynch said: "There was an incident like it a few minutes earlier at the other end. The defender got a foot in to nick the ball. It was no penalty."

Unfortunately for United it was sandwiched by two set-pieces at which the defence was as indecisive as in Saturday's home defeat by Scarborough. They could not cope with crosses firstly hammered across their box, then aimed high for a big target man.

The first of those goals, putting Scunthorpe into the lead in the 58th minute involved a series of errors. Goalkeeper Arjan Van Heusden picked up a ball from what he reckoned was a mis-kick - but Ben Chenery admitted was a back pass - producing the pressure leading to an unnecessary foul on the touchline by Wilde which resulted in a free kick Marc Joseph deflected into his own net. And Andy Duncan was beaten in the air as easily when the home side got their third goal, as Jamie Campbell was on the ground for the first.

Combine all that with an attack which created very little despite Butler's unstinting efforts, until a desperate late surge, and you need more breaks than United got from the man in the middle -- who was looking over his shoulder at a physio running on to the pitch when Butler went down appealing for another penalty late in the game.

Wilde and Youngs both showed flashes of their skill and potential, but having both rookies in the same side in a very physical third division, as well as 36-year-old player-coach David Preece, forced into his third game in eight days, is hardly ideal.

In a way it was encouraging the win took Scunthorpe to second in the table. Take out darting danger man Jamie Forrester and they were not noticeably superior to United. They were hanging on with their fans desperately whistling for the end during seven minutes of stoppage time in which United, with the big men John Taylor and Benjamin brought into the attack, kept them pinned in their box.

Said Wanless: "I thought we deserved something. The lads are gutted for ourselves and our supporters who really got behind us. That penalty decision cost us at least a point."

The "Iceman" continued to show that he is both struggling in ability and confidence as Cambridge United crashed to their second 'double defeat'’of the season, and we have only had seven games.

The worrying lack of creative energy that was present against Scarborough seemed to have been overcome, with Adam Wilde and Tom Youngs both having busy and bustling first halfs. This, along with the wonderful non-stop working from Butler gave Cambridge the lead on 34 minutes as after a poor goal kick Youngs fed the ball through for Butler to chip the ball over the flat footed and helpless keeper.

This however was to be our finest point in the match, as from then on in we reverted back to the suicidal technique, which has served us so well in the last three years. Our defence, which looked so solid in the early matches, is struggling to cope with even the weakest of division three attacks. Ben Chenery and Jamie Campbell are playing with the imagination and creation of cabbages, and the whole defensive unit's inability to deal with set pieces is now beginning to go beyond a joke.

Scunthorpe's first goal was the result of a neat turn, then awful goalkeeping from the under fire Van Heusden. Physio Ken Steggles asked some United fans whose fault the first goal was, and after being told exclaimed, "not again!". The second goal was another example of how if you fail to mark players at set pieces, they score. As after picking up a backpass from Chenery Van Heusden was left helpless as the ball was swept in at the near post from the resulting free kick.

This called for shouts from the United fans to bring on John Taylor and Trevor Benjamin before it was too late, but there was no movement on the bench. United continued to pump high balls into the Scunthorpe half but with only the small frames of Alex Russell, Tom Youngs and Adam Wilde to aim at the ball might have well have been on elastic. The inevitable third Scunthorpe goal sparked Roy Mcfarland into bringing on the two substitutes mentioned earlier, and it was then United looked most dangerous.

Roy McFarland, in my opinion, must still be learning as a third division football manager as he once again displayed a tactical naivety which almost certainly cost us a point. His unwillingness to make the change before it is too late cost us many times last season and I have no doubt that had he brought on John Taylor and Trevor Benjamin to exploit the Scunthorpe defence inability to deal with the high ball earlier then we would have been able to get something out of the game.

On 78mins Adam Wilde was cruelly cut down in the box, after making a fine run from the half way line. Referee Lynch ignored the appeals and waved play on to the amazement of everybody else in the stadium. It was one of the most blatant penalties you are ever likely to see and Martin Butler was booked for his protests.

