Nationwide League Division Two - Saturday 22nd January, 2000
Cambridge
United (4-4-2): Marshall, Chenery, Eustace, McNeil, Ashbee;
Mackenzie, Wanless (c), Mustoe, Russell; Butler, Benjamin. Chesterfield:
Vaughan, Hewitt, Pointon, Payne, Breckin, Williams, Galloway, Beaumont,
Perkins (Woods 77'), Reeves (c), Wilkinson (Howard 57'). Referee: Steve Tomlin (Lewes, E. Sussex) Shots
on target: Cambridge 7 Chesterfield 3 |
As expected there were two changes for today's vital bottom-of-the-table clash as fullbacks Jason Kavanagh (suspended) and Clive Wilson (injured) missed out. Ben Chenery returned to Division Two action for the first time since October and Ian "Mr Versatile" Ashbee moved to left back in place of Wilson, allowing Neil Mustoe to return from injury and take his place in midfield. Chesterfield lost on-loan 'keeper Carl Muggleton this week when he was recalled to Stoke City so they signed ex-U's goalkeeper John 'The Legend' Vaughan this morning and he went straight into the team. Ironically Vaughan was in goal for Cambridge in the 1-0 win against Chesterfield in the 1990 Division Four play-off final. The Spireites were without suspended defender Steve Blatherwick and the injured Tom Curtis for this vital bottom-of-the-table clash which kicked off with United shooting the 'wrong way' towards the home fans, as a cold wind swirled around the Abbey Stadium. United started in a lively fashion and after just 38 seconds and good work by Martin Butler and Alex Russell, Neil Mackenzie's vicious cross was headed over his own bar by Steve Payne with Trevor Benjamin poised menacingly behind him. Then after nine minutes an intricate eight man build-up ended when Neil Mustoe blazed a wild shot hopelessly wild. Chesterfield's first threat came after 13 minutes as they broke out led by Williams. His cross was knocked down by Galloway to Wilkinson whose shot was ushered wide by Ben Chenery. In the 14th minute Breckin won a header in the penalty area from a corner which Marshall watched carefully as it sailed over the bar, more confident that it was off-target than some observers. Four minutes later Ian Ashbee's free kick was flicked on by Benjamin to Butler whose header was just past the post, and a couple of minutes later Alex Russell saw his 25 yard shot nonchalantly saved by Vaughan It was soon apparent that this was going to be another tense, nervous game with edgy players making errors but giving no quarter, and in the 26th minute Russell's trickery won a free kick out wide on the left, but all his hard work was in vain when he failed to beat the first man with his cross. Moments later Chesterfield's Mick Galloway made space for a 25 yard shot which hit the bar and on the half hour Ashbee's jinking run was ended illegally, and from the free kick Mackenzie's rasping 25 yard drive whistled wide of the far post. The last ten minutes were eventful as Chesterfield exerted some pressure, starting in the 34th minute when Hewitt's free kick found Beaumont 25 yards out and his shot was inches wide. Two minutes later Reeves and Williams worked a neat one-two before Williams fired in a 20 yard shot which was well held by Marshall and soon afterwards Chenery was caught out before Perkins fired the ball straight at Marshall. In the 43rd minute Reeves broke away and got into the area where the ball was fed to him by Wilkinson, but his tame shot was straight at Marshall. United countered straightaway when Russell took a deep free kick on the left which found Paul Wanless at the far post, the United captain's long looping header beat Vaughan but hit the opposite post and Trevor Benjamin darted in to stoop and nod the rebound in from close range. It was the perfect time to take the lead in a half that United had dominated whilst allowing Chesterfield most of the shots at goal, and after a minute of added time the U's took a half-time lead into the dressing room. (Half-time 1-0) Chesterfield won and wasted a corner just 13 seconds into the second half before the game settled down to be a real midfield battle which some crunching tackles going in. It was the type of game Paul Wanless relishes