Nationwide League Division Two - Tuesday 2nd November, 1999
Cambridge
United: Marshall, Ashbee, Joseph, Eustace, Wilson (Taylor 86');
Mustoe, Wanless, Mackenzie: Kyd, Butler, Benjamin.
Scunthorpe: Perez, Fickling
(Stanton 48'), Wilcox, Hope, Dawson; Harsley, Walker, Calvo Garcia, Hodges;
Ipoua (Bull 81'), Marcelle (Gayle 81').
Referee: M. Messias (York)
Goal attempts: Cambridge 17 Scunthorpe 7 |
Cambridge
United crashed to defeat tonight despite dominating the match for long periods,
and Michael Kyd's goal after a first team recall was little more than a
false beacon of hope in the second half.
There was one change to the Cambridge United line-up
this evening, with Michael Kyd recalled in place of Scott Paterson who was
rested after playing several games at below peak fitness. United therefore
lined up with three in attack and with Kyd in the shop window after his
details were circulated to all Division Three clubs at the weekend.
Scunthorpe make two changes to the side beaten by Rushden & Diamonds
on Friday, as French goalkeeper Lionel Perez resumes his interrupted loan
spell from Newcastle United and assistant player-manager Russ Wilcox replaces
the injured Richard Logan in defence.
The game kicked off in chilly conditions but United made a bright start
and after just 46 seconds Harsley's backpass was almost intercepted by Martin
Butler. Perez cleared the ball as far as the surprised Neil Mackenzie whose
shot was well wide. Mackenzie almost made amends in the second minute when
his free kick from 20 yards went through the wall but was saved low down
by Perez.
After 12 minutes Butler brilliantly beat two men wide on the right before
squirming into the area where he pulled the ball back to Mackenzie. The
former Stoke man fired in a shot that was well-blocked as far as Trevor
Benjamin at the far post, but the angle was too tight for him. But despite
the recently uncharacteristic bright start, it all started to come off the
rails in the 22nd minute. Paul Harsley took a dubiously-awarded free kick
from near the corner flag and Scunthorpe skipper Chris Hope rose unchallenged
near the penalty spot to head the ball home at the Newmarket Road End.
Martin Butler had the chance to level within three minutes after receiving
the ball inside from Mackenzie, but his shot from the edge of the box hit
the upright. Mackenzie must be getting closer to a goal for United by the
sheer number of shots he attempts, and in the 34th minute he was picked
out by Michael Kyd but placed his rasping drive into the goalkeeper's midriff.
The wasted chance proved costly as two minutes later some inept defending
allowed Scunthorpe to extend their lead. Left-back Dawson played a low cross
into the area and Harsley was in the right place to turn the ball inside
the post with his shin.
Shaun Marshall's head struck the post as he attempted to stop the mis-hit
shot and the young goalkeeper stayed down for a lengthy spell of treatment
before play resumed. It could easily have been 3-0 to the visitors in the
40th minute when they made a quick breakaway led by Guy Ipoua. He waltzed
away from United's defence, who treated him as though he had something contagious,
and found the well-placed Clint Marcelle who fortunately missed a sitter
when it looked easier to score.
Neil Mackenzie was booked late in the half for a foul borne out of frustration
and United's final attempt before the break came three minutes into stoppage
time when Butler's surging run found Benjamin, but the big striker's shot
almost hit the corner flag.
The U's had started well and had the best of the opening 20 minutes but
then stopped defending and were fortunate that the deficit was only two
goals at the break. (Half-time 0-2)
Three minutes into the second half Nathan Stanton replaced Ashley Fickling
who had taken a knock late in the first half, and in the 51st minute some
'after you Claude' defending between Marc Joseph and Ian Ashbee allowed
Marcelle in for a shot which he fired over the bar. However the U's were
having the better of the half and five minutes later Michael Kyd got away
down the left and his cross picked out Neil Mustoe just inside the box,
but the busy midfielder shot tamely at Perez.
