Nationwide League Division Two - Saturday 5th February, 2000
Cambridge
United (4-4-2): Marshall, Ashbee, Eustace, McNeil, Wilson (Taylor
70'); Mackenzie (Preece 79'), Wanless (c), Mustoe, Russell (Youngs 31');
Guinan, Benjamin. Wigan
Athletic (4-3-3): Carroll, Bradshaw, McGibbon, de Zeeuw,
Sharp: Martinez, O'Neill (Sheridan 83'), McLoughlin; Liddell, Haworth,
Barlow (Griffiths 46'). Referee: David Crick (Worcester Park, Surrey)
Shots on target: Cambridge 7 Wigan 3 |
Cambridge United snatched a late but well-deserved point from high-flying Wigan at the Abbey this afternoon, and as the U's started life without Martin Butler it could well have been more after Wigan were reduced to ten men at half-time and keeper Roy Carroll performed heroics in Wigan's goal. But United's survival hopes took a potentially big blow when Alex Russell limped off in the first half with a possible reoccurrence of the troublesome thigh injury which has already ruled him out of half of this season. There were two changes from the team that lost to Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup last weekend. U's Net's new sponsored player Jason Kavanagh missed out through injury but Clive Wilson returned, allowing the versatile Ian Ashbee to switch full-back positions from left to right. Up front, Steve Guinan started alongside Trevor Benjamin in place of Martin Butler as United entered the post "killer Bs" era. Third-placed Wigan, who are unbeaten on their travels this season, named an adventurous line-up with three up front, including the prolific Stuart Barlow, and a look at the names on their bench underlined the gulf in resources between top and bottom of this division. The game kicked off in mild but grey conditions and got off to a lively start. United kicked off towards the home end and looked bright in attack but Barlow was giving Ian Ashbee a torrid time at right back and the defence looked less than solid. In the first minute incompetent defending by United saw three failures to clear the ball before Kevin Sharp's curling shot was watched carefully by Shaun Marshall as it cleared the bar. In the fifth minute O'Neill's cross was brought down by Howarth, and his neat flick set up Martinez for a tame shot from about eight yards which was comfortably held by Marshall. The goalkeeper's long clearance sent Trevor Benjamin away, he set up Neil Mackenzie who cut into the box and sent a curling shot fractionally over the apex. Then after ten minutes Wigan took the lead when Barlow beat Ashbee again and flighted a cross inside the far post, completely deceiving Marshall for his 21st goal of the season and his fiftieth league goal for the club. It was a blow for the U's who had looked fairly lively in attack, but perhaps the biggest blow of the afternoon was still to follow. After 18 minutes Alex Russell played a quick free kick to Steve Guinan who came galloping forward but shot straight at goalkeeper Carroll, then four minutes later some neat interplay between Mackenzie and Paul Wanless fed the ball into the feet of Trevor Benjamin. The big striker only managed to stub the ball and although it ran towards Scott Eustace he couldn't quite take it in his stride. Some brilliant wing play by Russell in the 28th minute took him past Bradshaw and his whipped cross was only inches from Benjamin as he flung himself at the ball. But moments later, as Russell jogged back into midfield, he suddenly pulled up short and was obviously having trouble with his thigh. He limped off very slowly and if this is a recurrence of the injury that has already forced him to miss over three months of the season it will be a very cruel blow to the club's survival hopes and of course to the player, who was back to his brilliant best last week against Bolton. Russell was replaced by Tom Youngs, who has been playing on the right of midfield for the reserves, and after a couple of minutes in Russell's left-sided role he swapped sides with Neil Mackenzie. United were playing some good football but Wigan proved robust opponents and full-backs Bradshaw and Sharp both collected yellow cards in the first half hour, before Simon Haworth's 35th minute snap shot hit the post from 20 yards. In the 43rd minute the ball seemed to bounce forward off Neil Mustoe's hand, but although the referee waved play on Guinan hesitated instead of challenging the goalkeeper for the loose ball and the chance was gone. Four minutes of stoppage time was indicated but, after pauses for treatment to head injuries for Wanless and De Zeeuw and bookings for Benjamin and De Zeeuw, that was extended