United pulled themselves back into contention on 85mins when Alex Russell fired home from the edge of the box to reduce the deficit to just one goal. United then launched wave after wave of attack, determined to reward their ultra faithful travelling supporters with a point, its just a shame the referee hadn't got the same viewpoint. Just a few minutes from the end, a Scunthorpe player went to ground after a challenge with a United player. He got to his knees, saw the referee wasn't giving anything and then fell to the ground clutching his face. The Scunthorpe trainer then came onto the pitch, without the referees consent and whilst all this was going on Martin Butler found himself on an angled one on one with the goalkeeper. The referee, one again about 15 yards off the pace, seemed more concerned with viewing the events around the Scunthorpe physio and failed to notice a defender taking Martin Butler's legs away in the penalty area.

This enraged the United fans to the extent that one fan invaded the pitch to try and get to the referee, who despite a very poor all round display, robbed us of a point that would have made the journey home seem half the distance. It was not to be though, and four defeats out of seven is the form not of a promotion contender, but a mid table also ran.

In conclusion the small squad we have is looking like it might be our downfall. With no real competition for places, and the team almost picking itself, the complacency theory appears to be growing in scale. The knowledge that new players will have to be brought in before players will lose their place is not good for producing good performances. The thing we need most is for the fringe players, Mustoe, Wilde, Youngs etc to start putting in performances that will put pressure on the rest of the team to perform.

Ian Ashbee was the surprise absentee from the team named to face Scunthorpe tonight. The midfielder turned an ankle in training yesterday and is replaced by 19-year-old winger Adam Wilde in a potentially exciting move to add some width to the line-up. Neil Mustoe, a midfielder who has been included in all the recent squads, remains on the bench alongside John Taylor and Trevor Benjamin.

United lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Wilde providing the width on the left and Russell on the right, with Tom Youngs partnering Martin Butler in attack. On a warm evening the game got off to a steady start, with United having probably the better of the opening exchanges. Butler and Youngs in particular looked lively for United while at the other end John Gayle's height looked as though it could potentially cause problems. Gayle was booked after just eight minutes for a foul on Marc Joseph.

United took the lead on 21 minutes thanks to some good vision from Youngs. From mid-way in Scunthorpe's half he lifted the ball over the defence and Martin Butler brilliantly sprung the offside trap to race clear, controlling the ball before chipping it over goalkeeper Tim Clarke.

The goal lifted United but unfortunately Scunthorpe also raised their game and equalised ten minutes later. John Eyre showed superb skill to turn Andy Duncan but his shot was going wide until Jamie Forrester turned it in near the post, despite Arjan Van Heusden getting a hand to the ball.

Alex Russell nearly got on the scoresheet after 37 minutes when he attempted to repeat his successful 25 yard free kick last week at Chester. From the same distance he whipped the ball in but Clarke just turned it round the post. Youngs and Wilde were causing problems for Scunthorpe with their pace, while The Iron looked a strong side and well capable of causing problems of their own.

At half-time the game was perfectly balanced and reporter Mark Johnson felt that United would have a lot of defending to do in the second half. (Half-time 1-1)

United were under the cosh early in the second half and the central defensive partnership of Andy Duncan and Marc Joseph both had chances to shine - Duncan with a brilliant interception, and Joseph with a perfectly timed challenge from behind in the box. However Scunthorpe went ahead after 59 minutes after a goalkeeping error by Arjan Van Heusden.

The big Dutchman, belying the "Ice" nickname bestowed upon him by Port Vale fans, had plenty of time to clear Ben Chenery's backpass but for some reason picked up the ball instead and conceded an indirect free kick. Paul Wanless' desperate repeat efforts to clear the ball saw him concede a free kick on the right and when the ball was played in Logan rose unchallenged to head the ball in.

If United were starting to get the feeling that it was going to be (another) one of those nights, the suspicions were confirmed three minutes later. Adam Wilde burst clear into the box only to be hacked down from behind, but the referee, who had a perfect view of the incident, waved United's claims away and even booked Martin Butler for his protests. Alex Russell had been booked two minutes earlier for a foul.

The gloom deepened on 74 minutes when a corner was flicked on by Gayle and headed in by the diminutive Forrester from very close range, with Van Heusden once again nowhere. Roy McFarland made a double substitution in the 77th minute, replacing the flagging Youngs and Wilde with John Taylor and Trevor Benjamin, and United closed the gap four minutes later when Alex Russell fired in a long range effort that deceived Clarke and left him flailing in its wake.

United mounted a late charge and laid seige to Scunthorpe's goal, keeping the home side pinned in their own half for the seven minutes of time added on, but it was all in vain as Scunthorpe withstood the pressure. They took all the points, consolidating their position among the leaders while consigning United to early mid-table mediocrity.