and he and Neil Mustoe were outstanding in the middle, showing exactly the passion and commitment required in this sort of match. In the 47th minute a barnstorming run by Wanless carried him to the edge of the area where he found Butler who slipped it on for Mackenzie to drive an angled drive just wide of the post. Chesterfield came so close to equalising four minutes later when a brilliant turn by Reeves spun him clear of the defence where he found Williams, whose jinking play made room for a cross which was whipped off Reeves' outstretched boot by Chenery's timely intervention. United then came close to creating a two goal cushion on the hour when Martin Butler's cleverly lobbed pass over the defence sent Benjamin away for a run at the 'keeper but he blazed a hurried shot over. However he made up for that miss six minutes later when Chesterfield failed to clear a corner, and the persistent Neil Mustoe headed the ball back into the danger area ahead of Trevor Benjamin who sent a curling first time shot into the far corner with the outside of his boot. The big young striker is often criticised for only getting 'up' for big games but he was certainly up for today's match and in the 77th minute he could have scored the first hattrick of his career. He picked up possession just inside the Chesterfield half and moved to the edge of their box before unleashing a fierce drive that hit the foot of the post. United started to stroke the ball around with rare confidence and Chesterfield knew the game was up when Pointon's deep free kick picked out Reeves six yards out and with Marshall at his mercy the man who scored all four against us earlier this season contrived to fire wide. That killed off the game nicely for United and the 2-0 win lifts the U's off the bottom of the table at the expense of today's opponents.
Reporter Mark Johnson chose Neil Mustoe as his man of the match: "It was very close between him and Paul Wanless; a tough decision." After the match Mark spoke to player-coach David Preece who was naturally pleased with this vital victory. "They all battled well from number one to eleven, and it was another clean sheet, " he said. "It was one we needed to win, a good effort and Trevor looked like a million pounds." Elsewhere among the bottom clubs Blackpool recorded their first win under Steve McMahon and are now fourth from bottom and two points of ahead of United, but Reading's miserable run without a win extended to fourteen games and they slip to third from bottom, also two points ahead.
DIVISION TWO RESULTS ON 22/01/00
Brentford 2-1 Bury 5,605
Bristol City 0-0 Wigan Athletic 10,758
Burnley 3-0 Oldham Athletic 12,391
Cambridge United 2-0 Chesterfield 3,819
Colchester United 3-1 AFC Bournemouth 3,767
Gillingham 1-3 Blackpool 6,805
Luton Town 3-1 Reading 6,044
Millwall 1-0 Stoke City 11,548
Oxford United 0-5 Bristol Rovers 7,355
Preston North End 3-2 Wycombe Wanderers 10,969
Scunthorpe United 1-0 Notts County 4,035
Wrexham 2-1 Cardiff City 4,350
BOTTOM OF DIVISION TWO
18 Scunthorpe United 26 7 6 13 26 42 -16 27
19 Cardiff City 27 5 10 12 26 37 -11 25
20 Oxford United 26 6 7 13 24 39 -15 25
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21 Blackpool 27 4 10 13 30 47 -17 22
22 Reading 26 4 10 12 29 46 -17 22
23 Cambridge United 26 4 8 14 32 41 -9 20
24 Chesterfield 26 3 9 14 15 31 -16 18
|
Trevor Benjamin added to his soaring transfer value with two priceless goals as Cambridge won their crucial bottom-of-the-table clash with Chesterfield.
The 20-year-old striker broke the deadlock in a tense match a minute before half-time and virtually made sure of the points with his second in the 66th minute.
Chesterfield had one late chance to stage a thrilling finish but David Reeves, who hit all four goals in their 4-2 defeat of Cambridge in August, fired wide from six yards in the 85th minute.
Benjamin was only one yard out when he got the important first goal, nodding the ball in after a Paul Wanless attempt bounced off the post. And after blazing over the crossbar on the hour he beat former Cambridge keeper John Vaughan with a fierce drive in the 66th minute.
