Cambridge United: Van Heusden, Chenery (Cassidy 60'), Duncan, Eustace, Wilson; Ashbee, Wanless, Russell (Youngs 90'); Kyd (Mustoe 79'), Butler, Benjamin.
Chesterfield: Leaning (Gayle 46'), Hewitt, Woods, Curtis, Holland, Breckin, Simpkins (Beaumont 55'), Bettney (Carss 74'), Willis, Reeves, Ebdon.
Referee: K. Lynch (North Hammerton) |
The referee and some dodgy defending combined to hand Chesterfield their first points of the season and disappoint the band of travelling Us who had hoped to see United continue their promising start to the campaign. United took an early lead through Trevor Benjamin but a second half strike from Paul Wanless only closed the gap temporarily as Alan Reeves hit four, two from the penalty spot. Roy McFarland was told by the referee he will be reported to the FA for comments made after the match.
United lined up unchanged from the side that beat Reading last weekend, but John Taylor was ruled out with a foot injury so Tom Youngs took his place on the bench. Injury-hit Chesterfield signed Oldham forward Craig Dudley on loan yesterday and he was named on their bench.
We got off to the better start and took the lead through Trevor Benjamin after just eight minutes. Clive Wilson slipped a great ball to Martin Butler who produced a neat pass to Benjamin, the youngster used his strength to get into the area and fired the ball across the face of goal and inside the far post. A minute earlier skipper Paul Wanless had seized upon an error when a Chesterfield defender stood on the ball and charged into the box, but his shot was sliced over the bar by Hewitt.
Chesterfield produced a flurry of activity and in the 12th minute Willis had a half chance in the box before he was closed down by Scott Eustace and sliced the ball into the United supporters. But four minutes later the Blues were level through a dubious-looking penalty. Bettney got past Wilson and into the box and a penalty was awarded when Wilson was adjudged to tugged Bettney's shirt. David Reeves fired the spot kick straight and hard, giving Van Heusden no chance.
Referee Kevin Lynch was being picky and had already astonished the United bench with his instruction that only two of them should stand at a time, but he looked in danger of losing control of the match when he booked Ian Ashbee in the 18th minute after the midfielder queried another dubious decision.
United were defending deeply rather than taking the game to Chesterfield and exploiting their reshuffled defence, and after half an hour a long throw was flicked to Ebdon at the far post but his header flashed just wide. Five minutes later Hewitt was allowed to get to the by-line, his cross was ignored by the U's defence and reached Willis, two yards out and unmarked, but at the last moment Van Heusden appeared from nowhere to block.
United countered and in the 41st minute Wilson's searching ball found Wanless at the far post and he turned the ball inside for Michael Kyd to rasp a shot just wide, then in the dying seconds of the half Butler went down under pressure in the box. The incident was ignored by the referee but a penalty would have been even harsher than the one he awarded at the other end. (Half-time 1-1)
Chesterfield's substitute goalkeeper Mark Gayle warmed up during the break and replaced Leaning, who picked up a strain early in the game, for the re-start. United tested former Abbey trialist Gayle inside the first two minutes when Russell and Benjamin combined to bring the ball forward, but Martin Butler's shot was saved. However the home side took the lead through another penalty when David Reeves beat Andy Duncan but was then wrestled to the ground by the defender, and the veteran striker repeated his earlier strike from the spot. With United's defence and Van Heusden all at sea, Reeves completed his hattrick four minutes later when our defence failed to deal with a corner, Ebdon hacked the ball back into the danger area and Reeves tucked it home from close range.
There was immediate activity on the United bench and Jamie Cassidy was set on in place of Ben Chenery to make his League debut, and Ian Ashbee moved to right-back in Chenery's place. Seconds later Paul Wanless rose to meet Alex Russell's superb pin-point cross and put United back into the game with a firm header, but United never really looked like building on that fight-back. Reeves got away down the left in the 65th minute before crossing for Willis to fire a header straight at Van Heusden. Cassidy was booked for dissent in the 75th minute and four minutes later Reeves made absolutely sure that his side would collect their first points of the season when a free kick was rolled to him and he flicked the ball into the air before volleying it over the wall and into the net.
Neil Mustoe replaced Kyd in the 79th minute, seconds before Jamie Hewitt was sent off for a second bookable offence, but the match petered out somewhat. Five minutes of stoppage time were added, probably because of all the bookings, and although late substitute Tom Youngs twisted and turned his way into the box his shot was saved.
It was a difficult day to choose a man of the match: Trevor Benjamin would have been the choice after the first half but he faded after the break, so Mark's choice was "Ian Ashbee: A difficult decision; I can't choose any of the defence, but he was the best of a bad bunch in midfield and did reasonably well at right back when he was switched."
*** RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 21/08/99 ***
AFC Bournemouth 4-0 Colchester United 4,508
Blackpool 1-1 Gillingham 4,203
Bristol Rovers 1-0 Oxford United 7,617
Bury 2-2 Brentford 3,491
Chesterfield 4-2 Cambridge United 2,816
Notts County 3-0 Scunthorpe United 5,506
Oldham Athletic 0-1 Burnley 8,543
Reading 1-2 Luton Town 8,741
Wigan Athletic 2-1 Bristol City 7,103
Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Preston North End 5,091
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"I sleep like a baby... with my thumb in my mouth" sneered Kevin Lynch, the Derbyshire official, after one newspaper reporter asked him how he slept at night following his dismal performance at Scunthorpe last season. He obviously saves the nightmares for when he is on the pitch, as once again he robbed Cambridge United of vital league points with a woefully poor display lacking competence, composure or ability.
I suppose I might be going over the top, but if you stuck two horns on his head, you might have well mistaken the bloke for the devil. The self proclaimed 'entertainer' of the day turned what could have been a competitive football match against two evenly equipped teams into a farcical display of how to ruin, destroy and demolish the game using unreasonable and, at the very best, sub-standard refereeing.
The game started well for United, as Trevor Benjamin powered his way through the home defence and fired past the goalkeeper to give the U's a deserved 8th minute lead. The United ship then began to open its sails, gliding along, from a Chesterfield point of view, into the distance. The home fans were calling for their manager's head, as they sat back and watched what they thought would inevitably turn out to be a third successive defeat. Then, out of the blue, Kevin Lynch launched the first of his guided torpedoes, this time tearing the United sails to shreds.
Bettney and Wilson were running side by side just inside the United penalty area, both chasing the ball that was just in front of them. Kevin Lynch, from about 30 yards behind the play, then awarded Chesterfield a penalty... I honestly have no idea what offence was supposed to have been committed. David Reeves made no mistake with the spot kick, and from this point on it was as though we started to watch a different game.
Kyd and Butler began to look ineffective and perhaps even disinterested up front, while the midfield began to allow Chesterfield to take control of the match, sitting back and watching the Spirites grow in confidence by the second. Hewitt looked as though he had given them the lead but Ajran Van Heusden made an astonishing save on the goal line to deny him.
The second half was a living nightmare, as David Reeves scored three more goals and Kevin Lynch went into overdrive. Another penalty was awarded to the home side after Andy Duncan had, according to the official, committed an offence against David Reeves. Once again he made no mistake from the penalty spot and gave Chesterfield a rather flattering lead. The United heads started to drop, and a rout looked on the cards when just 3 minutes later Reeves completed his hat trick at the far post, latching onto Ebdon's pass to stab home.
Roy McFarland attempted to change the flow of the game and made an attacking substitution by replacing Ben Chenerey with Jamie Cassidy. Ian Ashbee dropped back into defence and this turn around had immediate benefits. Cassidy earned United a free kick when his trickery was too much for a Chesterfield defender and Alex Russell delivered a pinpoint cross onto the head of Paul Wanless who powered home from 6 yards.
The United heads began to look up once again, sensing that there was something to be had from the encounter. They forced a succession of free kicks and corners, but the ball never really fell kindly in or around the box. Trevor Benjamin was single handedly leading the United attack, as Martin Butler and Michael Kyd never really got going. They were losing the ball with such regularity that the defence was always going to have problems repelling the ball time and time again... it must have seemed like it was on elastic.
It was perhaps a little ironic when after United had been polaxed by poor refereeing decisions earlier in the game, that this brief revival was halted by one of the best goals we are likely to see this season. Chesterfield had won a free kick 25 yards from goal. They played the ball back to Reeves, who casually flicked the ball into the air before leathering it into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the game.
The strike was the nail in the United coffin, and worryingly the seventh league goal conceded in three games. It wouldn't be easy to simply blame the defence for this defeat though, as three of Chesterfield's four goals could not have been prevented by any team in the league. This having been said, Chesterfield could have scored six in the second half, as Eustace and Duncan tried in vein to hold together a shaky back four. Chenerey and Wilson had their first poor and average games of the season respectively. Wanless was fighting hard in midfield, but passion and power won't always win you the points in this league... you need discipline and shape.
Michael Kyd and Martin Butler looked as though they could think of better things to do on a hot afternoon, whilst Alex Russell was busy having one of his worst games for the Club. Had Kevin Lynch decided not to award Chesterfield the game, I am pretty convinced they would have grasped it anyway as United never really looked up for it, and left with their tails between their legs.