further and in the sixth minute of stoppage time Wigan were reduced to ten men. Right-back Carl Bradshaw crashed into the back of Guinan and was rightly shown his second yellow card. United had played some neat football in the first half without producing the telling final ball, while Wigan had enjoyed a few decent half chances of their own. Steve Guinan, making his full league debut for the U's, looked mobile and good in the air but understandably he and Benjamin were not quite linking up all the time. However the midfielders and particularly Neil Mackenzie were noticeably getting forward in support of the front men. (Half-time 0-1). Wigan made a change at the start of the second half, replacing scorer Barlow with defender Gareth Griffiths. United continued to play some promising football and three minutes in Ashbee's long throw was flicked on by Benjamin to Guinan at the near post, but although the former Nottingham Forest man produced a good shot on the turn it was well-saved by Carroll. However the defensive frailties were still there and four minutes later Sharp was left unattended at a free kick and his cross picked out Howarth who headed wide under pressure. Trevor Benjamin, who was having an excellent game, almost set up the equaliser after 59 minutes when he brought the ball forward before nimbly turning and crossing, but Sharp lived up to his name by nicking the ball off Eustace's eyebrows almost on the line. Then two minutes later Howarth's shot on the turn from 20 yards was turned around the post by Marshall's sprawling save. Tom Youngs had taken up a floating role in a fluid-looking midfield as he and Mackenzie regularly swapped flanks, and Trevor Benjamin was continuing to cause problems to the Wigan defence as United looked for the equaliser. John Taylor was sent into the fray with 20 minutes left, replacing the tiring Clive Wilson to leave three at the back as United pinned the visitors Wigan in their own half. After 73 minutes Paul Wanless met a deep cross on his chest but he couldn't control the ball under pressure, then a minute later Guinan was set free on the right and his thumping drive was well saved by Carroll. From the corner, Carroll clutched Wanless' header.
However the same combination struck two minutes into stoppage time, but this time Taylor's shot was parried and Tom Youngs sprinted in from the left to thrash the ball home. His goal snatched a well-deserved point from the high-fliers just as it seemed Wigan's man of the match Carroll was unbeatable, and means that the U's close the gap on Chesterfield and Oxford who both lost today and have played two games more. Reporter Mark Johnson described the result as a well-deserved point that anyone would have settled for beforehand, and his man of the match was Trevor Benjamin: "He shouldered the responsibility for the central front-running role. 'The boy done good'." Former star Martin Butler, who left the Abbey to join Reading on Tuesday, took just an hour of his debut match to get off the mark for his new club. He scored the equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Preston North End, the side he turned down in favour of the Royals.
Division Two Results
Brentford 0-2 Notts County 5,106
Bristol City 3-0 Chesterfield 8,837
Burnley 1-0 Bristol Rovers 13,526
Cambridge United 1-1 Wigan Athletic 3,755
Colchester United 1-3 Bury 3,915
Gillingham 3-0 Stoke City 7,801
Luton Town 1-2 AFC Bournemouth 5,961
Millwall 1-0 Oldham Athletic 8,303
Oxford United 0-1 Blackpool 5,179
Preston North End 2-2 Reading 12,618
Scunthorpe United 0-0 Cardiff City 3,614
Wrexham 1-3 Wycombe Wanderers 2,781
Bottom of Division Two table (correct as at 05/02/00)
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
16 Colchester United 30 9 7 14 39 58 -19 34
17 Wrexham 29 7 10 12 29 43 -14 31
18 Scunthorpe United 29 7 8 14 27 45 -18 29
19 Cardiff City 29 5 11 13 27 40 -13 26
20 Reading 28 5 11 12 33 48 -15 26
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21 Blackpool 29 5 10 14 31 48 -17 25
22 Oxford United 29 6 7 16 24 46 -22 25
23 Chesterfield 29 4 10 15 17 34 -17 22
24 Cambridge United 27 4 9 14 33 42 -9 21
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Tom Youngs struck in the dying seconds to earn struggling Cambridge a vital point against high-flying Wigan.
The visitors had led through Barlow's first half strike and seemed set to bolster their promotion hopes with three ponts. But substitute Youngs intervened in the final minute to deny John Benson's side a win that would have kept them level with Preston at the top of Division Two.