Eleven minutes later he was close to his first hat-trick when his shot from the edge of the box slammed against the foot of the post. |
THE new hero was too sharp and strong for the old one as Cambridge United conquered their nerves and Chesterfield to clinch a vital victory. In a sport shot through with superstition, Trevor Benjamin not only ended his team's four-match stumble without a League goal to boost hopes of second division survival, but exposed the "bad omens", as mere mumbo jumbo. Two goals and a near hat-trick drove United to a convincing win, dumped the Derbyshire side back on bottom of the table, and probably sent the young striker's transfer value soaring past the £1m mark. It was an outcome, however, many of the Abbey faithful must have feared was not destined. Hours before United's most important match of the season, one in which the losers would become red-hot favourites for relegation, Chesterfield signed former United goalkeeper John Vaughan. Everybody knows ex-players always have blinders, especially in vital games, and there was the additional factor that Vaughan had starred for United when they beat Chesterfield in a Wembley play-off in the John Beck era. Not only that, but he was so good in those days he was nicknamed "The Legend" by his team-mates. Oh, and United started the game playing "the wrong way" in the first half, towards the Corona Kop instead of the allotments end. For much of the half it seemed they would struggle to gain the first League win in 10 weeks they needed so desperately. They had more of the ball, but what shots were produced appeared to be uncannily attracted to Vaughan's gloves. Whereas David Reeves, the four-goal destroyer of United early in the season, and his quicksilver little partner Ryan Williams were stretching United's patched-up defence. Mick Galloway bounced a shot off the crossbar in the 27th minute, Chris Perkins took advantage of a complete lack of understanding in United's defence in the 40th, but hit the ball straight at Shaun Marshall, then Reeves fired wide after Williams set him up. But the edgy contest turned on two incidents within seven minutes either side of half time. Benjamin struck an important psychological blow a minute before the break when he was first to the rebound after a Paul Wanless header hit the post. And when Reeves and Williams conjured one of the best moves of the game to rip through on the right early in the second half, Ben Chenery managed to whip the ball off the striker's toe when the return pass came in. It was almost possible to see the confidence draining from the visitors. Determination was replaced by desperation. They pushed forward in search of the equaliser leaving gaps for Benjmain and Martin Butler to exploit as Neil Mackenzie made inroads on the right, and the spirit of skipper and flu victim Wanless made United the game's "governors." Benjamin could have put it beyond Chesterfield's reach on the hour, but blazed over after breaking through when a Butler ball sent him charging down the middle. "I should have taken the ball on," he said. "I know I could have got a hat-trick. I was only inches away after scoring the second. But the first was the most important just before half time. I think we knew we'd win it after that. Now I'm sure we can get out of trouble." Vaughan was beaten by the pace of Benjamin's 66th minute shot, and could only watch in the 77th as a drive from the edge of the box slammed against the foot of a post. There was just one late scare to interrupt the celebrations of a happy and relieved crowd. Reeves was left unmarked in front of goal in the 85th minute, and what seemed a certain goal would have made for a very sweaty final few minutes. But somehow the man who hit all the goals in the 4-2 defeat of United at the start of the season, sliced the ball wide from six yards. He buried his head in his hands and maybe the survival hopes of his club, as United sliced two points off the gap between themselves and the sides outside the relegation zone. Report © Cambridge Newspapers Ltd |
Striker David Reeves could not recapture the stunning form which brought him all four goals in the 4-2 defeat of Cambridge early in the season. That was the main reason Chesterfield lost a crucial clash which dumped them back to the bottom of Division Two. Cambridge United's young centre forward Trevor Benjamin, a £1m-rated prospect, emerged as the hero with goals a minute before the break and midway through the second half. But Chesterfield left the Abbey Stadium bitterly disappointed, not so much at the result as at their failure to take the chances which could have at least earned them a deserved draw. They were in control for much of the first half but saw Mick Galloway bounce a 27th-minute shot off the crossbar as well as several attacks featuring Reeves and Ryan Williams which ripped through the home defence only to fire blanks in the penalty area. Benjamin's goal just before half time was a real blow but it could have been wiped out six minutes after the restart. Reeves turned brilliantly to send Williams away on a jinking run followed by a good centre which Reeves looked like getting to before a defender whipped the ball off his toe. Chesterfield, pushing forward eagerly in search of the equaliser, left big gaps at the back. Benjamin made it 2-0 when a 66th-minute corner was only partially cleared. There was still time for Chesterfield to stage a last-gasp revival but Reeves sliced a shot wide of an open goal from only six yards. Report © Derby Daily Telegraph Ltd |
John Vaughan was a late loan goalkeeper for Chesterfield. I hadn't realised that we had only beaten Chesterfield once in the league in 7 games, I'm sure there is another game against Chesterfield that we all remember at Wembley when John Vaughan was in goal for us.