Ajran Van Heusden - 70% (7) Ben Chenerey - 64% (6) Ian Ashbee - 76% (7) *mom Andy Duncan - 66% (7) Scott Eustace - 65% (6) Clive Wilson - 68% (7) Paul Wanless - 63% (6) Michael Kyd - 58% (6) Martin Butler - 56% (6) Trevor Benjamin - 70% (7) Alex Russell - 64% (6) Subs used: Jamie Cassidy - 67% (7) Neil Mustoe - 65% (7) Tom Youngs - n/a Man of the match: Ian Ashbee continued to show he is one of the most committed footballers at the club. As the heads were dropping around him, he kept his firmly in the air as he tried in vain to rescue something for under-par United. He failed... but well done for trying.
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BIG, strong and skilful striker David Reeves hammered four goals to crush Cambridge United, but they were blaming the podgy little bald bloke with the white knees and moustache. York referee Kevin Lynch made three crucial decisions Roy McFarland's men claimed were wrong, the worst of which undoubtedly had a a huge influence on Saturday's match. United looked set to follow up their rampaging display against Reading when Trevor Benjamin burst through in the eighth minute, brushing aside the full-back's challenge as though it was a gnat bite. It was the perfect start against a side low on confidence after two League defeats, the goal triggering chants of "Duncan out," and "What a load of rubbish," from Saltergate supporters who made Newcastle fans seem patient and understanding. If United could have pressed home their early advantage a Chesterfield side beaten by Colchester in their other home game this season, might well have caved in. But after a quarter-of-an-hour Clive Wilson and Chris Bettney chased a long pass into the United box. Jostling to get the first foot to the ball they went down in a tangle. It looked like one of those 50-50 clashes, impossible to lay blame, but not as far as the referee was concerned. He pointed to the penalty spot without bothering to consult his assistant on that side of the pitch, who had not raised his flag. "Extremely fortuitous," was the verdict even of the Derbyshire radio stations, while Chesterfield boss John Duncan took refuge in the old favourite: "We were a long way from it. I'd have to see the video." Even stranger than Lynch's decision was his answer to the question: "If it was a penalty due to a foul by the last defender, why was the Cambridge player not booked, let alone sent off?" The official replied: "The Chesterfield player wasn't in a scoring position." In the penalty area, 15 yards out, about five yards wide of the right-hand post. The controversial equaliser broke the spell for United. Apart from one short period midway through the second half, they were never able to regain the ascendancy. Two goals in four minutes soon after the break condemned them to defeat, recalling miserable memories of their second division opener at Bournemouth. And they finished the game a frustrated, disgruntled side, complaining bitterly about the "Lynch law" which contributed to another two of Reeves' goals. There was no doubt Andy Duncan interfered with the striker as he broke through in the 56th minute, but was the contact enough to warrant a spot kick? And was Scott Eustace's tackle on Roger Willis a foul worthy of the 79th -minute free kick from which Reeves unleashed a goal of the season entry. Neither clash was clear cut. It was down to interpretation. But what the United defenders were guilty of was failing to realise any degree of grabbing or lunging was not on, after the way Lynch dealt with the first-half incident. The whole team would do well to quickly put the official's influence on the game out of their minds, because they would be fooling themselves if they thought he was the only reason for their downfall. Once Chesterfield emerged from their shell, they looked the better side for long spells. The strength, and particularly the movement, of Reeves and Willis stretched United's defenders to, and past, the limits of their skill and experience. There was the problem again of a three-man midfield which includes two strongmen and one playmaker, lacking sufficent invention. And Benjamin, whose marker Jamie Hewitt was eventually sent off for persistent fouling, was the only forward to really trouble the home defence. Butler made surprisingly little impact, Michael Kyd flitted in and out of the game, and both of them lost the ball too quickly and too often, increasing the pressure on a harrassed defence. Paul Wanless' header which pulled it back to 3-2 with almost half-an-hour to go, sparked a brief rally. But the nearest United went to another goal was 10 minutes later when substitute Jamie Cassidy's cross produced an effort which flew inches wide of the post. It summed up the afternoon in more ways than one, because the header clearly came from Chesterfield's Bettney, attempting a clearance. And Mr Lynch amazingly saw no reason to award a corner kick. Report © Cambridge Newspapers Ltd |
Tomorrow's headlines will paint Alan Reeves as the hero of the day but in reporter Mark Johnson's words, "This was the day the defence was found out".
There are certain things that you can't legislate for in football... useless podgy referees who obtained their licence off a milk carton being one of them. This, along with one moment of sheer brilliance, sent Cambridge United crashing to their second league defeat of the season at Saltergate.