(c) Copyright Press Association Ltd 2000
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TOM YOUNGS showed the striker's instinctive sense of being in the right place at a vital time to score one of Cambridge United's most important goals of the season. Goalkeeper Roy Carroll looked like emerging the hero from a bruising battle as he made save after save to protect an undeserved lead for beleagured 10-man Wigan. Ordinary time had run out and the clock was into the second of the five minutes added on for stoppages, when the rookie forward ran on to a rebound to equalise after John Taylor's shot was blocked. It threw United a lifeline in their struggle against relegation. But the last-gasp goal had more importance in the heads of the players than the league table. To have got nothing out of this match might have spread a gloomy fatalism through a group of players who have done well to keep their chins up while bumping along the bottom of the second division. They were more than a match for the only unbeaten away team in the country for much of the game, probably doing 70 per cent of the attacking. Wigan's early goal was a fluke, scorer Stuart Barlow admitting as much after his floated centre dropped inside the far post. And one of the hardest-to-beat teams in League football (one defeat out of 27) had to resort to a series of cynical scything fouls, such as the couple which earned their skipper Carl Bradshaw a red card, to preserve their record. Yet United were just a few minutes away from their 15th defeat of the season after playing 10 men for the entire second half, a few days after seeing top scorer Martin Butler sold, and fearing key midfielder Alex Russel might be out for weeks after limping off in the 31st minute. Defeat would have emphasised the downside, but the draw which keeps them in touch -- five points adrift, but with two games in hand -- should encourage an optimistic outlook, as long as players and management learn from the errors which accompanied football as good as anything big-spending Wigan could manage. The wisdom of switching the ultimate utility man, Ian Ashbee, from filling in for Clive Wilson at left-back to covering for injured Jason Kavanagh on the right, was highly questionable. United were fortunate the division's top scorer Barlow did not do more damage as he enjoyed the freedom of the left flank, which might have been restricted a little more by the precence of out-of- favour specialist full-back Ben Chenery. And although they created enough shooting and heading opportunities to have beaten a side without such a competent keeper, United appeared to have learned little from the bitter experience of being unable to score against eight-man Cardiff City a few weeks ago. Admittedly Wigan changed their system for the second half to concentrate much more on defence, but United failed to stretch them enough, and got themselves locked into a tunnel vision game as they tried to bore and blast their way through the crowded middle of a stubborn defence. The candidates for Butler's role probably finished about even, Youngs and Steve Guinan both managed to get themselves into positions for a couple of clear strikes each. Guinan's first half finish was tame, but it took a flying save to beat away his 74th minute shot. Youngs also found Carroll too good when he hit the target in the 83rd minute, but was well positioned and very cool when the opportunity of the equaliser fell to him. For Butler's former partner it was a bruising taste of things to come, now he has had the role of United's main threat thrust upon him. Trevor Benjamin was bundled over and sliced down continually, and apart from forcing one brave save from the keeper with a close-range shot late in the first half, had to get much of his satisfaction from taking the flak to create openings for others. Skipper Paul Wanless joined the club of players denied by the keeper when his 75th minute header was clutched under the crossbar, but as manager Roy McFarland stressed, there was still a strange reluctance among the midfield men to go for goal. Wigan boss John Benson, as so many managers before him this season, expressed the view that United were much better than their position. However, there could be a danger in taking too much comfort from his opinion, since he also claimed: "We were well in control until we had a man sent off, we created the better chances, we showed magnificent spirit in the second half, and deserved to win." Report © Cambridge Newspapers Ltd |
The weather seemed rather nice in Cambridge, the only problem was that the ground didn't match the weather. A small compact Abbey Stadium felt like going back to Springfield Park and the Latics got off to a great start. With just 1 minute gone Simon Haworth gathered up the ball and switched to Alan McLaughlin on the left wing, McLaughiln brought the ball inside and crossed to Barlow who put the ball over the bar. A further two minutes had passed and Latics made their next chance. Bradshaw gathered the ball and sent it long to Simon Haworth who laid the ball off for Bobby Matinez who's weak volley was never going to trouble the keeper. Marshall then hoofed the ball upfield and Trevor Benjamin laid on Wanless who shot wasfully over the bar. Nine minutes in and Bradshaw switched the free kick to the corner flag on the left hand side of the pitch, a splendid first touch from Barlow gave him the time to turn inside and send in a shot/corner which sailed into the top corner. BARLOW will say he meant that but I'm not so sure.