We attacked the Abbey in the first half, so Vaughan had the low sun in his eyes whenever a cross came in from the Habbin side of the pitch, and in the first few seconds Benjamin got a cross in that was headed away for a corner, and we put their defence under pressure whenever possible, although without really creating good scoring chances. Chesterfield had a good chance when a free header from a corner went over our crossbar on 15 minutes.
At the other end Benjamin headed down a free kick for Butler to shoot just wide, Russell tried a couple of curling shots but lacked pace or accuracy and were saved easily. Chesterfield had the occasional snap shot, the best grazed the top of the crossbar on 26 minutes, the others went straight to Marshall who saved them with ease.
On 43 minutes Payne was booked for tripping Benjamin as he turned near the touchline. From the free kick Wanless got up well at the far post and put in a looping header over Vaughan where the ball hit the inside of the post and bounced along the line before being headed in by Benjamin before any defender could clear the danger. Just before half time is a good time to score.
Mackenzie had a good shot go across the face of the goal at the start of the second half, Chesterfield also had a quick break which had to be stopped by a timely clearance from Chenery after 5 minutes. With Chesterfield having to push forward a little more there was more space for our midfield and attack, Wanless having a shot go just wide. From a free kick the ball fell to Mackenzie about 8 yards out, his good shot bought out a reaction save from Vaughan.
15 minutes in Butler played the ball through for Benjamin to run onto, with only the 'keeper to beat Benjamin put his early shot past the angle of post and bar when he could have gone closer to the goal. A corner was half cleared to Ashbee who passed out wide to Russell, he crossed and Mustoe nodded the ball down to Benjamin in the penalty area and his shot flew into the far corner of the goal to put us 2-0 up.
A few minutes later Benjamin almost completed his hat-trick, but his 20 yard shot hit the foot of the post, rebounded behind Vaughan towards Mackenzie but a defender got in first to clear. A few minutes from the end our defence failed to deal with a bouncing ball around the edge of our penalty area, the ball fell to Reeves (who scored 4 against us earlier in the season) who toe poked the ball past Marshall but luckily also past the far post.
Two clean sheets on the trot, 4 points out of 6. Now we have to continue that success rate as we play teams from higher in the league. I think we do play better against the higher teams, the two relegation battles have been exactly that with the tension seeming to get to the players as they worry about conceding a goal. We played much better in the second half having taken the lead.
Marshall dealt with everything he had to, looked safe taking crosses and holding shots. Ashbee at left back had trouble with his nippy winger, but Russell got back quickly to give safety in numbers. Chenery did well in the right back position. The central defenders did OK with Chesterfield having to make do with long shots, although at times in the first half Eustace seemed to head the ball into the air where the strong wind took it back the wrong way. Mustoe and Wanless worked hard in the middle, as did Mackenzie and Russell out wide, but the spark was not with Russell today and his attacking play was nowhere near the standard we have come to expect, too many passes going to the opposition or out of play. At the front Butler and Benjamin got through a lot of work, and look as if they have got themselves sorted out to play 4-4-2. Now we have a week to dream of getting to Wembley.