On the hour Wilson's through ball was left by Hope for Kyd and from four
yards out he turned well but blazed his shot wide of goal. It was all United
at this stage and two minutes later Butler met Benjamin's cross with a diving
header that was well held by Perez, but Michael Kyd made
amends for his miss four minutes earlier when he scored in the 64th minute.
Neil Mustoe took a corner and Kyd rose to head it home at the near post.
Scunthorpe still looked threatening on the break with some good interplay
between their two lively strikers but United continued to carve out openings
without finding the end product. In the 72nd minute Mackenzie found Butler
with a neat pass inside but his shot flew past the near post from eight
yards, and six minutes later Kyd rose to head Mustoe's cross straight at
Perez. Ashbee's 80th minute long throw found Kyd whose spectacular bicycle
kick flashed just wide, and Joseph's long throw in the 83rd minute was cleared
as far as Ashbee and his rasping drive from 25 yards was brilliantly saved
low down by Perez.
John Gayle and Gary Bull had replaced Ipoua and Marcelle in the 81st minute
and John Taylor came on for Clive Wilson with four minutes left as the U's
went desperately in search of the equaliser. He was unable to conjure another
vital goal tonight and with three men at the back United were vulnerable
as Scunthorpe broke away in the 90th minute. Gayle scampered away down the
right and put a great cross over Ashbee's head to Lee Hodges who brought
the ball down and drilled it home for a well-taken goal.
Scunthorpe's third was missed by many of the Abbey crowd who had started
filing out well before the end, frustrated no doubt by United's inability
to finish their chances and break down the resistance of Lionel Perez in
the Scunthorpe goal. This defeat in a game that United badly needed to win
is poor preparation for Saturday's match at a wounded Bristol City, and
leaves us one place off the bottom of the table.
Neil Mackenzie was the sponsors' man of the match but reporter Mark Johnson
chose Neil Mustoe: "He put in a hard-working performance
in a lost cause."
RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 02/11/99
Brentford 1-1 Reading 6,774
Bristol Rovers 0-0 Bury 5,397
Burnley 5-0 Wrexham 8,944
Cambridge United 1-3 Scunthorpe United 3,285
Cardiff City 1-1 Blackpool 4,523
Gillingham 3-0 Bristol City 6,892
Millwall 1-0 Luton Town 6,181
Oldham Athletic 2-2 Wycombe Wanderers 3,807
Oxford United 1-1 Colchester United 4,444
Wigan Athletic 3-0 Chesterfield 4,376
|
Eustace is fat and unfit, Wanny is slow, immobile, unfit and I feel a liability
at present. Ashbee was awful tonight, and Wilson's crosses were lame. Mackenzie's
were the same, but he still looked bright on the ball. Butler and Trev were
anonymous, never got into the game. Kyd was a mixture of good and frustrating.
He took his goal well, but could have scored 4 on another day. He missed
one chance which I couldn't believe, and saw a volley fly inches wide. Shaggy
came on, and played exactly the same as he did against Gateshead ... crap.
This time he didn't score though.
Joseph had another good game. Shaun Marshall's distribution was poor, and
the midfield never got into it. Mainly due to Wanless being utter tripe,
and out of his depth in this league. He is out of his depth full stop as
far as I am concerned. I have supported him till now, but enough is enough.
He is a liability to the team, and is pulling us down. Paul Wanless is dead
wood as far as I am concerned. Harsh I know, but true.
I was happy to see Kyd play pretty well, but as I say was darn frustrating
to watch. We did have quite a few shots from outside the box, but all were
at Perez, who only had to make one serious save all night. Yeah, we had
possession. Yeah, we had chances. Yeah...we lost 3-1. Yeah...we were playing
a very average side. Yeah...we are going down.
Players are being played out of position, players are playing when not fully
fit, players are not giving 100% in key areas, and the result will be relegation.
Make no mistake about that. We have to sort this out pretty bloody soon.
Wil
|
A return to 4-3-3 formation against a Scunthorpe side that had lost in the
FA cup to non league Rushden. However they had Lionel Perez on loan from
Newcastle in goal, and Lee Hodges who was bought for a 6 figure sum in the
middle. They even spent £50,000 on a young full back. Oh to have money
like that available to strengthen our team!
