There is a new quiz in the match day programme this season. Here are a selection of questions in the 442 teaser.

Can you answer them?

Why not buy a programme to try the quiz at each home match?

1. United paid a record £192,000 to Luton Town for who?

2. Which long running football TV show started this week in 1964?

3. Before today how many times have United played Luton in the last 7 seasons?

4. New U’s signing Medy Elito is a youth product of which League 2 club?  

5. Which product of United’s youth scheme played 12 matches for Wednesday in 2011?

6. Which two grounds did Carlisle United use for home games when Brunton Park was flooded last season?

7. This week in 1970 the U’s played their first Football League match, a 1-1 draw with Lincoln City. Who was the scorer of United’s first ever goal in the Football League?

8. What is the name of Barnet’s home ground?

9.  Which former U’s skipper finished his League career at Barnet in 2009?

10. Which current U’s player once scored the winning goal in the Scottish League Cup Final?

Answers below -

Answers

1. Steve Claridge

2. Match of the Day

3. 11 times

4 Colchester

5. Michael Morrison

6. Ewood Park and Deepdale

7. Colin Meldrum

8. The Hive

9. Micah Hyde

10. Connor Newton

Robert Osbourn’s “View from the ‘Van”

The 22k Challenge for CFU Vice-Chairman, Tim Christopher
In July 2015, CUFC Operations Manager, Andy Beattie, asked Tim if he fancied a new role and responsibility on a matchday, and he immediately agreed. It was then that he discovered that he had agreed to try to increase the sales of the matchday programme to 22,000 in the forthcoming season.

Starting with a very small group of programme sellers (Linda and Graham Shipp, Dave Barber and Simon Penn) plus the CFU ‘van and the Club Shop, Tim also had to provide the right number of programmes, different each match, to the home and away changing rooms, the Hospitality Suites, Boardroom, Endeavour Club, Media, as well as to the sales outlets and programme sellers.

As a confirmed “tekkie” Tim immediately decided to devise a set of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure whether or not he was on target to achieve the magic 22,000. With 23 home league matches, plus an unknown number of possible cup games, a provisional average of 1,000 a match was to be sought.

The programme, itself, had undergone a transformation, with Tom Stewart having been tasked with its production, in succession to Mark Johnson, who had achieved several awards during his time as editor / writer / coordinator. Some old favourites were being missed by regular subscribers and the task was to make the programme relevant to both new and old alike. With Tom keen to respond to feedback, this has been achieved, in my view, with this season’s version incorporating new features as well as retaining those which are much-loved.

Tim was able to persuade additional sellers to join up, by approaching the CUFC Futsol squad and the CUFC Women’s team, both of which turned up trumps. Next, it was equipment on the agenda -  hi-vis tabards and the right sort of money belt  (comfortable in the wearing but practical in the ability to hold your cash).

Teaming up seasoned pros with newbies was a good strategy, as was knowing how to present a programme to a potential purchaser and how to smile at fans at the same time as seeking to part them from their £3!

In the event, the highest sales were made with Luton visiting, when 1,300 copies were sold, as compared with just 360 on a Tuesday night in the Johnson’s Paint Trophy against Dagenham & Redbridge.

Introducing the randomly-inserted signed programmes, bearing the hieroglyphic of the featured player has proved popular, particularly with youngsters.

So, how did Tim and his team fare against the challenge to sell 22,000 programmes? I suspect that the target was set with an element of “finger in the wind”, in the first place, but total sales across the season were 21,843, just 157 short of the mark.

As always, in football, there are reasons to explain the apparent shortfall:  initial lack of sales staff; disillusionment by a few regulars over changes of style and content; inability of team to win enough games, particularly in cups where progression may have entailed extra matches (I like that one, as it places the blame squarely on anyone not involved in producing and selling the programme!)

However, a pretty good effort by all concerned and something to be exceeded in the season to come, we hope. We thank you for buying this programme. The programme sellers all hope you enjoy the match.

You can now subscribe to an online pdf version of the programme by heading to cufcdirect.com

If you would consider joining the team of programme sellers, please get in touch, or leave your details at the CFU ‘van.
COYUs
Robert
www.cambridgefansunited.org   www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk
07957 344005  @followCFU

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Robert Osbourn’s “View from the ‘Van”

Have you, like me, been a Futsal free zone, up to now? If so, then we both need to catch up with ourselves, and quickly. Futsal, you see, is the future, both as a sport in its own right and as a pathway into improving football skills.

Futsal is a variant of football played on a smaller field and mainly indoors. It can be considered a version of five-a-side football, between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. It is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines rather than walls or boards. Futsal is also played with a smaller ball with less bounce than a regular football. The surface, ball and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.

There are two periods of 20 minutes with time stopping at every dead ball. Between the two periods there is a break of 15 minutes. Each team may use one time-out per half, which lasts one minute. A maximum of 12 players can be used. Substitutions are unlimited and on-the-fly. Unlike football, there is no offside rule in Futsal. Attackers can get much closer to the goal than they can in the traditional outdoor version of football.

Cambridge United competes in the FA National Superleague (North Region) with their season beginning in September 2016. After an incredible maiden season in Division 2, where the Us played a total of 14 games winning 13, they will be attempting another successful year in a tougher league, which is the highest standard of Futsal in England.

The first team squad is composed of players of various nationalities as well as some previous United academy players. (Do you recall that Luke Chadwick was one of last season’s players?)

The home games are played in the state-of-the-art facilities at Cambridge University Sports Centre (Philippa Fawcett Drive, off Madingley Road CB3 0AS) and all fixtures are played on Sundays so U's fans will never miss a game. Tickets are available on the door or in advance through Cambridge United's ticket office online. Season ticket holders get free entry to home games as well as U18s. 

The first two home fixtures will be 11th September v. University of Nottingham; 18th September v. Loughborough. Kick off is at 3 p.m.

Whilst Cambridge United has provided a great deal of support for the Futsal squad, CFU has been happy to pick up an opportunity to sponsor the club’s training kit for the coming season. This means that free entry to home games will also be available to CFU members.  The team will welcome your support. Why not give it a try?

CU Futsal Club Contact Details:
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CambridgeUnitedFutsal 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CUFCFutsal​
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8OLVBirtD2GWgegPHWhydg/feed 
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge United_F.C.Futsal​ 
Meet the players here - https://cufcfutsal.teamapp.com/player_profiles

Match results and news here https://cufcfutsal.teamapp.com/articles

For sponsorship opportunities please contact -  commercial@cambridge-united.co.uk

In League 2, today’s match brings a visit from recent seasons’ rivals, Luton Town, to the Cambs Glass Stadium.

Let’s hope for an entertaining and well-contested game.
COYU’s!

Robert
www.cambridgefansunited.org   www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk
07957 344005  @followCFU

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WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Two planning applications have been submitted - 1 for a Sporting Village and residential homes and the other for redevelopment of the Abbey Stadium. Both applications have been submitted by Grosvenor, the current landlords of the Abbey Stadium.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT US?
The applications being approved are vital in securing the long-term future of Cambridge United and enhancing the work they do in the community. The Sporting Village will also benefit the local community with much needed sporting facilities and affordable housing. The Sporting Village will be the home for Cambridge United Youth Development and enable the Abbey Stadium to be redeveloped. The Abbey Stadium redevelopment will go towards securing the future of the club by providing non matchday revenue streams. It will also provide a platform for Cambridge United to further be a part of the community and providing sport provision for more children in the city and surrounding areas.

WHY IS THERE OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION?
The proposals are for the Sporting Village to be built on Green Belt land. There are also concerns over the increased traffic and strain on local services.

HOW CAN I HELP SUPPORT THE APPLICATION?
The South Cambridgeshire District Council website has an option to comment on each application. By submitting positive feedback in support of the proposals this could sway the decision in favour of the application being successful. You could also ask friends, family and other local residents to do the same.

WHAT SORT OF FEEDBACK SHOULD I GIVE?
You are of course free to comment your personal opinion. If you are in favour though and more specifically want to support the proposals on behalf of Cambridge United, we'd suggest you do not mention Cambridge United specifically. Instead mention the lack of sporting facilities in the area and personally how you, friends and family would potentially make use of these. You could also mention the lack of affordable housing available in the area and how this will help. We'd also suggest not directing anything towards those who are in support of rejecting the application, instead mention the positive points of approving it.

WHERE CAN I SUBMIT FEEDBACK?
Follow these links for the respective applications:

Sporting Village - tinyurl.com/sportvillage
Abbey Stadium Redevelopment - tinyurl.com/h8tpp7s

Then click on "Comment on this application" (last link in the first box of text on the page).

Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery
(It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU.
CUFC Lottery supporting CRY click here  www.play2winlottery.co.uk/bull-cry.html
FACEBOOK   www.facebook.com/CambridgeUnitedFootballClub
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A top Tory has gone against the grain and backed the building of Cambridge's new sporting village.
Cllr Ben Shelton, a South Cambs district councillor for the Shelfords and Stapleford, has told the News he wants to see the landmark plans at the back of Trumpington Meadows given the go ahead.

Read more at

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cambridge-needs-more-sports-facilities-top-south-cambs-tory-backs-new-sporting-village/story-29647319-detail/story.html#trFCtQVkV6805EvD.99

Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery
(It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU.
CUFC Lottery supporting CRY click here  www.play2winlottery.co.uk/bull-cry.html
FACEBOOK   www.facebook.com/CambridgeUnitedFootballClub
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Thank you for your continued support of the CUFC Lottery.

CUFC Lottery 'Accumulator' Results (26 August 2016) - this weeks winning 'Accumulator' numbers are (1274)
-there were no winners of the weekly 'Accumulator' this week, meaning next weeks 'Accumulator' will be £1350.

