After being with Ole Olsen at the last home match (see https://www.cambridgefansunited.org/ole-olsens-50-birthday-visit-to-the-abbey-by-terry-wilby/ ) it was back to my usual position in the CFU Cabin selling programmes and 50/50 tickets. Thanks to Chris for standing in for me, you will probably see him there again for our next home match. Despite taking a lot of care to book a week away when U’s were not playing the double postponement of the Grimsby match has been put right where I didn’t want it!
U’s had only managed 2 points in the Easter games when the play deserved 6! Cheltenham managed a point with a late equaliser (when they had 0 shots on target!) which was given as an Eastwood own goal. Watching the replay it looked one of those where another referee might have given a free kick to Jake. I think that is his first goal conceding mistake this season, so we’ll cut him some slack, just don’t make any more silly mistakes!
Notts County had also tasted last minute defeat, 3 goals scored in added time as Salford won 2-1.
The talk around the Cabin before the match was “Is this a must win game?”. With both teams looking to end the season in the automatic promotion positions it would not be an easy game, and a draw would not be the end of the world!
A sold out Abbey, the crowd given as 7983 with 1036 away fans. Our biggest crowd at the Abbey for many years. A few empty seats in the South Stand, presumably season ticket holders who didn’t come to the game.
Starting line up: Eastwood in goal, Watts, Jobe, Gibbons at the back, Ball, Mpanzu, Knight, Bennett, Mayor in the middle, Kaikai behind Lavery at the front.
As usual I missed seeing the first goal live. U’s were attacking the South Stand, playing into the strong wind. Early pressure with Lavery having a close range shot blocked by their keeper but Ball was in the right place as the ball bounced up to nod in. 1-0 after a minute. Nerves settled, but could we hold on for another 95 minutes?
At the start both sets of fans had been in good voice, the early goal quietened the County fans.
As with the home match against Swindon U’s played the better football and nullified any attacking threat County tried to make. Mayor had a shot go across goal, Lavery having a shot blocked, Kaikai looking dangerous whenever he got the ball, and U’s won a series of corners.
A long throw from Mayor was headed on and Lavery was again in the right place to shoot home from around 8 yards. 2-0 on 27 minutes.
Soon after 2 became 3 when a free kick from Kaikai dropped on the foot of Gibbons on the edge of their penalty area, one touch and he shot in from around 12 yards. 3-0 on 32 minutes. What could go wrong?
County seemed to be getting a bit frustrated, this was shown when Bennett shielded a the ball out for a throw in around the half way line but was barged very late into the advertising hoarding. An out of control, reckless challenge that probably would have been a red card in a Premier league match, but only yellow for the County player. Knowing the way we have in the past played against 10 men perhaps it was a good job he wasn’t sent off. Have we seen any dismissals at the Abbey this season?
Last few minutes of the half and a long kick by their keeper caught on the wind, and caused some indecision by Watts and Eastwood. Eastwood thought the ball would not run to him so advanced to clear, Watts did the knee back with Eastwood on the edge of the penalty area, Eastwood stuck out a hand to stop the ball going past. Play went on for a few seconds as neither referee or linesman seemed to have a clear view, then the referee stopped the game, had a chat with the lino and gave a free kick just outside the penalty area and sent off Eastwood. This was about the only thing County fans had to celebrate! First league start for Ben Hughes, Knight making way. The free kick cleared the bar by a few yards.
Could we get to the break without conceding. Not surprisingly the end of the half and the 6 added minutes saw County at last have a bit of the ball and some pressure. Hughes flapped at a cross which went out for a goal kick, and from a corner County had a header hit the bar before being cleared.
Half time: 3-0. 50/50 draw ticket 27965 won £510.
Half time discussions were now ”Can we keep them to only 1 goal as we get to the last 5 minutes and concede again to make added time a real battle”. Surely 3 goals would get us at least a draw! Negative thought perhaps, but us older fans have been there before!
County made a couple of changes for the second half, but found the defence absolutely solid, and it was U’s who put the game to bed early in the half when a free kick near the corner from Mayor found Gibbons unmarked at the back post to stoop and head home. 4-0 on 54 minutes. The stuffing was well and truly knocked out of the County players and fans. Credit to their fans as most stayed to the bitter end.
With U’s defending from the front and not sitting back County could not make anything happen. If they did get close to our goal crosses were blocked, Hughes punched or caught the ball, corners cleared, shots were way off target and when County did almost score when the ball hit the post they had a player offside!
Appere came on for Lavery on 63, Smith and Purrington for Mayor and Kaikai on 82.
In the past 4 added minutes might have made us nervous, it passed without incident. Watching Bennett and Mpanzu wasting time keeping the ball near their corner flag was fun!
Final score: 4-0.
What a squad we have. To play over half the match with a player less, yet still look the better side against a team that is close on points is amazing. The stats show we had 13 shots with 6 on target to their 8 and 0, so our keeper(s) didn’t have a shot to save
Unfortunately this performance just heightens the expectations. Win our 4 remaining matches and we are up is a good target, in fact we would finish no lower than 2nd. Lose all 4 and we might not even be in the playoffs!
I presume Eastwood will miss the next match, so Hughes will start in goal at Bromley. I doubt he will have such an easy game as he did against County! Jasper Briggs is the reserve reserve keeper, so I guess he will be recalled from wherever he is currently playing to sit on the bench.
It was a great team performance, Gibbons getting the sponsors Man of the Match award for his 2 goals, and few would argue against that. Not bad for a defender!
Lavery showed what we have been missing….a striker with an eye for goal, being in the right place at the right time and making defenders work hard. Kaikai also had another good game with 2 defenders needed to halt him most of the time. I suppose a settled, and well drilled squad is what makes a “Neil Harris” team, everyone knowing what they had to do, and doing it well.
Were we helped by County being poor? Probably. They didn’t make much progress with the wind at their back in the first half, and despite having an extra man they didn’t pull our defence out of shape and put too many passes out of play when under no pressure. Not defending at our set plays is not a good idea!
With Bromley having lost to MK Dons (who also won after having a player sent off) there is another 6 pointer when we play Bromley on Thursday evening. The 545 tickets for U’s fans went very quickly, I suspect there might be a few from Cambridgeshire in the East Terrace and now it looks like it will be a sellout with Bromley expecting a win to confirm promotion.
If you have read the Amber News this season I have been expecting Bromley to have a poor run at some time, so it would be good if we inflicted their 7th defeat of the season, and second on the trot. If we keep the same attacking intent and solid defence there is no reason why we shouldn’t get another 3 points, but football doesn’t always go the way you hope!
Up the U’s.