We started well, Mackenzie having a couple of shots saved in the first few
minutes, then a looping shot from Mustoe was well pushed out only to Benjamin
who managed to put the ball over from a few yards out. On 22 minutes Scunthorpe
got a free kick near our right hand touchline following a foul by Ashbee,
and from the cross Hope headed unchallenged into the corner of the net from
around 6 yards to give the visitors their lead.
We continued to push forward, from a low Mackenzie cross Butler had a shot
on the turn which hit the outside of the post. Mackenzie tried a couple
more shots, one was high, the other saved. After 35 minutes they increased
the lead, a run down our right, a low cross into the middle that seemed
to evade a number of forwards and defenders fell nicely for one of their
players who shot through a couple of defenders and low into the corner of
the net, just evading the finger tips of Marshall who collided with the
post.
Back we came, a header from a corner went straight to the 'keeper though.
Scunthorpe could have increased the lead, Eustace was beaten for pace and
the ball cut back but the forward placed his shot wide. Butler headed straight
at the 'keeper, then a good quick move involving Kyd, Mustoe, Butler and
Kyd was headed away from danger, and in stoppage time Benjamin combined
with Butler but missed the target. Mackenzie was booked for a trip just
before the end of the half.
The second half continued as the first with us making the running, Perez
mis-punched under pressure from Benjamin but we had no-one to take advantage,
Mustoe shot wide, Kyd ran onto a good through ball and crossed for Mustoe
to shoot wide, Kyd again had a chance when he got past the defence and lifted
his shot wide of Perez but also wide of the far post, and another header
from Butler was saved.
We pulled a goal back on 18 minutes, a corner was headed in by Kyd under
pressure from Perez. Scunthorpe had the odd chance, Marshall having to save
at the feet of a forward after he seemed to have beaten 4 defenders. Benjamin
shot wide, and Butler sidefooted wide at the near post, Kyd headed at the
'keeper then had a good shot go just wide.
Perez made the best save on 37 minutes, a long throw was headed out to Ashbee
who had a powerful shot punched away as it came through a group of players.
He hit it too well in that it didn't swerve at all. For the last 5 minutes
Taylor came on for Wilson and we went to a 3-3-4 all or nothing formation,
and it turned out to be nothing as their big striker Gayle got away on our
left and crossed long to Hodges who controlled, side-stepped Ashbee and
gave Marshall no chance to save the shot.
Another defeat, but at least we made a number of chances and were very unlucky
not to get at least a point. I don't feel as disappointed on our performance
as I did after Saturdays game. I thought Scunthorpe looked a tidy team who
I think will finish in the top half of the table.
Marshall had little to do, but had no chance with any of the goals. His
kicking was OK. Our full backs did OK, but both got caught out of position
when Scunthorpe attacked quickly. The problem area is the central defenders,
or to be more precise Scott Eustace. Joseph is a good header of the ball
and jumps well, whereas Eustace doesn't jump very well, so at corners and
free kicks when there is at least one big centre forward and a big centre
half to mark there is only one defender between them, and of course they
cross to the better placed player as for the first goal. Eustace is also
not very quick and is easily beaten for pace. None of the rest of the team
are natural headers of the ball, Benjamin is probably the best but is not
a very good defender.
The defence is not helped much by the midfield, Wanless is not quick enough
and Mackenzie too attack minded and not much of a tackler, leaving Mustoe
to do the grafting, which he does as much as possible.
The forwards do not get back very quickly, which means the midfield and
defence get outnumbered. The forwards do not hold the ball up to allow the
midfield to support (although Butler has a good try) preferring instead
to take on a defender and often lose possession by which time the midfield
has got up only to see the ball going back towards our goal!
Mackenzie looks good on the ball, but he must learn to use his left foot
if he is to play on the left. Every time he cuts inside onto his right to
shoot or cross, perhaps he would be worth a try on the other side. Having
said that he at least having some shots from outside the penalty area which
were in the main on target.