After the goal the game seemed to settle down with both sides having some good chances. Twenty minutes on the clock and Benjamin and Bradshaw both challenged for a mid air ball and the Latics skipper seemed to come off worse. After treatment Carl was fired up and went in rather late on Benjamin and recieved a yellow card for his trouble. Five minutes later and Sharp was in trouble with the ref, recieving a yellow card for a needless late challenge.
It was thirteen minutes before half time when Latics got their next chance. This came from a decent ball from Liddell who gave the ball to Martinez who could only win a corner, this corner was then wasted, unfortunatly. Two minutes later and McGibbon sent a long ball forward from which Stuart Barlow laid Simon Haworth, but the big front man could only find the face of the post with his 18 yds drive. It would then prove to be another two minutes before a good chance. Bradshaw sent in a cross from the right wing and there was Alan McLoughlin, but McLaughlin could only place the ball wide.
Approaching half time and the Latics could have benn 4-0 up. 38 minutes to be precise and Stuart Barlow picked up the ball on the wing and sent a floated ball to Haworth, the only problem was, Simon's volley went straight into the open arms of United's keeper. Following this Trevor Benjamin had a shot saved by Roy Carroll, the resulting corner was cleared off the line by Carl Bradshaw. 41 minutes had past and Wigan didn't look happy with one. Carroll collected the ball and smacked it up to Haworth who flicked the ball on to Liddel but the hardworker forward volleyed the ball wide. Half time stoppages and De Zeeuw recieved a yellow card. As if this wasn't enough Bradshaw thought he'd join the party on a yellow card, not realizing he had already been booked Bradshaw again lunged in and was sent off!! Just what Mr Benson and the travlling Latics didn't really want to see. Straight after the red card the referee blew for half time.
The second half and Gareth Griffiths had come on for Stuart Barlow. This signalled that John Benson thought we could defend the one goal lead, but as it happens so often in football, one goal isn't enough. Wigan now with just a rather lonely Simon Haworth up front, had moved Andy Liddell to full back and were playing with McGibbon, Griffiths and De Zeeuw as a back three with Sharp at left full back. This seemed to have paid off with the one made difference hard to notice eaarly on in the second half, because after 55 minutes Haworth headed wide from a deep Kevin Sharp cross. It would prove to be a further ten minutes before Wigan's next chance, this falling again to Simon Haworth. Michael O'Neill sent the ball forward to the towering forward, but he could only win a corner. O'Neill sent the corner over and there were a few penalty claims amoung the Latics fans but nothing was given.
27 minutes into the second half and some hoof and hope football was creeping into the Latics game. Not seen very often this season under John Benson. Any way, Roy Carroll sent a long ball forward and the Cambridge defence missed the ball leaving Simon Haworth with a chance, but he scuffed the ball wide from the corner of the area.
Cambridge now seemed to start growing inm confidence taking the game to ten men Wigan. It would have been fifteen minutes before full time and former Latics player Mustoe, caught a powerful volley on the edge of the area. The volley was sailing straight at nets but Sharp put in a brave block, knocking him for six! Two minutes later and Mustoe took a corner on the right hand side and Wanless got in a powerful header straight at Roy Carroll. Five minutes later a United's best chance of the game, MacKensie sent a cross in from the right and the ball fell to Wanless who had an open net, with Roy stranded. Wanless delayed the shot by a fraction of a second, ehich let De Zeeuw get a tow in and send the ball away. I was sure this was a goal and was amazed at how De Zeeuw managed to get to it. Would somebody please give Mr De Zeeuw a medal or a knighthood!
The Cambridge equalizer came deep into stoppage time. The fourth official to the amazement of the Latics supporters gave held up his little board with FIVE minutes on it!! Where did he get all that time from. The goal came from youngster Tom Youngs. A right wing cross was cleared but Wanless fired in a shot which was deflected off Griffiths. Carroll spilled the shot and Tom Youngs was on hand to place the ball in the corner of the net, to the dissappointment off all the Latics fans and players who just held their head in their hands.