So at least I got one of my birthday wishes of 3 points. The other was a night in with that girl from the Renault Clio adverts (the one who wants 4 centimetres more!) which I don't think my wife would allow! Oh, and for those who were wondering, it's 43!
Terry
Wilby |
This is the match that Roy McFarland has said Cambridge United must win. They have had to work on the defensive system this week as both the regular full-backs are missing. Jason Kavanagh, who has strengthened the defence considerably since his arrival, is suspended and Clive Wilson the experienced full-back is out injured. Roy McFarland has no other left back on the books that he feels he can play so it is 'Play Anywhere' Ian Ashbee who moves to that position, with Ben Chenery coming in at right-back. Ashbee's withdrawal from midfield and the return to fitness of Paul Wanless leads McFarland to revert to a 4-4-2 formation. Neil Mustoe comes into midfield with Alex Russell, Neil Mackenzie and of course Paul Wanless. He has been hit by a virulent dose of flu that has made him struggle continuously. He says injuries forced him to play when he was still not well, and was physically sick twice during one game. Chesterfield and United are vying for the unenviable position of bottom of the League. After a dreadful run Chesterfield suddenly beat Brentford so they are not a side to be taken lightly. They also put four past Cambridge when United travelled up there early in the season. On the day United ran into a poor referee in Kevin Lynch and striker David Reeves, the captain, helped himself to four goals in a flattering result. Chesterfield spring a surprise in their line up. In goal they have John 'The Legend' Vaughan, the ex United stalwart who they have signed just in time for the match when their loan goalkeeper Carl Muggleton was suddenly recalled. In a biting wind, Chesterfield win the toss and turn the sides round so that United are attacking the Newmarket Road end. John Vaughan goes down towards that end to be greeted by warm and generous applause by a crowd whose respect he earned and kept. United immediately attack and Breckin heads the ball over his own bar under pressure from Trevor Benjamin in the opening seconds. United look positive and a great tackle by Paul Wanless gets them going again. Alex Russell is tripped, but the free-kick wasted. Chesterfield are being given the ball too often and Ashbee wastes another a cross as Breckin comes back on the field after treatment for a blow in the face. The referee Steve Tomlin, who is to have a good game, plays an advantage as Hewitt kicks Martin Butler but after pressure, Mustoe wastes the cross. The ref has a quiet word in the ear of Hewitt as Vaughan prepares to take the goal kick. Good refereeing that. Wonder if he realises that Hewitt got sent off for too many hacks at Trevor Benjamin when United went to Chesterfield? Chesterfield defend in depth and after Trevor Benjamin wins a corner, his deliberate header across goal is belted away. He and Mackenzie play a neat one-two but Mackenzie strays offside. McNeil at the back continues to impress for Cambridge and clears out of the six yard box as Chesterfield threaten briefly. The man really catching the eye in the early stages is Trevor Benjamin who looks fired up for this one. After 15 minutes Chesterfield win their first corner after a neat move involving the diminutive Ryan Williams, a lively little winger who is giving Ashbee problems. Chesterfield are a big side at the back but Trevor Benjamin is doing well, flicking on a header to Martin Butler who is just unable to get his on target. It takes 20 minutes before either keeper has a shot to save and when it does come from Alex Russell, the catch is easy for Vaughan. He repeats the dose 30 seconds later after Neil Mustoe opts for over elaboration in the penalty area when he might have taken the responsibility himself. A hiccup at the back in the Cambridge defence forces Marshall to dribble out unconvincingly but by and large they look in little trouble. Chesterfield are in niggling, spoiling side and the game is littered with free kicks to Cambridge. Unfortunately nothing is coming of these thanks to a series of poor crosses. From one Alex Russell free-kick, Chesterfield break. Mick Galloway finds space for the shot and from the stand it looks as if Shaun Marshall has tipped the fierce effort onto the bar and over the top but the referee awards a goal kick. In the next attack Galloway is at the other end obstructing Ian Ashbee five yards out of the Chesterfield penalty area. The training ground free-kick is on display again. This time it is touched to Mackenzie instead of Butler but