When Kyd had the ball on the ground he didn't do too well, but surprisingly
he scored with a header, and did reasonably well when in the centre forward
position. I think Taylor touched the ball once to put it out for a throw
in! With Perez being a bit dodgy on crosses we made few good ones to test
him, instead they seemed to be straight down his throat
So all we need is a defender, midfield player and another forward. Unfortunately
free transfer players will be no better than what we have, and there is
little transfer money available, so we'll just have to make do with who
we have and hope that they come good as a team.
And at times like this the players need our positive support. The booing
at the end on Saturday was for a poor performance, the booing last night
was unjustified.
Terry Wilby. |
There are only so many ways of saying this
After struggling
to beat a very poor non-league side, Roy McFarland decides to switch back
to 4-3-3. Michael Kyd is the player that comes in, Scott Paterson dropping
to the bench. Both sides need points, and Cambridge are facing a possible
backlash after Rushden and Diamonds comprehensively booted Scunthorpe out
of the cup. Scunthorpe are managed by Brian "Biffo" Laws, the
man who claims he was offered the Cambridge United job and then had it taken
away when it was realised that Roy McFarland was available. His is also
the man alleged to be ready to trade punches with his own players. In a
nutshell, he is known in football to be "aggressive".
Cambridge
United kick-off towards the allotment end and in the first minute Martin
Butler and keeper Lionel Perez - on loan from Newcastle - go for a 50-50
ball. It rebounds to Mackenzie but his curling chip is headed away. Half
a minute later Mackenzie fires a shot through the wall at a free kick but
again Perez makes a good save. In a fast counter Ashley Fickling's square
ball is too strong for Lee Hodges, and plainly the game has opened at a
furious rate. Perez goes down to save another Mackenzie shot, and a minute
later Butler harries giant centre-back Chris Hope into conceding a corner.
The ball bobbles about, but it won't come down for Ian Ashbee to control.
Cambridge
United are more positive than they were in the entire game last Saturday
and after 11 minutes they are very unlucky not to score as Martin Butler
beats his man and finds Neil Mustoe. His chip for the far top corner looks
a goal all the way until Perez has somehow manages to arch his back and
claw it out. Mackenzie is involved in everything and his next cross just
too high for Benjamin. The Scunthorpe fans sing to encourage their side
who are on the back foot, so the Newmarket Road end remind them of Saturday
with a chorus for the "2-0 to the Rushden".
On 22 minutes
Ashbee is lectured for a foul near the Habbin touch line. The lively full-back
Paul Harsley, who has now switched with Fickling in midfield, takes the
free kick and centre-back Chris Hope runs in unchallenged to flick a header
into the net. Scott Eustace admits after the game that he has lost the man
he should have been marking. It is Scunthorpe's first effort of the game,
and again the Cambridge defence have stood and watched instead of attacking
the ball. Two minutes later Neil Mackenzie, who is plainly the best Cambridge
player in midfield, knocks in a low cross, Martin Butler's diving header
clipping the outside of the post and going round. The midfielder is in everything,
winning a corner that Paul Wanless cannot convert then shooting too high
after more busy work from Butler.
After Scunthorpe
have won a corner with a raking 50 yard diagonal pass, Cambridge counter
with an excellent build up but Mackenzie's fierce shot is straight at Perez.
After all this and with only 36 minutes on the clock, we again see the comedy
we have seen so many times this season. There are only so many ways to say
it, and this season we are exhausting ways of saying it differently. Randall
Butt calls it "dreadful dithering defending" and I call it "another
comedy of errors". Ian Ashbee, struggling at right back, is easily
beaten as the defence clear the ball to a Scunthorpe player. Andrew Dawson
sends in a cross which goes straight past Marc Joseph to allow Harsley to
knock into the net at the back post. Shaun Marshall collides with the post
in a desperate attempt to keep the ball out, and as he receives treatment
the inquests take place on and off the pitch. Everyone in the back four
has made a mistake. Eustace and Ashbee have failed to defend initially,
Marc Joseph has allowed it to go straight past him, and Clive Wilson has
failed to pick up the man on the back post. 0-2 and Scunthorpe can't believe
their luck.