CUFC Lottery 'Main Draw' Results (26 August 2016) - this weeks winning 'Main Draw' numbers are (1879)
-there were no winners of the 'Main Draw' jackpot this week.
-next weeks 'Main Draw' jackpot will be £300.00.

As the 'Main Draw' jackpot was not won this week
-there is 1 CUFC Lottery member matching the first pair winning £10.00
-there are 2 CUFC Lottery members matching the second pair winning £10.00 each

If you are a winner of either the 'Accumulator' or 'Main Draw' you will be notified individually by email.

Statto Corner

United have now failed to win any of their first five league games, for the first time since 2010-11, when they drew three and lost two of their opening five matches. It is their worst start since 2006-07, when they gained only one point in their first five and in fact had to wait until their ninth game for their first win, by which time manager Rob Newman had been sacked.

If you are feeling wildly optimistic, however (unlikely, I know), United also drew two and lost three of their first five games of the 1989-90 season, and eventually finished sixth before winning the promotion playoffs.

The last time that United were bottom of any table was in early September 2006, after seven matches in the Conference. They survived relegation thanks to the appointment of Jimmy Quinn in replacement for Newman.

United were also bottom (their finishing position) for much of their relegation seasons of 2004-05 and 2001-02. The last time in the Football League that they were at the foot of the table but did not go down at the end of the season was on 12th February 2000, when they recovered to finish 19th in Division Two.

Josh Coulson’s own goal today, if that is the official decision, will take him into exalted company as one of only four United players to score three career own goals or more in league matches for the U’s. His previous two were also in home defeats, 5-1 to Mansfield in 2010-11 and 3-1 to Hereford in 2012-13.

Steve Fallon remains top of the pile with five own goals, but he did play in 405 league games plus five as sub between 1974 and 1987, and he scored 27 at the other end. The other men on three own goals are Andy Duncan (285+9 appearances between 1997-2007, 9 goals scored for United), and Alan Gammie (92 Southern League appearances, 1959-62, two goals scored). Josh has played in 257 league games for the U’s, plus 11 as sub, and scored 15 times at the right end.

Today saw Luton’s best ever margin of victory at the Abbey, beating their 3-1 wins of 1980-81 and last season. Today’s attendance of 5,606 was the smallest for a game between the clubs in Cambridge in their last five matches. The largest crowd for this fixture remains 8,815 on 10th April 1982 when both clubs were in the Second Division. The game finished in a 1-1 draw, George Reilly equalising Wayne Turner’s opener for the visitors.

The teams were:
United: Webster, Donaldson, Murray, Smith, Fallon, Streete, Cartwright, Reilly, Gibbins, Finney, Christie
Luton: Findlay, Stephens, Money, Horton, Goodyear, Donaghy, Antic, Stein, White, Turner (Fuccillo), Moss

Uche Ikpeazu is only the ninth man to play league football for United with a surname beginning with I. The others are: Brian Iley (1956-57), Neil Illman (1995-96), Izzy Iriekpen (2002-03), Zeli Ismail (2015-16), Dick Ison (1963-66), J Ison (1936-38), K Ison (1936-38) and Sam Ives (2008-11).
Ikpeazu is the 23rd player to be allocated the squad number 26 by the U’s. His predecessors were: Andrew Ingham, Nathan Lamey, Neil Mustoe, Colin Alcide, John Turner, Chris Clarke, Kingsley Mbome, Jonny Harkness, Danny Bunce, Rob Gier, Carl Patten, Sam Page, Chris Flynn, Robbie Willmott, Stephen Reed, Rory McAuley, Courtney Pitt, Blaine Hudson, Jack Eades, James Brighton, Liam Hurst and James Akintunde.

Player Ratings
Norris 7. A number of fine saves, although there must be a question mark about the second Luton goal.
Taylor 7. Good, solid job on the right.
Legge 8. Did his very best to inspire by example.
Coulson 7. Mostly fine, although he was the nearest player to Rea for the first goal and stood off Marriott too much for the second.
Adams 6. Got through the first half OK, found the second half a bit more of a struggle.
Mingoia 8. Constant menace.
Dunne 7. Got forward a bit more than usual.
Clark 7. Mostly decent game.
Berry 7. Excellent first half, but failed to lift his team once they went two down.
Elito 7. Looks much better suited to a number 10 role and made a decent contribution, coming nearest to scoring when he forced an excellent save from Walton. Less effective in a wide role.
Williamson 6. Mobile and energetic, but never looked like scoring, just as he hasn’t done all season.
Ikpeazu 7. Clearly not match fit, but held the ball up and shielded it better than any other United player can and gained a number of useful free-kicks. Promising.
Pigott 6. Tried hard to get that goal but it’s just not happening for him.
Gosling 6. Not on long enough to make much of an impression.

Match Summary
An hour of encouraging attacking football was undone by two goals in the space of a minute and all of a sudden United are propping up the League and wondering where the hell their next goal is going to come from, as well as how to stop conceding them at the other end. Worrying times.

Man of the Match
Piero Mingoia. Best crosser of a ball at the Abbey since Alan Kimble. If only he had some strikers of equal quality to aim them at.

Ref Watch
Webb 4. Spineless, feeble little man who allowed the Luton players to bully him throughout the match, letting them walk away and ignore him while he tried to book them, and allowing them to get away unpunished with blatant foul play and dissent.

Soundtrack of the Day
Flock of Dimes “Everything is Happening Today”

Cambridge United 0-3 Luton Town: Donkey derby
Andrew Bennett, author of 'Newmarket Road Roughs' (Celery & Coconuts Vol.1) - available to pre-order now - endures 'Derby Day' at the Cambs Glass (Abbey) Stadium:
(Photograph c/o Simon Lankester Photography)

29th December 2001. That was the last time United played a proper local derby against Peterborough United, a goalless draw in front of 5,665 at the Abbey on their way to relegation from the Second Division. The U’s fielded a side with characters like Lionel Perez, Paul Wanless, Tom Youngs, Shane Tudor and Luke Guttridge, while the Posh’s team included such luminaries as Jimmy Bullard, Leon McKenzie, Marc Joseph, David Oldfield and our nemesis, Mark Tyler. Goodies versus Baddies.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s we enjoyed our purest derbies against Cambridge City, bitter and passionate affairs between the snooty club from north of the Cam and the upstarts they dubbed the ‘Bread and Dripping Boys’ from south of the river.

That rivalry was suspended when City were relegated in 1968 and killed off when United were elected to the Football League two years later. They were then replaced by the Posh, supplying a satisfyingly chippy enmity which gave us pantomime villains to boo like Ken Charlery and Mick Halsall. But relegation, and subsequent demotion to the Grimpen Mire of the Conference, presented us with a procession of inadequate stand-ins.

Southend? Too far away. Orient? The ‘M11 derby’? Pur-leeze. Rushden & Diamonds? A cheap prefab of a club built of soggy cardboard. Stevenage? A club and town which are the very epitome of ‘meh,’ although we did have some pleasingly acrimonious encounters for a short while. Braintree? Oh come on, they play in a swamp. Histon? An Icarus of a club that is now plummeting back down to its natural level, the Eastern Counties League. Their team now consists of a gaggle of bewildered children and they lost 5-0 at home today in front of a crowd of 154 and are bottom of their division with one point and one goal from five matches.

So that only leaves Luton Town. Their traditional rivals are Watford, but they are as likely to play them in a League match any time soon as they are to winning the Champions League. We have been in the same division as each other now for eight seasons, have enjoyed some fairly interesting contests, got promoted together and have seen players and officials move between the clubs to sometimes hostile reactions. It’s not the same, no, but I guess it will just have to do for now. And I can say entirely objectively that their ground, and their town, are not the most pleasant places to have to visit. I am sure they will agree that we all need something – and someone – to dislike of a fairly local nature to bring a bit of colour and vim to our season. We almost need each other. I said almost.

For our last five seasons in the Conference, United’s largest away attendance of the season was at Kenilworth Road, while four out of five of United’s best home crowds of those seasons were against Luton. The rivalry has cooled a little now we are amongst the big beasts of the Football League, but a decent crowd of 5,606 was in attendance today, a little down on the last few seasons but not helped by the game’s all-ticket status and still being during the summer holidays. The weather was suitably humid with a hint of tepid rain in the air, and the alcohol bar behind the Habbin was closed, presumably because the sight of a Luton shirt is like the full moon to United fans and a glass of beer turns them into psychotic maniacs. The ground staff were at least allowed to use their forks on the pitch after the laughable bans of previous years. One day all football fans will be treated like grown-ups.

Both clubs have now jettisoned the veteran managers who got them out of non-League’s clammy clutches, and under Nathan Jones the visitors have made a supremely good start to the season, not that you would know it from the matchday programme because there was no league table in it. The dreaded Mark Tyler has now returned to London Road, but their team included one familiar face in former U’s loanee Cameron McGeehan, a Little Lord Fauntleroy lookalike with the curliest hair in the League.

United line-up: Norris; Taylor, Legge, Coulson, Adams; Mingoia, Dunne, Clark, Berry; Melito, Williamson
On the bench: Gregory, Long, Dallison, Gosling, Newton, Pigott, Ikpeazu

Shaun Derry selected the same starting XI which performed so creditably at Wolves on Tuesday in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Medy Elito supporting Ben Williamson up front, while there was a new name amongst the substitutes, imposing striker Uche Ikpeazu, a big lad with a build pleasingly reminiscent of Trevor Benjamin.

Over 1,600 fans made the short journey from Bedfordshire and their presence seemed to inspire the Corona, both ends making plenty of noise and creating a splendid derby-ish atmosphere from the off. Both teams responded and went at each other with pace and commitment, and within four minutes the woodwork had taken a jolt when Stephen O’Donnell’s cross was punched away under pressure by Will Norris and Jordan Cook volleyed it spectacularly against the left-hand post from 20 yards.