again the shot is off target. Although Cambridge United are trying to shoot more today, it sometimes looks as if they couldn't hit a barn door with a bazooka. But at least we are getting some shots from midfield for once. Unfortunately United continue to give possession away and when a free-kick against Paul Wanless is half cleared straight to a Chesterfield player, Chris Beaumont's shot is close enough to have Marshall scrambling to make sure it goes wide. Ian Ashbee is caught pushed up but Williams shot is easy for Marshall. Tricky dribbler, crap shooter. This really is not a very good side, but then this is not really a good game. Cambridge continued to threaten, then breakdown in the penalty area and Alex Russell is the next to put the shot wide, although this effort is good enough to win applause. Twice Shaun Marshall claims cutbacks from the byline when first Reeves and then Perkins should have done better. Reeves is finding this Cambridge defence much stronger than the one he plundered four goals from last August. In fact he doesn't look up to much at all as he chips a half chance straight into Marshall's hands. Just before half time Benjamin is chopped down and a yellow card comes out for Steve Payne. The cross for once is right and headed back towards the corner of the net by Paul Wanless. We are up celebrating before it hits the inside of the post, rebounding for Trevor Benjamin to nod it in from almost on the line. "Vaughany, Vaughany, what's the score?" ask the Newmarket Road end as the one minute board is held up and although Chesterfield win a corner when Reeves hooks the ball across the face of goal, Marshall makes an excellent catch under pressure when the cross is sent in. 1-0 to Cambridge at half time but not a very inspiring forty five minutes. Straight from the kick-off tricky little winger Ryan Williams wins a corner but McNeil is there to clear. He is having another good game and at the moment looks as good as any centre-back on the books. A typical marauding run from Paul Wanless gives him the chance to feed Martin Butler. His touch is to Mackenzie but the low shot across goal is again off target. There's a lot of hard work from Cambridge today. When Reeves breaks and Williams turns Ian Ashbee both ways, Ben Chenery provides some excellent cover inside the six yard box. Wanless misses the target with another shot and United are almost caught out by a volley into the channel down the middle. Steve Wilkinson makes a complete hash of his ball control and knocks forward far too long as he runs towards goal. "You're not very good" he is informed. United are almost caught out again but there are cheers as an alert Shaun Marshall races out to fly kick over the Habbin. Ian Ashbee, the stand-in at left back, is having a torrid time with Ryan Williams who nutmegs him but fortunately Reeves is offside. Mackenzie is seeing a lot of the ball and the next shot from him cannons back and is whacked into the terraces. An Alex Russell cross wins a corner and when he puts the clearance back in again, Vaughan catches Trevor Benjamin's header. Another free-kick is wasted after Breckin pushes Martin Butler flat and although Butler is getting his usual treatment, the man who is causing all sorts of problems today is Big Trev. He is working harder than he has worked in many games and racing back to the halfway line, he harries a mistake then runs on looking for the through ball. Martin Butler obliges, lifting a great ball over the top. Vaughan comes out to narrow the angle and Benjamin blasts well wide as he bears down on the unprotected keeper. It didn't need to be an attempted net buster and that is a bad miss. Benjamin is later to admit that he should have scored then. He says he took it early to try and catch the keeper unprepared but could have taken it on. Benjamin's appetite for this game seems to be having its effect on the other players, in midfield in particular. United are thundering into the game with some excellent tackles until Mustoe inexplicably hits an awful forward ball with no United player having a hope in hell of getting it. The pressure is growing on Chesterfield and the fans sense it. 