Two minutes
later Butler wins a corner and Perez saves Eustace's header. Mackenzie runs
into a packed defence as he tries to make the chance easier, but at the
other end Trinidad and Tobago international Clint Marcelle makes a pig's
ear of a simple chance to make it 3-0. Totally unmarked as the defence is
sliced open on the counter, he is left only eight yards out with only Marshall
to beat but side foots it wide. As the half draws to an end a dangerous
Michael Kyd cross after a run from a half way line is powerfully headed
clear by Russell Willcox, a centre-back not afraid to attack the ball. In
added time Mackenzie is booked for upending Harsley. There is final half
chance for Cambridge, but Benjamin's shot under pressure from Fickling is
nearer the corner flag than the goal. The half ends with a few boos from
a disheartened United crowd.
The second
half starts with a rare mistake from Perez, flapping at an Ian Ashbee cross
under pressure from Benjamin but the ball is belted clear. Fickling, hurt
in the challenge to stop Benjamin just before the first half ended, is substituted.
Laws is right in front of me on the halfway line screaming at the top of
his voice at the linesman "Get your flag up! Come on! Get your flag
up!" His snarling, aggressive tone is far more threatening than that
of the Gateshead player who got sent off on Saturday for talking to the
linesman but tonight no action is taken, despite the fact that this has
taken place in front of the third official. Laws is to get away with murder
in this game, on the pitch talking to all his players whenever a physio
appears. On one occasion the third official says something to him then goes
to tell him again, but Laws just ignores him, obviously a Law unto himself.
Six minutes
into the half more farcical Cambridge defending sees Ian Ashbee and Marc
Joseph both contrive to mis-kick to hand it on a plate to Marcelle but he
puts the golden opportunity well wide of the post. Once again a side is
giving Cambridge lessons on how to defend. Scunthorpe get plenty in the
penalty area when attacked but unlike Cambridge, every Scunthorpe man is
prepared to attack the ball that comes into the box. Michael Kyd, occasionally
looking impressive, gets a good cross but under pressure Mustoe scuffs a
shot straight at the keeper. Twice Marc Joseph is beaten in a build up and
the cross comes off a defender for another Scunthorpe corner.
Just before
the hour penalty appeals are turned out at both ends. At the Newmarket Road
end Dawson and Benjamin tangle and crash to the ground, Benjamin and the
crowd appealing for a penalty, but the ref will have none of it. Almost
immediately the ball is down the other end and Scunthorpe looked to have
a better claim turned down as Ipoua appears to have been pushed flat by
Marc Joseph. Suddenly Cambridge go into overdrive. Michael Kyd flicks the
ball past the keeper from five yards but it slips agonisingly wide with
the crowd already celebrating. He really should have hit the target with
that one. A diving header from Butler from Benjamin's cross is easy for
the keeper, but Butler then wins another corner after 64 minutes. Neil Mustoe
swings it to the near post and Michael Kyd gets in front of the defender
to head him. At this stage, and providing they can keep the ball out of
their penalty area, Cambridge look to have a real chance to come back from
the dead. Butler - again under pressure - just fails to reach an Ashbee
cross, and he must be wondering what it would be like to get the kind of
free header that the Cambridge defence regularly dole out.
Wilson again
has to concede a corner rescuing Joseph and you can see him shouting at
him to get the ball away next time. Scunthorpe have been wasting time for
some time now and at last referee Messias books Dawson, who with Hodges
really has been extracting the urine. Cambridge continue to press, Benjamin
beating two men but unable to find the target, then Kyd is shut down. Mackenzie's
low ball to the near post finds Martin Butler but he holds his head in his
hands as he side-foots what is a good chance the wrong side of the post.
Joseph is now hurling long throws into the penalty area but Scunthorpe regularly
get 10 men back. Hodges limps off after treatment, wasting plenty of time
which allows Laws to go on to the pitch once more to issue instructions.
When he has
finished these, Hodges has a miraculous recovery from what appeared a terminal
injury.