United responded well. Not possessing a tall target man, they were compelled to play the ball through midfield and Piero Mingoia set up Luke Berry for a header and a shot within the following three minutes which were both saved by keeper Christian Walton.

It was an entertaining encounter between two teams playing positive attacking football with no quarter given or expected. On the quarter hour O’Donnell crossed, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu dummied and Jack Marriott blasted a tremendous 25-yarder which was tipped over the bar by Norris, and five minutes later Luton really should have been ahead when Mpanzu played a one-two with Danny Hylton to dance through the middle of the United defence, but with the goal at his mercy he slid his shot wide from near the penalty spot.

Again the U’s fought back. Elito slid a ball through for Mingoia to scamper down the middle, he found Berry arriving from the left but the skipper’s shot was beaten away by Walton, then Leon Legge blasted over following a free-kick into the box and Max Clark had a shot blocked.

United came their closest yet on 26 when Williamson crossed for Elito in the middle, but his low shot from close range was kept out by a superb reaction save from Walton on his line. Two minutes later Clark crossed for Williamson to head wide. At this stage Mingoia, Clark, Berry and James Dunne were bossing the midfield, and before the half-hour was up Luton decided to make a tactical change to counteract them, withdrawing Olly Lee from their midfield, pushing Glen Rea into the holding role from centre-back, and introducing captain Scott Cuthbert into his place in the back four.

Dunne then advanced and shot wildly over, while McGeehan countered with a run from deep which culminated in an equally inaccurate pot at goal on 33. A minute later Clark was yellow-carded for a foul on Cook, followed into the book six minutes later by O’Donnell for handball. Williamson had a shot blocked, and a breathless first half ended goalless but full of entertainment. United had shaded it territorially, but Luton had created the best chances. Now could the teams keep up the pace after the break?

It certainly looked that way once battle recommenced. Four minutes after the restart Mingoia darted through the Luton lines from deep then found Elito, whose flick ran wide of the far post, but he was in any case given offside. Two minutes later Mingoia’s free-kick found the head of Berry, and his effort was clutched by Walton, but United still looked the likeliest to score at this stage.

Rea was booked on the hour for a foul on Mingoia, and two minutes later Blair Adams conceded an unnecessary free-kick out on the left flank. Cook swung it into the area, Rea won a header unchallenged and somehow it bounced across the United six-yard box past a cluster of amber shirts and nestled inside the unguarded far post for the softest of goals. 1-0.

For some reason it was credited to Josh Coulson as an own goal, but the video seems to show Rea getting a clean contact well above the United defender.

Within a minute United’s afternoon came crashing down upon them. Marriott chased a ball down the Luton left with Adams way out of position upfield. Coulson got back to cover, but then allowed the Luton striker to cut inside him, affording him far too much space, and he took full advantage by lashing a thunderous strike past Norris, who perhaps should have done better as it was more or less straight at him. Two minutes, two goals: 2-0.

It was a shattering blow for the hosts. Derry had already been preparing a double substitution and now went for it, withdrawing Clark and Williamson for Ikpeazu and Joe Pigott and switching to an orthodox 4-4-2 with Elito wide left. As a plan B it was not exactly subtle – bring on the big lads – but it was different.

Ikpeazu, without a club this summer, was clearly some way from full match fitness, but he swiftly demonstrated that he knew how to use his sizeable frame to shield the ball and went on to win a number of useful free-kicks. Berry crossed for Legge to draw a catch from Walton on 68, while Mingoia had a shot blocked by a sea of white-clad bodies five minutes later, but now United’s play seemed to lack the fluency and belief of the first hour and Luton appeared content to sit on their lead, waste time where they could and catch United on the break.

On 76 Mpanzu nutmegged Adams on the right byline after appearing to lose his footing, hared into the box and set up O’Donnell for a shot across goal that flew just wide of the far post, while up the other end Ikpeazu made room for a shot but it was blocked by Pigott, an inevitable result of the two never having played together before; indeed, they had barely met.

With ten minutes to go Derry went for (even more) broke by introducing Jake Gosling for Adams and going to a back three, but it all seemed a bit desperate and unconvincing. Legge and Hylton had a flare-up in which the latter seemed to be the aggressor, but he avoided a card from timid referee Webb, and on 83 Legge won a free-kick on the edge of the Luton box from the same opponent.

Webb paced out the requisite ten yards, but the Luton wall retreated no more than eight or nine at best, and in an astonishing display of feebleness the referee just gave up and drew his line of silly string in front of the Hatters players’ boots where they stood. Berry’s free-kick was aimed over the wall for the corner but sailed lamely over the bar to sum up a disappointing second half for the United skipper.

Hylton was finally awarded the yellow card he had been spoiling for on 86 for a foul on Gosling, then Jonathan Smith replaced Mpanzu to eat up some more time. Mingoia blazed a hopeful shot over the top, then United were caught on the break when Cook slalomed into their box, but Norris blocked well with his legs, Hylton’s follow-up was blocked then McGeehan hammered over the top.

McGeehan’s next action was to instigate a head-to-head argument with a United player to whom he appeared to raise his hands, but ref Mr Feeble kept his cards to himself and contented himself with an unconvincing lecture like Mr Barrowclough in Porridge. Five minutes added time was announced, but all belief had long since left a dispirited U’s side. Isaac Vassell replaced Marriott to waste more time, and the icing on the cack came right at the end when Berry hopelessly misjudged a pass on halfway, Snith easily intercepted, sprinted half the length of the field then pulled it across the box for the arriving Hylton to slide it into the corner from ten yards for the coup de grace. 3-0.

There was barely time to kick off again before the final whistle went and Luton celebrated gleefully. On the balance of play 3-0 was a terribly harsh scoreline on United, particularly on the general standard of their play for the first hour, but any team which cannot score at one end and keeps letting in soft goals at the other can expect nothing better.

So where do we go from here? Is it down to the lake, I fear? The players’ confidence seems to be dropping game by game and for all the manager’s efforts he does not appear to have any answers. The rot must be stopped quickly, for all that it is early in the season, and September looks like another difficult month in terms of fixtures. Derry must know that if his team are still at the bottom in a few weeks’ time his position will be close to untenable. Perhaps he can turn it around; let us hope so. Perhaps the injured players will suddenly come back and transform the team’s fortunes. We would like to think so. The alternative, a “local derby” next season with Boreham Wood, is just too horrific to even contemplate…

Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery
(It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU.
CUFC Lottery supporting CRY click here  www.play2winlottery.co.uk/bull-cry.html
FACEBOOK   www.facebook.com/CambridgeUnitedFootballClub
TWITTER       https://twitter.com/followCFU

Calling all U's fans - young & old.

How well do you know and understand the history of your - our - fantastic football club?
We now all have the opportunity to learn the 'definite history' in 'exhaustive detail' courtesy of Coconuts' own Andrew Bennett, author of the ever-popular Cambridge United post-match reports.

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen we present to you ...
'Newmarket Road Roughs'

… the first volume of Celery & Coconuts, Andrew's definitive history of Abbey and Cambridge United, which will be published in October by 100 Years of Coconuts. And you can preorder your copy at the CFU online store.

Newmarket Road Roughs, published under the Lovely Bunch imprint, examines in exhaustive detail the humble beginnings of Abbey United, the club that grew up in the back streets of Barnwell and went on to challenge the biggest names in English football. Andrew describes the background to the club’s formation, its pre-WWI friendlies, its post-war exploits in the Cambridgeshire League, its fight to stay alive during World War II and its subsequent move into the professional game.

The first volume of Celery & Coconuts ends in 1951, when our ambitious club changed its name to Cambridge United and embarked on its preparations for life in the Southern League and, finally in 1970, the Football League.
Packed with the fascinating stories of the characters who saw our club, always firmly based in its community, through its formative years and on to the brink of national recognition, Newmarket Road Roughs comes with details of every game played by Abbey United in its first 40 years, plus league tables and playing records.

Those appendices alone are worth the cover price of £14.99 for this attractively designed hardback book – the first of many to come from Andrew Bennett and Lovely Bunch.

To preorder your copy, go to the book store by clicking here or visit the CFU outlet on a match day. Alternatively, drop a line to 100yearsofcoconuts@gmail.com.

We’ll let you know when your copy of Newmarket Road Roughs is available to pick up or is in the post. By choosing to collect from the CFU caravan you will avoid the postal charges of £2.99 for normal post and £5.99 for Royal Mail special delivery.

Happy reading!
#thepastwillsoonbepresent

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Cambridge United supporters are well known for their support of the club at away matches. Many hundreds travel to each match away from the Abbey.

I have looked on the Wolverhampton website and found some information which I hope will help you

Your matchday

http://www.wolves.co.uk/tickets/yourmatchday.aspx

Stadium Plan

http://www.wolves.co.uk/tickets/stadium_plan/

For further information see below
 
There are many ways to travel, but one way that can help the club and also to beat the costs of traveling independently is by using the Away Travel coach.

For more information you can ring 01223 566500.

If you prefer to travel independently the following sites may help you to organise your trip -: 
 
Train -:                    TRAIN INFORMATION

Coach -:                  NATIONAL EXPRESS

Car -:                       AA NEWS  

Weather -:               BBC WEATHER NEWS

Travel News -:         BBC TRAVEL NEWS

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Statto Corner
United have failed to win any of their first four league games. On the last four occasions that this has happened, the relevant manager has left the club within five months.

The last time it came to pass was at the start of the 2010-11 season, when United began with three draws and a defeat. Manager Martin Ling was sacked in January with the club 16th in the Conference.