Incrediably unlucky! What made it worse was that Bristol Rovers lost and Preston only drew. We could have gone top. Maybe it just wasn't meant to happen??
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Guinan getting a chance to fill Butlers boots, Ashbee returning to right back as Kavanagh was injured. Wigan are third in the league, second highest scorers and least goals conceded. We are bottom, having just sold our top scorer, so anything other than a hammering has to be a good result.
We attacked the Newmarket Road (Corona for the older readers!) end in the first half. As you would expect Wigan came at us from the start, in the first minute Ashbee missed a cross which allowed the winger to cross and cause some panic in our penalty area but we survived. From a long kick by Marshall, Benjamin got control of the ball just inside their penalty area, laid the ball back to Mackenzie who beat a couple of players before putting in a curling shot that went just over the corner of the far post and crossbar. Benjamin was proving to be a handful to the defenders, and if the referee had seen the way he was being held back surely a penalty would have been given.
On 9 minutes Ashbee was not close enough to their winger who received a crossfield ball, went past Ashbee and put in a deep cross which dropped into the net at the far post to give Wigan the lead. If he meant it then it was a brilliant shot (in which case what is a player like that doing in the 2nd division?), I prefer to believe that it was a cross that flukily went in! We came into the game looking for an equaliser, putting them under quite a bit of pressure and forcing a number of corners, and allowing Benjamin to put a header wide, and Wanless to head over.
Benjamin was fouled near the half way line, we took the kick quickly to send Guinan away (I though he was probably offside but the linesman was not looking!), he took the ball into the penalty area and shot hard and low towards the far post but the keeper saved with his legs. Benjamin was taking a lot of punishment, #2 (Bradshaw) getting booked on 20 minutes. Another good spell allowed Eustace to beat the keeper to the ball in their area, but he over ran it into touch. A more experienced forward may well have fallen under the challenge of the keeper!
From another free kick the ball fell to Wanless on the corner of the 6 yard box, he lifted the ball over the defender to make space but again the ball ran behind the goal line. Guinan was subjected to a late tackle from behind, we had possession so play was allowed to continue but lost possession quickly so the referee blew for us to take a free kick and booked #3 (Sharp), from the resulting play Russell put a good cross in which went across the face of the goal with neither Benjamin or Guinan able to get a touch.
A few minutes later after a jinking run Russell pulled up injured, and was replaced by Youngs. Despite the pressure Wigan looked dangerous at various time, managing to hit the outside of the post with one shot, another was straight at Marshall and another a yard wide. Benjamin got to the goal line and shot powerfully from a tight angle but the keeper was able to deflect the ball for a corner from which we caused quite a bit of panic as 3 corners were forced on the trot before a header fell into the keepers hands. Wanless got injured stretching for a deep cross, seeming to hurt his shoulder, but was able to carry on.
Benjamin got booked for (I think) jumping at a defender while trying to get the ball. On 47 minutes Benjamin was taken out late and from behind which resulted in #6 (De Zeeuw) being booked, although he could count himself lucky not to have been sent off. 2 minutes later #2 was very late tackling Guinan, and was sent off for a second booking. The half lasted 52:25 due to a number of injuries.
With 10 players Wigan not surprisingly defended in depth, obviously they didn't know that we are useless at taking advantage when the opposition are missing a player (or 3 as when we failed to score against 8 man Cardiff!), although Ashbee and Mackenzie tried to make things easy for them by neither marking the winger from a free kick, but nothing came of it. Benjamin managed a shot across their goal which was deflected for a corner.
Wigan slowly realised we were there for the taking, and started to push forward, Marshall having to make a good save low to his left to deflect a shot. After 24 minutes Wilson was replaced by Taylor, with Mackenzie moving to left wing back. From a Benjamin cross Mustoe put all he could into a shot from about 20 yards, unfortunately the ball knocked over a defender just inside the penalty area so the referee stopped play immediately and rightly so. However the drop ball to restart was taken almost at the half way line! Guinan had another good chance, his well hit shot was again saved by the keepers legs for a corner. On 33 minutes Preece came on for Mackenzie, but had little impact.