Mustoe sends
in another good cross but Kyd's weak header is straight at Perez. With ten
minutes left Benjamin hooks on a throw in and Kyd sends it tumbling volley
wide of the post. Ex-Cambridge United player Gary Bull, who none of us ever
dreamed would one day fetch a fortune, comes on with the veteran John Gayle,
who looks like an older version of Trevor Benjamin, and who has always been
a handful. They replace Ipoua and Marcelle, two of the weakest front runners
we have seen this season. Cambridge keep on the pressure and on 83 minutes
Ian Ashbee is desperately unlucky as a crashing drive from just outside
the area is spectacularly saved at full stretch by Perez. Mackenzie then
runs at the defence but Perez is at Martin Butler's feet and the loose ball
whacked clear. Four minutes left and John Taylor comes on for Clive Wilson,
signalling three-at-the-back to the defence, as United desperately switch
to a 3-3-4 formation.
To groans
of frustration from the crowd, Ashbee sends a cross straight into the hands
of the keeper. With two minutes to go Joseph's clearance hits an attacker
and the crowd gasp as Gayle rockets a rising shot across goal and into the
allotments. "Thank God nobody got in the way of that" somebody
says, "it would have taken his head off". In the closing seconds
of normal time Marc Joseph, going across to cover the unprotected right
wing, is comprehensively beaten by Gayle who sends the cross over Ashbee's
head for Hodges to control, beat Ashbee, and smash number three. The defences,
unable to cope when there are four of them, are easy pickings in this situation.
As the three minute board is held up, Gary Bull tries a cheeky chip but
it is wide.
"Going
down, going down, going down" jeer the Scunthorpe crowd and every one
of us knows it looks as if they are right. Calvo Garcia, who has had a very
quiet game, is only inches too high in the last action of the night. The
whistle is greeted by desultory boos from the dispirited fans, and the announcement,
quite rightly, that Mackenzie is Man of the Match. United have dominated
this game yet again come away with nothing. The fifth defeat in the last
six league games now means that only woeful Colchester are below them in
the table, with the same number of points and a game in hand.
"The
search goes on", says Roy McFarland. "We need to improve the defence",
he says in the blindingly obvious understatement of the year. "We've
been trying to do it for a while, but it's hard to get people in and I can't
see it happening before we go to Bristol City on Saturday."
He is probably
right. The longer this goes on, the harder it will be to get a centre back
of any quality. No one likes jumping onto a sinking ship. McFarland praises
Scunthorpe centre-back Chris Hope and their dominant keeper Lionel Perez
and reveals that he enquired about Hope in the summer but had been unable
to sign him. He also says he is having long drawn out talks with a club
in this division about a player and that a prospective loan deal for a centre-back
with a Premier club fell through when they collected some injuries. Michael
Kyd might have had a hat trick with a bit of luck tonight according to the
manager, adding "but you don't give yourself much of a chance of winning
when you give away two goals in the first half-hour or so".
In discussions
after the game I suggest to one fan that tonight we saw some "Sunday
League defending". The reply I got was "Don't insult my team like
that. On Sunday mornings we defend better than that."
RANDALL BUTT reports from the Abbey Stadium
FACTS and figures are flooding football. There is an anorak agency which
sends out weekly tables of passes, tackles, shots and saves for every player.
But the latest misadventure driving Cambridge United even deeper into relegation
trouble showed how meaningless they can be. The statistics suggest Roy McFarland's
side steamrollered Scunthorpe. Goal attempts? 16-5, on target 10-3! Yet
not a single despairing supporter can have trudged home last night thinking:
"We wuz robbed."
Scunthorpe had no need to steal the points. They were handed to them on
a silver salver early in the match. A comic collection of defensive errors,
which could be used as a training video of "how not to do it,"
gave them a 2-0 lead by the 36th minute, freeing them of any doubts and
fears raised by their FA Cup defeat at non-League Rushden and Diamonds.
It left United a bit like the man asking directions in Ireland and being
told: "Well, if I was you, I wouldn't start from here."
The only scrap of consolation is that they did not disintegrate and go down
to a much heavier fifth defeat in six League games. Scunthorpe's third goal
came in the 90th minute as United desperately threw everything into the
search for an equaliser.