The last time the U’s gained two points or less from their opening four league matches was in 2006-07, when they began with one draw and three defeats. Manager Rob Newman was sacked in September with his team placed 23rd.

This is United’s worst start to a Football League season since their campaign of 2001-02, when they began with one draw and three defeats. Manager John Beck resigned in November with the team 23rd in the Second Division.
United have not lost their four opening League games since 1992-93, also under John Beck. He was sacked in October with the club 18th in the First Division.

It’s not all doom, gloom and managerial departures, though. In 1989-90, the U’s began their season with two draws and two defeats, once more under Beck, and went on to finish 6th in the Fourth Division and won the promotion playoff at Wembley.

Jake Gosling is the first Jake ever to play for United’s first team, although the more formally monikered Jacob Blyth spent a brief spell on loan at the Abbey last season from Leicester City.

Gosling is the 20th man to be allocated squad number 19 by the U’s. His predecessors were: Mark Graham, Darren Byfield, Jason Kavanagh, Johann Gudmundsson, Stuart Wilson, Matty Clements, Graham Rush, Lloyd Opara, Dave Daniels, Duane Eastall, Tommy Jaszczun, Leo Fortune-West, Chris Jones, Sam Ives, Adam Marriott, Nathan Blissett, Delano Sam-Yorke, Dominic Ball and Danny Carr.

Gosling is a Gibraltar international, although he was born in Oxford. The only United player to have been born in Gibraltar was Ricky McEvoy, who enjoyed a spell in midfield during the 1986-87 season.

Medy Elito is the third native of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) to play for the U’s, after Tresor Kandol (2001-02) and Mbiyeye Medine (2005-06).

Player Ratings
Norris 7. At fault for the first goal and does not look the strong, confident keeper we saw last season. Nevertheless, he made a string of good saves to keep United in the game, and perhaps his lack of confidence stems from what is happening in front of him.
Long 5. Most players take time to settle into a new club, but with his pedigree Long really should be contributing more by now and should at least cut out the occasional cross from his side.
Legge 8. If only we had nine more Leons.
Coulson 8. Fine, strong performance, proving that a good central defensive partnership means little if it is undermined by a weak full-back pairing.
Taylor 5. No more able to stem the flow down the flanks than Long.
Mingoia 6. Did a decent job when in possession and would undoubtedly be a lot more effective in a better team. Like Accrington Stanley.
Dunne 6. Some decent work, but must exert more of an influence.
Berry 6. Nowhere near his best at the moment.
Elito 5. Tidy enough at times but I’m afraid he just does not convince as a player at this level.
Gosling 7. Busy, positive debut which promises much, and God knows we’ll need it.
Pigott 6. The big man has my sympathy, an inexperienced player asked to play a difficult, isolated role in a malfunctioning team which just does not give him enough support.
Williamson 5. At least he had a shot, but this team cannot or does not play to his strengths and his goalscoring confidence must be at rock bottom.

Newton 5. No lack of effort but could make little difference to the contest.

Match Summary
United sank to the bottom of the League with a performance that began promisingly but in the end they were lucky to muddle their way to a draw. This team has big problems and the jury is out as to whether the manager has the answer. Let us hope so.

Man of the Match
Leon Legge. Strength, power, determination and sheer force of personality.

Ref Watch
Huxtable 6. Mostly adequate.

Soundtrack of the Day

Yello “Limbo”

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Cambridge United 2-2 Carlisle United: It's all in the Games

Andrew Bennett finding fine lines at the (Cambs Glass) Abbey:

If the Olympics have shown us anything, it is that there is a fine line between winning and losing, success and failure. Just look at the last 24 hours, for example. Poor old Lutalo Muhammad was ahead in the Taekwando final with one second to go and was probably thinking about his gold medal when his opponent snatched it away with some nifty footwork (interesting fact: Taekwando is Korean for ‘Hokey Cokey Head Kick’). The British women’s hockey team took a hell of a pounding from the Dutch in the third quarter but hit back to level and win gold on penalties; and wouldn’t football be improved by an eight-second shootout contest from which it would be possible to gain a penalty kick if the taker was fouled? And today we had Tom Daley swinging from a brilliant, record-breaking first round in the diving to a dismal, fumbling last in the semi-final, which he was at a loss to explain.

Speaking of vertiginous drops in form, the pre-season feelgood factor at the Abbey has swiftly been replaced by anxiety and frustration as results and performances have greatly disappointed while key players remain absent with little or no information as to when we may expect to see them again.

Less than two years ago United thrashed a poor Carlisle side 5-0 in their third home game back in the Football League. Now the Cumbrians have stabilised and improved, with an unbeaten start to 2016-17, while the U’s are wondering where their next win will come from as they field a team which looks markedly weaker than last season’s eleven. Carlisle’s team today included Bermudan international Reggie Lambe, who played a couple of times for the U’s as a pre-season trialist in 2011 at Bury Town and Bedford after his release from Ipswich but failed to win a deal at the Abbey, moving on to Canada and then Sweden before returning to England with Mansfield three years later.
United line-up: Norris; Long, Legge, Coulson, Taylor; Dunne; Mingoia, Elito, Berry, Gosling; Pigott
On the bench: Gregory, Adams, Roberts, Keane, Clark, Newton, Williamson

After last Saturday’s pathetic non-performance at Colchester, Shaun Derry’s team selection at Doncaster on Tuesday had a desperate whiff of change for change’s sake about it, and he made four more alterations today, replacing Max Clark, Keith Keane, Ben Williamson and the unwell Tom Dallison with Greg Taylor, new loan signing Jake Gosling, Joe Pigott and Leon Legge, and lining them up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, James Dunne protecting the back four and Pigott all alone up front, not the most positive team selection for a home game against what can only be described as middling opposition.

The weather was as changeable as the manager’s tactics, ranging from cloudy and cool to warm sunshine to a brief but intense shower, all the while with a stiff breeze whipping down the pitch, and a creditable 405 away fans trekked the length of the country to adorn the South Stand.

There was a positive start to the afternoon’s proceedings when Jez George introduced Shaun Whiter and Joey Abbs onto the pitch in advance of their benefit day at the Abbey in October, and they were afforded the rousing welcome they deserved.

The match was keenly contested from the off, and United gained the early lead they needed on 7: Piero Mingoia arrowed an outswinging corner over from the right, and Legge soared over everyone to thump home a flying header with all the power of Laura Trott’s leg muscles. 1-0.

The hosts could have doubled their lead inside three minutes. Joe Pigott embarked on a run into the box and was clearly having his shirt tugged by Michael Raynes, but ref Huxtable played the advantage and Pigott pulled the ball back to Luke Berry, unmarked on the edge of the box, but with the entire goal to aim at, he blazed disappointingly over the bar.

Carlisle, much more of a footballing team than the direct-line stormtroopers of yore, began to play their way back into the game, gaining four corners in quick succession with Danny Grainger seeing a shot blocked, while United failed to build on their early advantage; once again Pigott was an isolated figure up front, while the team’s passing and movement left something to be desired all too often.

Medy Elito was first into the book on 22 for a clumsily mistimed tackle on Macaulay Gillesphey, not for the first time this season. When it comes to tackling he appears to be League Two’s answer to Paul Scholes, only without the latter’s vision, range of passing, ball control or shooting ability. Or ginger hair.

Even worse, Carlisle equalised from the ensuing free-kick. Gillesphey swung it diagonally into a packed box from the left hand side of halfway, it seemed to be sailing over everyone’s heads and Will Norris confidently shouted that it was going safe, only to be proved horribly wrong when Jason Kennedy popped up beyond the far post to send an acutely angled header into the net off the static Norris’ hands. Oh dear: 1-1.

Now the visitors really took the game to the U’s, aided by the wind at their backs, and United began to struggle, particularly down the flanks where full-backs Long and Taylor were offered little assistance by wide men Mingoia and Gosling. Luke Joyce had a header from a corner blocked on the half hour, then Mike Jones fired over, and Dunne was next to see yellow on 38 for a foul on Lambe.

Nicky Adams then had a header plucked from the air by Norris, but on 41 the match took another twist when Gosling crossed from the left and Grainger flattened Berry with a clumsy aerial challenge 15 yards out. Penalty, and Berry picked himself up to stroke it calmly down the middle as keeper Mark Gillespie dived to his left. 2-1.

It was a scarcely deserved lead, and Carlisle tried to hit straight back, Adams crossing for Jabo Ibehre to test Norris with a header, then another Ibehre effort was blocked and Tom Miller guided it goalwards, only for the keeper to intervene again. Berry was then clattered on halfway by Raynes, followed by Elito, only for the ref to unaccountably wave play on with both players down.

It was with some relief that United retired to the dressing room ahead despite a rather patchy performance, but at least they could draw some encouragement from the scoreline, knowing that a clean sheet in the second half would precipitate a first League win of the season. It all seemed so simple, as Lutalo Muhammad thought with one second to go.

Battle resumed with no changes made to either side, and Kennedy was Carlisle’s first bookee on 54 for a silly challenge on Norris when he was making a routine catch; he stayed down for a long time, attracting the administrations of his physio, but as with every optimist in such a position, he was just delaying the inevitable yellow card in the vain hope that the referee might forget or lose interest. They never learn.

As it turned out, Kennedy was genuinely injured and was soon replaced by Charlie Wyke, and wouldn’t you know it, the substitute scored the equaliser five minutes later. It was another poorly defended goal from United’s viewpoint, as Adams beat Mingoia to cross low from the left into the six-yard Corridor of Uncertainty, Long unaccountably left it and Wyke was presented with the easiest of tap-ins from close range. 2-2.

A couple of minutes later Ben Williamson was introduced in place of the ineffective Elito and United switched to 4-4-1-1, their fourth different formation in four games, Derry still reluctant to commit to having two out-and-out strikers on the field. Unfortunately the change had the effect of weakening United’s midfield, with Dunne pushed up into the middle four, and the visitors began to find gaps between the men in black and amber through which to push through balls as well as down the flanks.