Wigan had been time wasting whenever possible, even so I was surprised when the board showed 5 minutes extra. 2 minutes into that extra time and we equalised, Taylor made space for a shot which was deflected enough to put off the keeper who half saved, but the ball fell nicely to Youngs who put it into the net. In the final seconds from yet another corner the ball was headed just wide.
What a fairy tale it would have been if we'd been able to nick a last minute goal, but it was not to be. Still, we have to be happy with a point considering the two teams positions. We stay bottom, but with games in hand. The down side is the injury to Alex Russell, seen after the game on crutches, and likely to miss the next few games. Hopefully Kavanagh will be fit for the next game, and this will allow Ashbee to play in a better position.
McNeil and Eustace got caught out a couple of times with the ball over their heads, and McNeil in particular made a couple of mistakes when he had time to clear which came to nothing. I wonder if Joseph will get a recall? Mackenzie must get some tuition on tackling, and a bit more body strength to stop being knocked off the ball so easily. Guinan and Benjamin had good games at the front, Guinan in particular getting a lot of good flick-ons which an experienced forward (someone like Martin Butler?) would have anticipated a bit more than Benjamin. Youngs looked keen as you'd expect, and if he keeps scoring important goals should get more games.
Terry
Wilby |
I always feel that once the singing has turned to "Cambridge 'til I die", it sounds like "Onward Christian Soldiers" at a funeral. An encouragement to the already confirmed dead. I remarked before kick-off that we had just spent £9 to watch Cambridge get thoroughly trounced. From the start it was clear that the boys meant to darn the hole left by he who shalt not be mentioned. Benjamin, throwing off his ability to play like he has flu, picked up the towel wherein Butler (sorry) had thrown it and led well up front. Again, I felt that he was held back on many occasions (well, it wouldn't be a match report without questioning the referee's parentage) but the fact that he is built like a masonry latrine counted against him as no action was taken.
Cambridge held onto the game virtually throughout but when their cohesive play slipped for a minute, Wigan showed how they had earned their exemplary record. Cambridge pushed like a woman in labour and always looked like scoring!
Usually the most pessimistic of supporters I knew that those who had left early (why do people do that?) were likely to miss something. Not a spectacular goal but Youngs deserved it for running like a terrier off its lead throughout the game.
The support from the fans was vociferous as ever encouraged by Marshall who not only played well but seemed much more instrumental in the team's play. Everyone played well, except Ashbee and the lucky talismen in the shape of Preece and Taylor (sponsored by Sanatogen) worked their magic over the game. Anyway, it's not the winning, it's the not getting taken apart.
Man of the Match: Trevor Benjamin
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Another
Northern Rugby Club
Today we shall find out if there is life after Butler. The transfer to Reading was finally completed after a hiccup and a bid from Preston. United are getting half a million down with a further quarter of a million in instalments. Butler is reported to be getting £3K week going up to £4 K should Reading avoid relegation. His new wage is six times what he was on at United, and the rumours are that Cambridge will not pay more than £500 a week. His place up-front goes to Steve Guinan as United play a 4-4-2 formation. Guinan will need time to settle in and get match fit but from what little we have seen of him so far, he has neat skills on the ball and looks like a goal scorer. Jason Kavanagh is injured but with Clive Wilson returning to left back, Ian Ashbee is moved to the other side of defence. One wonders why that job has not gone to Ben Chenery with Ashbee moving back to midfield. Chenery let no one down when he stood in for Kavanagh recently and I still think he is a better defender that Ashbee. Today is a really tough fixture. Wigan Athletic, another club with a multi-million pound bank roll behind them, are at the top of the League with the best away record in the country, undefeated away from home and indeed, they have only lost once all season. Cambridge United kick-off towards the Newmarket Road end but are soon under pressure as Ian Ashbee miskicks, the overlapping full back Sharp fortunately wasting the chance by shooting over the bar. Wigan win a 4th minute corner and Cambridge are in trouble until Liddell shoots straight at Shaun Marshall. With the very first attack Cambridge almost score. Benjamin finds Mackenzie who makes space to curl