Centre-back Scott Eustace, who admitted losing the man he should have marked
for the first goal, disclosed a gloomy mood at half time.
"We needed a good start," he said, "but they score and a
few heads go down. We give them another, the crowd gets on your back, and
you are sitting there 2-0 down at half time. We have to give ourselves a
better chance than that."
The usual pattern prevailed, however. Turning around to attack the Newmarket
Road goal, his team perked up and took almost complete control for most
of the second half as Neils Mackenzie and Mustoe got a grip. If a side had
that much possession and territorial advantage against frail United they
would probably score four or five goals in a half.
But after a brief wobble "The Iron" lived up to their nickname,
centre-back Chris Hope marshalling a disciplined defence behind which loan
goalkeeper Lionel Perez showed why Newcastle thought him good enough initially
to take him on at £8,000 a week.
He was helped by finishing, which too much of the time, let down good approach
play. Half of those shots on target were aimed straight at him with the
power of a back pass. There were only a couple of anxious moments for him
during the first half, when he dived full length to push away a Mustoe chip,
and was glad to see a Martin Butler shot scrape a post.
He was let off the hook on the hour when Michael Kyd sliced the ball across
the face of goal from five yards. But it appeared to be "game on"
four minutes later when transfer-listed Kyd, who over-shadowed Trevor Benjamin
and even Martin Butler for much of the time, put away an excellent near-post
header at a corner.
After having their hopes raised, though, the dwindling band of faithful
fans had to suffer 20 minutes of depressing deja vu as United, just
as in Saturday's FA Cup tie, failed to convert possession into clear chances.
And when they eventually unleashed their most menacing shot of the match,
they were denied by a wonder save.
On overall play they would have deserved the point Ian Ashbee's 25-yard
piledriver looked like securing, but Perez, seeing the ball late through
a pack of players, dived low to deflect the rocket. If the match had finished
then, the fans would have been left with a hopeful memory. But it was replaced
in their minds by the picture of another gormless giveaway goal.
McFarland admitted going for an all-or-nothing gamble by sending on John
Taylor and removing Clive Wilson to strip the defence down to three men.
Scunthorpe simply went surging down the exposed flank, pumped a cross into
the near-deserted penalty area, scored with nonchalant ease, and made sure
of continuing to climb the table on a five-match unbeaten run as United
slumped to next-to-bottom.
Report © Cambridge Newspapers
Ltd
SCUNTHORPE stretched
their unbeaten run in the league to five games with an excellent performance
at the Abbey Stadium last night.
It was Cambridge who forced all the early pressure and it took a great save
at full stretch from goalkeeper Lionel Perez to prevent Neil Mustoe giving
the home side a 12th minute lead. But it was Scunthorpe who snatched the
opening score after 22 minutes from a free kick by Paul Harsley which was
headed home by captain Chris Hope.
The visitors made it 2-0 in the 36th minute when Andy Dawson broke and produced
a low cross which was tucked home by Harsley. Scunthorpe could have made
it 3-0 just before half time when striker Clint Marcelle shot wide with
just goalkeeper Shaun Marshall to beat.
Cambridge pressed strongly in the second half with striker Michael Kyd missing
a great chance on the hour. Four minutes later though Kyd did make it 2-1
with a near post header from a corner by Neil Mustoe.
The home side continued
to press and Perez rescued Scunthorpe to keep out Ian Ashbee's effort. But
it was the visitors who made it 3-1 in the 90th minute when substitute John
Gayle produced a perfect cross to find Lee Hodges to score.
Report © Yorkshire Post
Graham Nurse's match report
Cambridge Evening News match report
Yorkshire Post match report
Hope
pays off for Scunthorpe
Tonight
was much of the same really. We started to play in the second half, but
after scoring only really had one clear cut opportunity to equalise. They
cought us on the break in the last min, and 3-1 was very flattering to them.
They took the chances offered to them though, we simply ambled along in
1st gear for most of the match.
Mercer was again substitute
goalkeeper, but this time he has his own shirt with number 31 on it, instead
of having to borrow a number one shirt!