Two more Carlisle corners were followed by a rather harsh booking for Berry for what looked like a decent challenge on Adams, but the resultant free-kick could not beat the wall. Back came the visitors, though, as they exposed United down the right again, Norris saving well from Wyke then Jones’ follow-up looking bound for the open net before Josh Coulson blocked heroically.

Derry made another positive substitution on 71, introducing Conor Newton for Dunne, and Williamson spooned an ambitious shot over the top from outside the box, then Gosling, looking increasingly dangerous, wriggled through and had his shot beaten away by Gillespie. Lambe then drew a save from Norris, and on 78 a thunderous daisycutter from Jones looked goalbound from the edge of the box but the unsighted Norris flung himself full length to his right to palm it away for another fine stop.

Soon afterwards Lambe went down with no-one near him, and the rest of the players took the opportunity while he was being treated to have a drinks break, leading to suspicions that Lambe was their designated diver, but he turned out to be genuinely injured and was replaced by Jamie Devitt.

Almost immediately United were carved apart again as Devitt ran onto a diagonal ball down the right channel and his shot was blocked well by Norris, the ball bounced around the area then Ibehre headed for goal, but onto the roof of the net. United responded with four corners in five minutes, but were unable to win anything in the air until at last Pigott nodded Mingoia’s cross over the top as he fell over backwards.

The visitors responded once again, Haynes’ header from a corner deflected wide on 88, and the game remained wide open to the last. Inside the four minutes’ added time United might even have won it, Pigott dribbling to the byline but having to wait an eternity for support to arrive, and with two colleagues to his left, his cross into the six-yard box was deflected away by a red-shirted boot.

Thus ended a breathlessly contested encounter, and although that first League win still evades United, at least they did not taste defeat this time, albeit they fell to the bottom of the table, a peculiar sight with the top two being a couple of the early favourites for relegation, Morecambe and Crawley.

It is clear, though, that there is a lot wrong with this team at the moment. To start at the back, Norris’ decision making is erratic, and the solidity of the centre-backs is undermined by the flakiness of the revolving door of full-backs, while the midfield is a mess, full of off-form, off-key players whose constant changing of formations and personnel has engendered a fundamental lack of cohesion and organisation, while Pigott (or Williamson) remains a lonely, isolated figure up front. No-one, it seems, is playing to their strengths, and they do not look particularly united personally either.

Five players from today’s starting line-up played in the last game of last season in which United finished so strongly: Norris, Legge, Coulson, Dunne and Berry. Of the rest, Sean Long is inferior to Darnell Furlong, Taylor is not as good as Harrison Dunk, Elito does not begin to compare to Ryan Ledson, and Pigott does not have the nous of Jimmy Spencer. Mingoia looks a better prospect than Zeli Ismail and it remains to be seen whether Gosling will turn out better than Williamson, but it is clear that this team is overall not as strong as the one that finished last season, while other clubs have strengthened and improved. It is early days, of course, but the club does not appear to have recruited very well. And how close are Dunk, Barry Corr and Adam McGurk to much-needed returns? We aren’t being told.

Even more concerning are Shaun Derry’s coded comments after the match, hinting at unrest within the club and that all is not well behind the scenes. The supporters are unhappy and critical, but at the end of the day all of us (well, most of us) really want him, and his players, to succeed. Unfortunately the team’s form has, with the notable exception of extra time against Sheffield Wednesday, been almost entirely poor, with its nadir at Colchester, and it is difficult to see where the points are going to come from with the current fit personnel.

It still comes down to fine lines, though. If United had somehow held onto their lead today, or Pigott had found a team-mate in the last minute, they would be out of the bottom two. One win, one moment, can change an entire outlook (albeit United’s problems appear to be deeper rooted at the moment). Just ask Lutalo Muhammad.

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CUFC Lottery 'Accumulator' Results (19 August 2016) - this weeks winning 'Accumulator' numbers are (0531)
-there were no winners of the weekly 'Accumulator' this week, meaning next weeks 'Accumulator' will be £1300.

CUFC Lottery 'Main Draw' Results (19 August 2016) - this weeks winning 'Main Draw' numbers are (3256)
-there were no winners of the 'Main Draw' jackpot this week.
-next weeks 'Main Draw' jackpot will be £300.00.

As the 'Main Draw' jackpot was not won this week
-there are 2 CUFC Lottery members matching the first pair winning £10.00 each
-there are 4 CUFC Lottery members matching the second pair winning £10.00 each

If you are a winner of either the 'Accumulator' or 'Main Draw' you will be notified individually by email.

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Tom Youngs, a popular, all-action forward who played for the U's between 1997 and 2003. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014, he returned to the Abbey in August 2016 to field questions and sign copies of his book, What Dreams Are (Not Quite) Made Of.

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Colchester United 2-0 Cambridge United: Blowout on the road

Andrew Bennett reporting from among 1098 U's fans at the Weston Homes Community Stadium:

Football stadia aren’t what they used to be, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Today saw United’s first ever visit to Colchester’s Weston Homes Community Stadium, which opened in 2008, evoking memories of many trips to their previous home, Layer Road. In many ways the old place was awful: an intimidating location, rickety wooden stands, toilet facilities which would have shamed a medieval plague house, and I still have nightmares about the grey, tepid “burger” I was served there back in the Nineties.

Nonetheless, the old dump oozed character and invariably made for a fine, combative atmosphere. By way of contrast, the new ground seems to have been made of Lego, with four near-identical stands which lack any character whatsoever, and as with any stadium whose capacity is too big for its occupants, its half-empty seating drained the place of any atmosphere and made the game resemble a pre-season friendly.

It wasn’t all bad, though, by any means. Its out-of-town location did not make it suitable for any nearby pubs, but spaces in the park and ride opposite were plentiful and the facilities for supporters were more than adequate, with a café and refreshments bar open to home and away fans alike which allowed them to mingle outside in the sunshine, and acceptable food and drink in the away end of a traditional nature (i.e. nothing silly like house wine), including a comfortingly well-cooked burger and non-defrosted roll. It won’t win any haute cuisine awards, but was absolutely fine for our purposes.

It is hard to believe now, but ten seasons ago Colchester finished 10th in the Championship, seven points short of a playoff place for the Premier League. They could not defy gravity for long, finishing bottom the following term, and after eight seasons of diminishing returns in League One they now find themselves in the bottom tier and reunited with their fellow U’s from the next county. I must confess I was not familiar with any of the names in their 18-man squad today, but our clubs have moved in different circles for 14 years.

United line-up: Norris; Long, Legge, Dallison, Taylor; Mingoia, Berry, Dunne, Maris; Pigott, Williamson
On the bench: Gregory, Adams, Roberts, Clark, Keane, Newton, Elito
Shaun Derry made four changes from the team which started Tuesday’s triumph over Wednesday, reinstating Will Norris for David Gregory in goal, giving first starts of the season to Greg Taylor and George Maris in place of Blair Adams and Medy Elito, and Leon Legge was recalled to replace Josh Coulson, absent because his wife had gone into labour with little Harry.

The team started the game in the 4-4-2 formation which they employed in midweek, but fairly quickly was adjusted to a 4-1-4-1 with James Dunne holding, Maris moving inside and Ben Williamson switched to wide left. There was little sign of the flowing attacking football which eliminated their higher division opponents, however, and they fell behind inside 8 minutes.

It all stemmed from a United free-kick; when it was cleared they regained possession but gradually passed it backwards until Maris knocked it back to Norris. His pass, like so many to come from his colleagues, was underhit, Norris’ clearance went straight to Chris Porter in the centre circle, and all of a sudden the U’s were on the retreat. Porter found Sammie Szmodics, he fed Brennan Dickerson, and his fine strike from the edge of the box flew past Norris and in at the far post. 1-0.

There was immediate evidence of disharmony in the United ranks as Norris bawled out his team-mates who promptly answered back, doubtless pointing out that it was his poor clearance that had set Colchester on the attack in the first place. Two minutes later it might have been even worse for the U’s when Szmodics thundered a shot in on goal, but Norris partially redeemed himself with a splendid leaping tip over the top.

United almost responded on 16 when Joe Pigott wriggled through to aim a carefully placed shot at goal from ten yards, but Sam Walker dived low to his right to make a fine save. Thereafter, though, all the pressure belonged to Colchester as they opened up the U’s defence almost at will. The hosts found easy pickings down the flanks, where exposed fullbacks Long and Taylor offered their opponents far too much space and cross after cross rained into the box, and the whole United team looked strangely out of sorts, failing time and again to execute even the simplest of passes.

Even more disturbingly, on several occasions when United did have the ball, a player would look up, scan the horizon and fail to see anyone making himself available, culminating in a hopeful hoof forward and loss of possession. Colchester were no great shakes, but United seemed set on making them look like Barcelona as they allowed them to run through and past their midfield time and time again.
Somehow, though, the hosts were unable to increase their lead. Szmodics fell feebly under Legge’s challenge in a transparent attempt at gaining a penalty which fooled nobody, Richard Brindley fired wildly over on 20 and a series of corners could not yield any further decent goal chances, the U’s throwing bodies in the way to block any such attempts.

United were just clinging on, though, with Luke Berry and Maris ineffectual in the centre of midfield, Piero Mingoia isolated on the right and Williamson looking unsure as to where he should be running on the left, while the back four was creaking and groaning like a Tudor warship in a force ten gale. And there just seemed to be no fight or energy running through the team, just 11 introverts climbing into their shells and not communicating with each other.

