Nationwide League Division Two - Saturday 6th November, 1999

U's Net summary Martin McNeil made a surprise seasonal reappearance and his first start for 11 months and 17-year-old Adam Tann was named among the substitutes, while Scott Eustace was missing completely and watched from the stand with Ben Chenery. At the moment it is not known whether Eustace is injured or has been dropped. In the absence of injured midfielders Scott Paterson and Alex Russell and in view of Michael Kyd's good performance against Scunthorpe on Tuesday, Roy McFarland continued with three up front. Bristol City's strength in depth was demonstrated by the names they had on their bench, including John Burns, their new signing from Nottingham Forest. The game kicked off in cold, clear but windy conditions and the U's got off to a dream start with a well-worked goal after 1 minute and 45 seconds. Martin Butler got away down the left and crossed to Kyd on the edge of the box, he played a little ball to Trevor Benjamin who set up Butler on the edge of the box and United's top scorer made no mistake with a superb curling left-footed shot into the top right corner. Even some of the home fans applauded. Even in the early stages it was obvious that neither defence was too solid and United had a let-off after ten minutes when Beadle chased a flick-on from a long free kick and headed wide with the defence looking uncertain and Shaun Marshall beaten. A minute later Gerard Lavin went for a 50/50 ball with Trevor Benjamin and came off worse, hobbling from the pitch after some treatment to be replaced by Greg Goodridge. The match was a little niggly from then on and referee Mr Parks struggled to keep the game under control as challenges flew in unpunished and players from both sides required attention. After 13 minutes Michael Kyd led a breakaway and linked with Neil Mustoe who fed the ball to Benjamin, but the big striker hammered the ball hopelessly wide with Mustoe well-placed on the overlap. A couple of minutes later Neil Mackenzie seized on some sloppy defending and fed the ball to Kyd who flashed a shot across the face of goal and past the post. There was a worrying moment for the U's on 20 minutes at a Bristol City corner when Ian Ashbee and Marc Joseph clashed heads, and Joseph was down for a long while receiving treatment before continuing. Neil Mackenzie led the charge in the 26th minute and fired in a curling shot from 25 yards that was parried round the post low down by £300,000 goalkeeper Billy Mercer, making his home debut after letting in three goals at Gillingham in mid-week. From the resulting corner Mercer had to save Benjamin header from under the bar but from then onwards City, who had been under pressure from their own restless fans, started to improve. In the 33rd minute Steve Jones broke away, his initial shot was blocked by Shaun Marshall and the £425,000 striker turned and lobbed the rebound over the bar. Jones had only scored once in twelve games but he made amends two minutes later. United' defence backed off and Wilson allowed Beadle to put in a cross that was falling behind Jones until he conjured up a bicycle kick and beat Marshall. Michael Kyd was having another lively game and in the 39th minute he broke to lead a charge as United had three men against City's two, but after he picked out Benjamin the striker again produced a hopeless shot with team-mates better placed. City countered in the 45th minute through Greg Goodridge who was given time to shoot but to United's relief the ball flew over the bar. There was plenty of time added on after a spate of injuries and in the 47th minute the U's had Clive Wilson to thank when at a City corner Jones climbed to power a downward header at the bottom corner, but the former Spurs man was perfectly placed to kick the ball off the line. Bristol City had been improving as the half progressed and the break came at the right time for United. (Half-time 1-1) In the opening seconds after the break some good build-up play by United culminated in Mackenzie putting Butler in but his shot from the edge of the area was held by the 'keeper. A couple of minutes later Goodridge's dangerous cross was headed behind by Ashbee as City picked up the pace and had the U's on the back foot for long spells. After 51 minutes Mortimer found the ball at his feet with his back to goal in the box, and after an outstanding turn and shot the ball rattled away off the inside of the post and Martin McNeil hacked it away The youngster impressed an estimated 150 travelling fans with his confident performance and has certainly staked his claim for another run in the side. United had a rare chance in the 65th minute when Mackenzie's free kick was headed back across goal by Paul Wanless but Mercer claimed the ball. Then five minutes later Mackenzie broke through a challenge, jinked inside a defender and pulled the ball back, probably for Neil Mustoe but it was intercepted by Benjamin who set it up for Butler to curl a shot over the bar from the edge of the box. After 73 minutes an intricate build-up by the home side ended with Tinnion's close range header which was comfortably held by Marshall, and then some substitutions were accompanied by amazing scenes near the City directors' box. Barbadian captain Greg Goodridge, who had only himself joined the fray from the bench, was replaced by new signing Burns and Tinnion was replaced by Alex Meechan. Tony Pulis' decision was greeted by chants of "You don't know what you're doing" and a group of fans near the directors box appeared to leave in protest, but not before shouting abuse which spurred one person from the front row of the directors box to leave the box to remonstrate before the stewards stepped in. John Taylor was sent on for Benjamin straight after the Bristol changes but the game was effectively over. City pressed but United defended well and Shaun Marshall looked solid in goal, and apart from a few half chances and set pieces at each end the game petered out. At the final whistle the players celebrated as if they had won the game, leaving the fans in no doubt about how much this second away point meant to them. Reporter Mark Johnson had no hesitation in naming his Man of the Match this week: "Marc Joseph - a commanding performance at centre half. With Martin McNeil alongside him, Marc Joseph had to come out of himself and take control, which he did." United rose a place in the table to 22nd after this welcome point, the first for three weeks and the first away point since the one at Wigan at the end of August. You can make your comments about the match on the message board, or match reports for this page are always very welcome - as brief or as detailed as you have time to write. RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 06/11/99 AFC Bournemouth 1-0 Cardiff City 4,471 Blackpool 2-2 Wigan Athletic 4,535 Bristol City 1-1 Cambridge United 8,646 Bury 0-0 Stoke City 4,280 Chesterfield 0-1 Oldham Athletic 2,737 Colchester United 2-2 Preston North End 3,818 Luton Town 2-1 Burnley 7,205 Notts County 1-1 Gillingham 6,023 Scunthorpe United 1-4 Millwall 4,550 Wrexham 0-1 Brentford 2,473 Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Bristol Rovers 5,167 BOTTOM OF DIVISION TWO TABLE 20 Oxford United 15 3 3 9 14 21 -7 12 21 Blackpool 16 2 6 8 17 30 -13 12 22 Cambridge United 16 2 5 9 23 30 -7 11 23 Chesterfield 15 2 5 8 10 17 -7 11 24 Colchester United 15 2 5 8 17 34 -17 11

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Soccernet match report Angry Bristol City fans turned on manager Tony Pulis after another disappointing display saw them draw 1-1 with Cambridge. The home boss was jeered after controversially substituting Greg Goodridge and Brian Tinnion with 16 minutes left. Martin Butler had given Cambridge the lead inside two minutes but Steve Jones' 35th-minute equaliser meant the visitors picked up only their second away point of the season. City supporters confronted City chairman Scott Davidson when the substitutions were made and he left his seat in the directors' box to stand and argue with them. Paul Mortimer hit a post for City in the second half, but there was always danger from the visitors and Cambridge were well worth their draw. Report © Associated Newspapers Ltd

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Cambridge Evening News report Not yet available   Report © Cambridge Newspapers Ltd

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