a shot inches too high and inches wide with the keeper beaten. Another coat of paint needed for the woodwork. Benjamin knows that he is now the man who must lead from the front and he goes well in to win a tackle. Paul Wanless picks up the scraps but the defence beat them out. After 10 minutes Cambridge go behind to a Mickey Mouse goal. Ian Ashbee is in all sorts of trouble as winger Stuart Barlow embarrasses him by turning him one way then the other, then centres. Shaun Marshall is in No Man's Land as it drifts over his head and into the far top corner. It is a sloppy goal to give away, although Barlow is later honest enough to admit that he was just trying to cross the ball and the goal was a fluke. Soon after the crowd are howling for a penalty when Trevor Benjamin is climbed all over but referee David Crick will have none of it. They keep the pressure on until Benjamin climbs to head wide. It will obviously take time for Guinan and Benjamin to get the kind of understanding that Butler and Benjamin had, but Guinan is a neat player. A smart flick from him almost gets Benjamin in but keeper Roy Carroll is quick off his line to smother the ball. Another Cambridge corner sees Wanless power a header too high but the Newmarket Road end still sing "Paul is the King of the Abbey". Wigan are already looking like a side that does not take prisoners. Left back Kevin Sharp is lectured for an elbow in the back of Trevor Benjamin's neck but Ian Ashbee gives the ball away with a simply awful free-kick. A great Martin McNeil tackle gets Cambridge going on the quick counter. Guinan's low shot is saved by Carroll with his feet. Despite the score line Cambridge are well into the game and on 28 minutes the Wigan captain Carl Bradshaw, leading by example, gets a yellow card for a wicked tackle on Benjamin. Again Cambridge go close as Wanless gets a great touch to Benjamin. He scuffs the shot and Scott Eustace, of all people, is there to touch the ball past the keeper but sees it roll wide. This is a good spell for Cambridge and the Newmarket Road end are convinced that we will "Score in a minute". O'Neill bundles Wanless over. There is no yellow card this time but plenty of booing as a frustrated Wanless gesticulates angrily as he sits on the deck. Wigan are thundering in some horrendous tackles and Sharp clouts Steve Guinan to collect another yellow card. Alex Russell beats his man and drives across goal but Benjamin can't get contact despite his full length dive. Unfortunately United are about to suffer another cruel blow. As Wigan send the ball forward, Russell suddenly limps to a stop then collapses. My first reaction is that he had pulled a hamstring but he hobbles off after Paul Wanless has told the bench that the injury is a bad one. Tom Youngs comes on to replace Russell but this injury has plainly upset the Cambridge rhythm. Scott Eustace is forced to head for a corner and a low drive from Haworth cannons off the base of the post. A deep cross from the right sees McLaughlin bundle the ball wide from the edge of the six yard box then Haworth sends a fierce shot straight at Shaun Marshall. Gradually Cambridge get the rhythm back. Trevor Benjamin's shot from an acute angle is turned round by the keeper. Cambridge force three corners in quick succession until the keeper finally catches a Wanless header. On 44 minutes the keeper and Guinan seem to have a 50-50 ball to go for. From the stand it looks as it Guinan has pulled out of the challenge and there are mutterings about that. That is something Wanless will never do and soon after he is injured as he bravely tries to convert a ball knocked back into the box. As the board is held up to show 4 more minutes, Trevor Benjamin is booked following an aerial challenge on the halfway line. His booking has as much to do with the antics of the Wigan players as the challenge, several of them racing 30 yards to try and get him booked, and succeeding. A minute later Arjan De Zeeuw takes retribution with a really vicious foul on Trevor Benjamin. Benjamin needs extensive treatment, and the only surprise is that this violent conduct only gets a yellow card. The half goes on and on. The clock is showing 51 minutes as Bradshaw slices Guinan almost in half right under the Habbin stand. This time the ref does show the red card, as he should have done a minute earlier. The Wigan players obviously got the message from his weakness that they could get away with anything. The half finally ends after 53 minutes and as they go off, the fans are saying that Wigan are "the dirtiest side we've played this season." Another of the season ticket holders in the main stand says to me "This is the second week running that we've played a northern rugby team." At half-time Wigan make a substitution to bring on defender Gareth Griffiths for the winger and goal scorer Barlow. They have got