Derry tired of his team’s lame duck performance thus far and did not even wait until half-time to make his first change, making his point forcefully by withdrawing Tom Dallison on 42 and replacing him with Mark Roberts, although in truth he could have withdrawn just about any player on the park. The substitute made a good diving block from Szmodics’ shot as the first half came to an end, then the team retired to the dressing room where doubtless Derry had already thoroughly warmed up the hairdryer.

The manager made a further change at the start of the second half, replacing the disappointing Maris with Conor Newton. The shape of the team remained the same, though, and the pattern of the game remained duly unchanged, Dickerson firing wide and Porter’s dangerous run and cross cleared just the right side of the post by Legge. Norris dived low to stop an angled Tom Eastman drive on 55, then Porter headed wide from Drey Wright’s cross.

United still looked lethargic and out of sorts, but Derry’s options were limited by having his only two fit strikers already out on the pitch, so in desperation he withdrew Williamson for Elito on 58. It almost paid off six minutes later when Pigott crossed from the right and found the erratic winger in the middle, but his header cannoned off the bar and out of play. If only the roles had been reversed.

That was as good as it got for the U’s, whose collective and individual performances declined thereafter in a morass of negativity and tentativeness, passes still going astray and no-one appearing to really want the ball. A better team than Colchester would have punished them more thoroughly. Eastman’s header on 65 lacked the power to trouble Norris, then Doug Loft replaced Szmodics, while Wright was shown the first yellow card on 69 for dissent after Brindley was penalised for a foul on Mingoia.

The hosts’ second change saw Denny Johnstone enter the fray in place of Porter on 71. A rare shot from United saw Pigott fire over two minutes later, then Johnstone shot wide at the other end, and somehow a U’s side playing like a gurgle of drains entered the final ten minutes still just a goal down.

Their weakness down the flanks, however, finally cost them dear eight minutes from time when Sean Long gave Lewis Kinsella all the time and space in the world to pick his cross and he found Johnstone, completely unmarked in the middle, to power a header past the helpless Norris. 2-0.

It was almost a relief to the disgruntled United supporters; it’s the hope that kills you, and that had now been swept irrevocably away. Colchester, without a win thus far this season, had looked happy to sit on their lead from early on and must have been delighted that it was so easy to do so. Taylor headed a free-kick wide on 87 and Berry, who had utterly failed in his role as captain, was booked for a stupid foul on Kurtis Guthrie three minutes later, thanks mainly to the Colchester man’s preposterous overreaction, tumbling to the floor and rolling over and over again as if he was lying on a steep slope.

Craig Slater replaced his thespian colleague for the five minutes of added time, during which far from chasing the game, a disinterested-looking United side seemed content to pass it sideways to each other on the halfway line. Their wretched capitulation was deservedly greeted with boos at the final whistle

It is difficult to say just how the team which put Sheffield Wednesday to the sword four days ago could suddenly morph into a collection of shrinking violets, how energy could turn to lethargy, how attitude could turn to torpitude. A really good side at this level, like Portsmouth or Luton, would have put them to the sword by five or six goals and Derry could not explain it afterwards, although to his credit he did not make any excuses for his team’s “horror show.” What we do want, though, is for him to know how to do something about it, and swiftly, with a trip to Doncaster in the offing next week. The lop-sidedness of his squad does not help, but for goodness’ sake, surely these players could not perform this badly again unless they were severely tranquilised. If they do not play (again) like they have spent all the previous night on a pub crawl, that will at least be some sort of improvement.

At least Channel 5’s ‘Goal Rush’ programme raised a wry chuckle later on. Their brief highlights consisted of Dickenson’s goal, Pigott’s saved shot and Elito’s effort hitting the bar, after which the voiceover stated “Colchester rode out the storm” and showed their second goal for the most misleading 30 seconds ever. A storm? An earwig blowing off would create more wind than United did today…

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Statto Corner
United have failed to win either of their first two league matches for the first time since 2010, when they lost 1-0 at Wrexham then drew 2-2 at home to Grimsby Town. They also gained only one point from their opening two games in 2006; in both seasons they ended up finishing 17th in the Conference.

The last time this happened in the Football League was in 2004, when they lost 2-1 at Wycombe then drew 1-1 at home to Leyton Orient. That season they finished bottom and were relegated to the Conference.

The U’s have not lost both of their opening two League matches since 1994; they were defeated 3-0 at Wycombe, then lost 4-3 at home to Stockport County, with their goals coming from Matt Joseph, Ollie Morah and Carlo Corazzin. Gary Johnson’s team that day was: Filan, Hunter, Barrick, Craddock, Heathcote, O’Shea, Hyde, Rattle (Morah), Butler, Corazzin, Joseph (Elad). They finished 20th that season and were relegated to Division Three due to a realignment of the divisions following the Premier League’s reduction from 22 clubs to 20.

United have now lost on their last five visits to Colchester, dating back to 1997-98; their last trip to Layer Road was on 20th October 2001 when they lost 3-1 despite taking the lead via Armand One. Scott McGleish then scored twice for the hosts with Gavin Johnson adding the other.

Overall in the Football League, United have won 12 home games out of 16 against Colchester with no draws and four defeats. Before today they had won 5 times in Colchester, drawn 3 times and lost on 8 occasions. The two clubs’ only competitive meetings before United gained entry to the League in 1970 were with Colchester’s Reserves, with whom they competed in the Eastern Counties League between 1951 and their admission to the Southern League in 1958.

The clubs have also been drawn together twice in the FA Cup and twice in the League Cup, with Colchester prevailing every time, and four times in the LDV Vans Trophy and its predecessors, with a one win each and two draws in the group stages. Their meeting at the Abbey Stadium on 24th November 1987 in the Freight Rover Trophy “attracted” the lowest ever home attendance for United in that competition, 857, and appropriately enough it was a goalless draw. Can you boast that you were there?

United team: Branagan, Poole, Murray, Beattie, Crowe, P.Turner, Butler, Clayton, Rigby (Horwood), Purdie, A.Kimble
Colchester: Walton, Hedman, Grenfall, Chatterton, Barker, Hinshelwood, White, Wilkins, Tempest, English, Reeves (Hill)

Today’s attendance of 4,521 has never been recorded for a Cambridge United match before. The nearest is 4,518 for an away match at… Colchester, on 29th December 1997. United lost 3-2, a brace of Jamie Barnwell goals beaten by two from Richard Wilkins and one from Aaron Skelton.

Player Ratings
Norris 6. At fault for Colchester’s first goal, although made some good saves thereafter.
Long 4. Struggled badly with the physical side of the game.
Legge 6. Leon is the most reliable player in the team, but even his form was dragged down by everyone else today.
Dallison 4. All over the place positionally and looks to have a lot to learn. Quickly.
Taylor 5. Given little help down the flank, but stood off his man far too much and allowed the opposition to cross at will.
Mingoia 5. Starved of possession so unable to make an impact.
Dunne 5. Fairly solid at first, but passes gradually began to go astray along with those of his team-mates.
Berry 4. Desperately insipid and uninspired performance and failed in his capacity of captain.
Maris 4. Deeply disappointing after Tuesday’s superb effort, unable to make any impression on the game.
Williamson 4. Never got going and he is certainly no left winger.
Pigott 4. Struggled as lone striker with poor service, but simply must put himself about more physically.
Roberts 4. His lack of pace and mobility was all too obvious.
Newton 5. Started reasonably well but soon sank to the level of his colleagues.
Elito 5. The odd nice touch, but failed to hurt the opposition in any way and missed his only chance to score.

Match Summary
United’s first visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium was a nightmare from start to finish as they failed collectively and individually in a truly dismal display devoid of energy, tempo, spirit and understanding. The manager has a lot of work to do on this showing.

Man of the Match
This award has been withheld due to a lack of any suitable candidates.

Ref Watch
Yates 7. No complaints.

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Twenty eight people died at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo last year, suffocating in a crush that began when police fired tear gas at away fans entering without tickets. It was another in a long line of stadium tragedies. But like the 2006 PhilSports Arena disaster in the Philippines, and the disasters in Johannesburg in 2001 and Harare in 2000 and 2001, the stadium in question was all-seated. In modern stadia, it is organisation and policing that drive safety, not the presence of seats – and we ought to recognise this by allowing standing once more in the top two tiers of English football.

read more by clicking the link below -

http://www.cityam.com/247313/end-stadium-standing-ban-its-open-goal-football-fans-and

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Cambridge United supporters are well known for their support of the club at away matches. Many hundreds travel to each match away from the Abbey.

I have received the following information from Dean who is SLO at Doncaster for supporters visiting this Tuesday -

Here at Doncaster Rovers we have a guide to help away fans enjoy the experience when visiting the Keepmoat Stadium. The away fans guide offers help and advice on how to get the stadium, places to eat and drink, where to stay and information on Doncaster in general. It is available to download from here: (it can also be downloaded below)
 
http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/documents/drfc-awaysupportersguide110-2829634.pdf

Please can everyone also follow the away fans twitter account (@DRFC_AWAY) for all the latest information regarding your visit, including local traffic information, ticket information and places to go. If you have any questions about your visit please go  through this account.

If anyone needs any help on the day Dean will be around the footprint of the stadium pre-match wearing a Doncaster Rovers rain jacket with Supporter Liaison Officer printed on the front and back and will also be available outside the away end post match.

For further information see below
 
There are many ways to travel, but one way that can help the club and also to beat the costs of traveling independently is by using the Away Travel coach.

For more information you can ring 01223 566500.

If you prefer to travel independently the following sites may help you to organise your trip -: 
 
Train -:                    TRAIN INFORMATION

Coach -:                  NATIONAL EXPRESS

Car -:                       AA NEWS  

Weather -:               BBC WEATHER NEWS

Travel News -:         BBC TRAVEL NEWS

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Statto Corner
Tonight United won their first game in the League Cup since 10th September 2002, when they defeated Reading 3-1 at the Abbey before collapsing 7-0 at home to Sunderland in the second round. Of course they did not play in the cup between 2005-06 and 2013-14.