'Yellows, Yellows' is the call as a 66th minute corner is half cleared. When it is pumped back in, Neil Mustoe produces in a great little touch to Trevor Benjamin who crashes the shot across Vaughan to make it 2- 0. Benjamin is pleased with that one and stands in the penalty area giving an air-punching war dance of delight as he waits to be engulfed in the yellow shirts. If we had not seen so many late cave-ins from United, we would surely think this game is now well and truly won. A curling Alex Russell cross is only just flicked off Trevor Benjamin's head then a magnificent Wanless tackle and pass finds Mackenzie to win another corner. That tackle on the halfway line, which came thundering in and from which Wanless has got up with the ball at his feet has epitomised the way he has come back today. If commitment and guts were skill, he'd be captain of England. The crowd know it too and that tackle is greeted with a huge roar of approval. Trevor Benjamin is obviously inspired by it and races back 40 yards to rob Reeves inside the Cambridge half. "We've never lost at Wembley" taunt the Cambridge fans as Chesterfield look shaky at the back,. A deep cross is left by Payne but fortunately for him Mackenzie can only hook the ball back into Vaughan's arms. Chesterfield try possession football to play themselves back into the game and play it well until Beaumont steps on the ball to jeers. With Chesterfield having a good spell McNeil slices for a corner and Scott Eustace needs attention for a bang on the head. On 77 minutes, a time that must be engraved in the hearts of every Chesterfield supporter who was at Wembley that fateful afternoon, Trevor Benjamin is so close to his hat-trick, slamming a ferocious shot against the base of the post, the ball rebounding straight back to Payne to scramble it round for a corner as Mackenzie races in for the rebound. Mackenzie holds his head as he plainly thought the rebound was coming straight to him instead of the Chesterfield defender. Another excellent move by Cambridge ends with Alex Russell angry with himself when he fails to pick out Trevor Benjamin with his final ball. Back races Benjamin, again challenging his own half and when he shows this kind of appetite for a game, you can see why so many clubs are interested in getting hold of him. If he finds consistency, he is not just going to be good, he is going to be awesome. Six minutes from the end United have a real let off as a bomb dropped in it from the left wing goes over McNeil's head to fall at the feet of Reeves. The goal is surely a formality but as Marshall becomes out, he pokes the ball past him and past the wrong side of the post. "You're not very good" he is reminded again, and that was a dreadful miss. As Alex Russell crosses into the terraces McFarland is signalling to Wanless who gestures four minutes to the players. The Tannoy announcer tells us that Paul Wanless is Man of the Match and the United captain celebrates with a belt down the middle which forces the defence into an inelegant hack into touch. United hold possession in the extra time being played to a forlorn chant of "What a load of rubbish" and "Duncan out" comes up from a handful of the despondent Chesterfield supporters. This has been an important win for Cambridge United. John Duncan goes looking for his players in the hospitality suite and has the look of a man who can feel the rope being placed round his neck. In contrast Trevor Benjamin is giving a chirpy interview to Radio Cambridgeshire. He admits that he could have had a hat full of goals today. He says that he got it wrong when Martin Butler got one-on-one with Vaughan and feels there were other chances he might have done better with. When asked about the speculation concerning his future, he says that all he has on his mind is catching up Martin Butler in the goal scoring stakes. He shows a commendable maturity and confidence, implying that he knows his time will come and saying he will be patient enough to wait for it. That is just as well as the rumours this week suggests that Brentford have switched their attention from Butler to Benjamin and are prepared to pay him big wages as well. Roy McFarland thinks his players showed a lot of character today. "We played a lot of good football" he claims, "our strikers Martin Butler and Trevor Benjamin have been developing well as a front two in a 4-4-2 in recent weeks, and they were a real handful" . Presumably the Bolton spies were there this afternoon, and must have been impressed by this display. Doubtless the message back there will be that is not just Butler they have to worry about. Trevor has posted the warning. Graham Nurse |
It
was a very tense and hard-fought game; tailor made for a United midfield
in which Paul Wanless and Neil Mustoe excelled. They won the midfield
battle which made the difference today, and with two first choice defenders
missing it makes the clean sheet even more satisfying. Ben Chenery had
a sound game apart from his first half lapse when he allowed Perkins past
him and Ashbee did his usual reliable stand-in job at left back.
Another year, another birthday. I wondered if I would get all I wished for.