the lead and are obviously going to try to hang on to it. United force an early corner but Eustace is penalised for pushing. It is a scrappy game now, with goalkeeper Carroll time wasting at every opportunity. Sharp, another of the assassins, tries to pull down Tom Youngs' shorts but the free-kick is easily cleared. The big striker Simon Haworth goes down as if shot from the stand. Instead of booking him for the con job, the ref hauls him to his feet, and when the ref runs away, so does the Con Man. Benjamin is having a good game today. Now he gets to the byline to fire across the face of goal, the ball just tipped round for a corner as Scott Eustace goes for the final touch. On 61 minutes Shaun Marshall makes an excellent save as Howarth makes space and Wigan force three corners. United stand firm and come back again. With 25 minutes to go John Taylor replaces Clive Wilson as United go to a 3-4-3 formation. From now on only Carroll stands between them and victory. He makes a fine save from a fierce Guinan shot then catches a towering header Wanless from the resulting corner. United are raining in the crosses and fierce shot from Neil Mustoe goes wide. Why doesn't he shoot more often? Far too often he is content to knock the simple short ball to someone else rather than take responsibility and go for goal. Guinan has another shot blocked and although it is all United now, there just does not seem to be a way through. With 11 minutes to go Preece replaces Mackenzie and five minutes from time Tom Youngs bursts into the box, only to be thwarted by a tremendous save from Carroll. John Taylor follows that with an effort which is again blocked. The 4 minute is again held up and it looks as if United are not going to get their just rewards. But then it all happens. John Taylor hammers in a shot from just inside the area only to see another blinding save but this time Tom Youngs, United's own Baby Faced Assassin, reacts like lightning to slam in the rebound before any of the four defenders move to clear the ball. It is as smart a finish as we have seen for some time, and one that Butler himself would have been proud of. The whistle goes on a very well earned draw for Cambridge United against a side that tried to intimidate them and failed. "I thought we showed a lot of character in the face of a lot of very bad tackling" says McFarland. "Some of it was disgraceful, and Wigan could have had a man sent off before Bradshaw." He is again critical of the lack of shooting and admits that Ian Ashbee didn't have the best of games at right-back. "We were a match for Wigan before they were down to 10 though, and thats three league games undefeated, which will be good for confidence." The news about Russell is not good. He will have to see a specialist and there are fears that he has a recurrence of the thigh trouble which kept him out for three months earlier this season. McFarland says "It will be a massive blow for us and especially for Alex if it is the same injury again …. He has worked hard over a long period to get back to fitness, and we were just beginning to see the old Alex again. The lad was gutted when he came off." Wigan boss John Benson is another of those managers who says that Cambridge United are on a false position. However, you have to wonder about his judgement when he says "We were well in control until we had a man sent off. We created the better chances and showed magnificent spirit in the second-half and deserved to win it." How he came to that conclusion only he knows behind his rose coloured spectacles. Cambridge have got a point today that many people thought we would not get but it still keeps them rooted at the bottom of the table. Butler has scored on his debut for Reading and they have got an improbable point at Preston, who seem certainties to go up. When it comes to catching the teams around the bottom, United may well have to forget Reading. No one expects Butler to let them down and he will probably be getting his £200,000 salary next year. Silly money. That's half of United's annual loss. |
David
Preece, the only genuinely left-footed midfielder in today's squad, replaced
Mackenzie in the 79th minute and United continued to seek the equaliser
while ten man Wigan still looked capable of scoring on the break. It meant
a tense closing period while the home crowd got noisily behind the team,
and with five minutes remaining Youngs burst into the box. His rasping
drive brought a wonder save from Carroll and the rebound fell to Taylor,
but the massed ranks of the Wigan defence hacked the ball clear.
I have a theory that parts of the ground at the Abbey are built where the earth's crust is very thin. Because of this and the geothermal activity at the centre of the earth, he Supporters Club is always very hot and sticky, as is the Harris Suite. Any geologists out there care to comment?