United’s epic win over Wednesday was their sixth League Cup match to go to extra time since they first entered it in 1970. In October 1986 they shocked Wimbledon, three divisions above them, by drawing 2-2 at Plough Lane after a 1-1 first-leg draw at the Abbey to go through on away goals. Eleven years later they lost 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion after drawing 1-1 in the first leg, while in 1998 came that unforgettable night at Nottingham Forest when they drew 3-3 before succumbing 4-3 on penalties.

West Brom eliminated the U’s from the cup again in 2001, drawing 1-1 at the Abbey then winning 4-3 on penalties, while two years ago United held Birmingham City to a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes at St Andrews only to concede two more goals in extra time.

United and Sheffield Wednesday first met at the Abbey on 7th August 1976 in the Shipp Cup, a pre-season tournament played in a group format which also involved Peterborough and Lincoln; at the time the U’s were in Division Four and Wednesday were in Division Three, and the Owls ran out comfortable winners, 5-2.
A year later United had joined Wednesday in the Third Division but competed in the Shipp Cup again, with Huddersfield replacing Lincoln. This time the U’s won 3-2 with goals from Brendon Batson, Floyd Streete and Tom Finney.

United repeated the dose in the League that season, dismissing the Owls 3-0 at the Abbey with another goal from Finney and a brace from Alan Biley, then drew 0-0 at Hillsborough on their way to a second successive promotion, leaving the Yorkshiremen behind.

The clubs were reunited in Division Two for the 1980-81 season and remained rivals for four consecutive seasons. Wednesday became something of a bogey side for the U’s and in eight League meetings, United managed just one draw and seven defeats, and were also eliminated from the FA Cup by them in the fifth round of 1982-83 via a 2-1 defeat at the Abbey.

Since United’s relegation in 1984 the clubs have never again been in the same division, but there have been some unforgettable cup meetings. The most famous was on 16th February 1991 when John Beck’s all-conquering side were once again on the way to a second consecutive promotion from Division Three, one level below Wednesday. Ron Atkinson’s side visited the Abbey in the fifth round of the FA Cup and were taken apart, 4-0, thanks to goals from Dion Dublin (2), Lee Philpott and John Taylor, and United were unlucky to lose 2-1 at Arsenal in the quarter-final.

The United team was: Vaughan; Fensome, Chapple, O’Shea, Kimble; Cheetham, Wilkins, Leadbitter, Philpott (Dennis); Dublin, Taylor.
Wednesday: Turner, Anderson, King (Harkes), Palmer, Shirtliff, Pearson, Wilson, Sheridan, Hirst, Williams (Francis), Worthington

By the time the clubs met again, two years later, they were both one level higher in the renamed First Division and Premier League respectively. This time their FA Cup third round meeting went the visitors’ way as Wednesday won 2-1 with goals from John Harkes and Mark Bright after having fallen behind to a Mick Heathcote strike.

The last time the clubs met was in September 1998, by which time they were three divisions apart. United travelled to Hillsborough for the second round, first leg of the Worthington Cup and shocked their illustrious hosts by taking an early lead via Trevor Benjamin then holding out for a notable giant-killing scalp to give Owls manager Danny Wilson déjà vu; he had played for Wednesday in that 4-0 defeat in 1991. “We’ll have to match Cambridge’s commitment and team spirit,” he said, looking forward to the second leg. “We can’t afford the fancy dan rubbish.”

Wednesday brought out all the big guns for the second leg at the Abbey: Paolo di Canio, Benito Carbone, Andy Booth, Wim Jonk, Des Walker. In a classic cup tie United absorbed early pressure than began to ask their own questions with their three-pronged forward line of Benjamin, John Taylor and Martin Butler. Jamie Campbell’s unfortunate own goal put Wednesday ahead in the 69th minute, but Benjamin levelled the score on the night five minutes later with a header from Alex Russell’s free-kick and Roy McFarland’s side saw the game through for another notable shock. They went on to come back from 3-0 down at Nottingham Forest in the next round to draw 3-3 after extra time and lose 4-3 on penalties.

United team: Van Heusden; Chenery, Duncan, Joseph, Campbell; Mustoe, Wanless, Russell; Taylor, Benjamin, Butler
Wednesday: Pressman, Briscoe, Hinchcliffe, Newsome (Barrett), Emerson, Walker, Atherton, Carbone (Sanetti), Booth, Jonk (Alexandersson), Di Canio

The largest attendance at the Abbey for a match against Wednesday is 10,834 for their FA Cup meeting in February 1983, followed by 9,624 in February 1991 and 9,231 for their League meeting in January 1981. The biggest crowds at Hillsborough to see the U’s are all for League matches: 18,314 in April 1982, 14,947 in September 1983 and 14,315 in April 1981.

Andy McCulloch has scored the most goals for Wednesday against the U’s over the years, six in total, followed by Gary Bannister on four and Ian Nimmo with three. For United, Floyd Streete has scored four times and Alan Biley thrice.

Player Ratings
Gregory 8. Faultless display of confident handling. Will Norris has real competition.
Long 7. Decent display, gradually settling into the team. Only black mark was his feeble defending against Joao in the build-up to Wednesday’s goal.
Coulson 8. Superb marking job on the hulking Nuhiu, dominating in the air and restricting him to one goalscoring chance.
Dallison 8. Much improved from Saturday.
Adams 7. Still finding his feet in the side, but the talent appears to be there.
Mingoia 9. Simply magnificent.
Dunne 7. Solid job until withdrawn.
Berry 9. Captain Fantastic.
Elito 6. A puzzling player, who can look confident on the ball one minute and look as if he has never seen a ball before a minute later. Not convinced so far.
Williamson 7. Slow start but made a dynamic contribution as the match wore on, although he still really needs a goal.
Pigott 7. Led the line bravely against Wednesday’s giants, albeit he could still learn a lot about centre-forward play from Barry Corr.

Maris 8. Superb, game-changing display from the bench, full of aggression, pace and skill, and must surely start ahead of Elito on Saturday.

Newton 8. Classy and perceptive, now he is knocking on the first team door as well.
Taylor 7. Settled in comfortably, good to have him back.

Match Summary
United battled back from the ropes to shock their lofty visitors thanks to two brilliantly taken and well-timed goals with a stunning extra time performance of pace, passion and penetration. One of the great cup nights at the Abbey.

Man of the Match
Piero Mingoia. What a signing this boy looks already, not just for his spectacular goalscoring but for his top-quality crossing and overall play, full of positivity and trickery. A future Abbey legend in the making.

Ref Watch
Stroud 7. Barely noticed him, praise indeed for a referee.

Soundtrack of the Day
C Duncan “Wanted To Want It Too”

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“Woooooooaaaaaarrrrrryeeeaaaaahhhhhhh!!”There are some sounds you do not hear very often at the Abbey. Some good-natured cheering? Check. Some muttering and moaning? Now and again. Shouts of encouragement? Of course. Some light snoring? Occasionally. But every now and then comes a special noise, made by fans who are witnessing something truly exceptional, quite extraordinary and really rather beautiful.

Before Tuesday night, I think I last heard it on 19th March 2005 against Wycombe Wanderers, when Tes Bramble looked up and let fly with a shot from just outside the centre circle which did not rise or fall but simply flew, straight as an arrow, into the corner of the net with all the power of a bazooka. The crowd could see it was going in from the moment it left his foot and they made the above sound, a mixture of anticipation, awe, celebration and delirium when it finally smashed into the back of the net, the only surprise being that it did not continue straight through the netting and the South Stand and halfway across Coldham’s Common.

I heard that noise again on Tuesday as United’s match against Sheffield Wednesday ticked over into added time, when Piero Mingoia cut inside from deep on the right wing, glided towards goal without appearing to touch the ground at all, and when the goal came into his sights almost 30 yards out, he let fly with his left foot to send the ball screaming into the top left-hand corner off the underside of the bar with shot no goalkeeper on Earth could have saved. And like Bramble’s goal, it seemed inevitable from the moment it left his boot; there was simply no doubt that it would be a goal, hence the crowd’s elongated ululation of elation. Enjoy such magic moments, people; they come along all too rarely.

The fact that the goal only inspired United to even greater heights in extra time was a welcome added bonus. But more of that later.

The Football League Cup has gone by many names over the years since it was first given a sponsor’s name in 1981, when it became the Milk Cup. Now it is the EFL Cup, so named (a) because of a gratuitous rebrand of the great name of the oldest national league in the world and (b) because the dunderheads who run it couldn’t find a sponsor.

A recent interview with the league’s marketing director revealed the full horror of the sort of soulless sales-speak that rules our national game these days. Phrases like ‘brand refresh,’ ‘from the top down,’ ‘tell the story,’ ‘stakeholder engagement piece,’ ‘golden thread,’ ‘a bigger narrative,’ ‘brand identity perspective’ and ‘marketing channels’ demonstrated the dead-eyed, price-of-everything and value-of-nothing mindset of people who call the Football League name “a bit old” (it’s called HISTORY, many people quite value it) and its new name “a clear brand” (before it was a League of Football clubs, now it’s, er, ‘Effel’). It’s all basically just a logo; let’s just copy the Americans, NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, NRA…

The producers of all this hot, empty air have also made a complete and utter laughable shambles of the organisation of the ‘EFL Trophy,’ now the ‘Checkatrade Trophy,’ but you didn’t really need me to tell you that. Looking forward to seeing Middlesbrough’s youth team visit the Abbey in a ‘regionalised’ tie in front of a few hundred spectators, are you? Great branding, guys. You are hereby branded buffoons of the highest order who should have not been allowed anywhere near the Football League, which does not need an ‘English’ before it because it was the first of its kind anywhere. Now THAT is a ‘USP’.

That’s better. Now let’s just call it the League Cup, shall we? Typically these days every ‘big’ club and some who think they are ‘big’ tend to rest their poor, exhausted first team players, who have after all played one whole League game so far this season, and send out their understudies, and after they lose to a club from a lower league the managers inevitably chorus ‘but I thought the team I picked was strong enough to win!’ Perhaps some of them even mean it.

Sheffield Wednesday were no exception, although they were playing just two days after their opening league fixture on Sunday, and only Ross Wallace started his second game in three days. Nonetheless the team could boast some serious talent in Sunderland loanee Will Buckley, powerful Portuguese international Lucas Joao, Senegalese winger Modou Sougou and hulking Austrian striker and least pronounceable man in football, Atdhe Nuhiu, the sort of name you make up when you can’t do anything else with a terrible hand in Scrabble. Their stand-in goalkeeper, Joe Wildsmith, became the first custodian to wear a number 2 shirt at the Abbey.

United line-up: Gregory; Long, Coulson, Dallison, Adams; Mingoia, Dunne, Berry, Elito; Williamson, Pigott
On the bench: Iron, Taylor, Roberts, Clark, Keane, Maris, Newton

Shaun Derry’s side showed four changes from Saturday, with Will Norris, Leon Legge and Harrison Dunk absent through injury, replaced by David Gregory, Josh Coulson and Medy “Eddie Melito” Elito, while a change of formation to 4-4-2 saw Max Clark replaced by Ben Williamson. Youth team keeper Fin Iron made the subs’ bench which boasted a strong four-man midfield backup but could not muster a single out-and-out striker.

A rather disappointing home attendance was mitigated by over 1,400 away supporters, who were handed the South Habbin as well as the South Stand, and their team eschewed this season’s home strip of blue with white pinstripes for black shirts and luminous orange (and exceptionally baggy) shorts.

Wednesday’s team was a big, powerful side and line leader Nuhiu had an early shot blocked, but Gregory looked comfortable in the United goal, plucking a Conor O’Grady header out of the air from a corner on 8. A minute later a half-cleared U’s flag-kick found its way to Piero Mingoia out on the left wing, his pinpoint cross found the head of Tom Dallison and he beat Wildsmith only to be denied a goal by the closest of offside calls.

The visitors passed the ball fluently and speedily and United had to graft hard to stay with them, but Coulson and Dallison stood firm at the back. Wallace fired past the upright on 17, then the hosts created another good chance when Mingoia crossed from the right, O’Grady’s header down fell straight to Joe Pigott, he burst through the line and saw his close-range angled shot blocked away by Wildsmith.

Wednesday continued to press and probe, Buckley and Liam Palmer having shots blocked, and a fine triangular passing move on 32 sent Palmer into the box down the right channel, but Dallison flew across to make a splendid block to his angled shot. Although the visitors enjoyed the majority of the possession, United contained them pretty well, restricting them mainly to shots from outside the box, Luke Berry and James Dunne working like Trojans in the centre. Debutant O’Grady’s through ball on 40 sent Lucas Joao away down the left channel, but his shot flew into the side netting, and Gregory clutched a Palmer drive without much difficulty.

The first half thus ended goalless, United having worked hard to achieve a stalemate but knowing that even greater effort would be needed after the lemons.

Experienced goal poacher Gary Hooper was introduced by the visitors for the second half in place of Sougou, surprisingily utilised in midfield, and within six minutes of the restart Buckley cut inside from the right and struck a left-footed shot against the foot of the right-hand post, the ball rebounding to safety.

A minute later, though, the Owls were hooting their delight. Lucas Joao latched onto a long ball from Wallace, shrugged off the challenge of Sean Long, leaving him in a heap on the byline, then cut back inside from the right, skipped past Dallison’s challenge and fired low into the net from ten yards to score a goal all too similar to that scored by Barnet at the weekend. 1-0.

Before the hour was up Derry made two changes, replacing Dunne and the enigmatic Elito with Conor Newton and George Maris, and both subs made instant impressions with their drive and energy. For the visitors Wallace drove an ambitious 30-yarder wide and Nuhiu nodded a corner off target, but the enormous target man might have done better on 62 when he ran (OK, shambled) onto a low Palmer cross, but he spooned his shot onto the top of the bar and over from close range under pressure from Long.

Maris then tested Wildsmith with a shot from the edge of the box, while on 72 Lucas Joao slid narrowly wide from the D. Six minutes later came United’s best chance so far: Dallison found Williamson with a long ball down the middle, he laid off to Berry whose shot was blocked by a combination of Jose Semedo and O’Grady, but it ran to Williamson, unmarked inside the box; his over-deliberate shot, however, sailed just over the far angle when he really ought to have concentrated on just hitting the target.

Time was beginning to run out for United. Wednesday replaced Wallace with teenage American Under-20 international James Murphy four minutes from time, and they looked about to see the game out until right on 90 came Mingoia’s stunning equaliser to raise the roof off the Abbey. 1-1.

Suddenly United were a team transformed. Into injury time a brilliant run to the byline by Newton culminated in a cross which was converted by Maris, but the fans’ acclaim was swiftly terminated by the referee’s whistle for handball and a yellow card for the U’s Maradona impersonator.

So it was into extra time. One might have expected the powerful higher division club to reassert itself as fatigue set in, but instead it was the hosts who seemed to grow and pick up the pace, driven on by a dynamic, fleet-footed midfield of Maris, Newton, Berry and Mingoia, and the supporters picked up on their heroes’ determination as the noise gradually increased.

Early into extra time the visitors replaced Lucas Joao with George Hirst, 17-year-old son of Hillsborough legend David (now doesn’t that make you feel old) while on 96 Greg Taylor came in at left-back for Blair Adams. Hirst fired over seven minutes later, then Jeremy Helan was deservedly booked for a cynical foul on Mingoia which looked like payback for his goal.

As the first half of added time ticked to a close United came so near to taking the lead for the first time. A long clearance from Gregory found Maris on the left flank and he immediately made for goal, cutting easily inside his marker and firing a fine shot for the far post which was tipped away at full stretch by Wildsmith. The Abbey temperature ratcheted up another notch.

The U’s continued to take the game to Wednesday after they switched ends. Coulson nodded a corner over, Maris had a shot blocked then he was fed by Mingoia and rolled another effort tantalisingly past the far post, continuing his impressive pre-season form. Mingoia, always at the heart of everything good about United, then dragged a shot wide, Taylor and Maris combined down the left for the latter to drive another teasing cross into the six-yard box which was hacked away for a corner and Pigott shot over the top, and thoughts now began to drift to a penalty shootout.

United just kept surging forward, though, once-superior Wednesday now sagging on the ropes under their pacy onslaught, and with 118 minutes on the clock the payoff finally came. Mingoia was involved as ever, finding Coulson 25 yards out, whose high ball into the crowded box looked somewhat miscued; it dropped, however, to Berry, eight yards out to the left of the goal, and with consummate skill he controlled, turned his marker, Marnick Vermijl, and bobbled a shot low across goal when Wildsmith was expecting him to go for the near post, and to another tumultuous roar of acclaim, it rolled inexorably into the far corner of the net. 2-1!

A bedraggled Wednesday had no answer. United retained possession with great composure, the visitors’ last attack came to nothing, and the final whistle heralded wild celebrations and an epic victory that had looked unlikely for so much of the opening 90 minutes but seemed almost inevitable after the hosts’ siege in extra time.

Games like this are what great memories are made of, and are why we endure any number of forgettable afternoons and evenings. Massive credit must go the United players and management for the unfailingly positive attitude that led to their ultimate reward, from the rock-solid keeper, gritty central defence, hard-working strikers, inspirational substitutes and the two stars of the night, Mingoia and Berry, the smallest players on the pitch with the biggest hearts. Now if they can just recreate that extra-time spirit every matchday, we might be onto something here. Who knows, we may hear That Sound again sooner than we think…

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Cambridge United supporters are well known for their support of the club at away matches. Many hundreds travel to each match away from the Abbey. 

There are many ways to travel, but one way that can help the club and also to beat the costs of traveling independently is by using the Away Travel coach.

For more information you can ring 01223 566500.

If you prefer to travel independently the following sites may help you to organise your trip -: 
 
Train -:                    TRAIN INFORMATION

Coach -:                  NATIONAL EXPRESS

Car -:                       AA NEWS  

Weather -:               BBC WEATHER NEWS

Travel News -:         BBC TRAVEL NEWS

I have contacted Colchester and here is some info as a starting point:-
 
PARKING
Fans of both teams can park in the stadium car park, with parking available at £6 per vehicle. This often sells out before a match, so advance purchases via www.colutickets.com are advised and fans can use Colchester’s Print @ Home service to print off the permit.
 
Should the stadium car park sell out, football fans are able to park at the Colchester Park & Ride car park, which is on the other side of the A12 and costs £3 per car. To get back to the stadium, please leave via the Boxted Road exit and walk across the bridge back to the stadium site (5-10 minute walk).

STADIUM INFORMATION

Cambridge fans will be in the Roman Cars stand, which is the one closest to the A12. Prior to the game, there will be a concourse bar open in the Weston Homes Stand (at the other end of the stadium), which both fans are able to use.

This bar is next to our live music area and there will be a performance from 1.45pm to 2.30pm at this time. There are also likely to be other additional activities that young fans of both sides can participate in.

For young supporters, there is also Eddie’s Nest, next to main reception, which is a youth club room, where other activities are on offer should the weather not be great. Entry into Eddie’s Nest is free.
 
For fans wishing to buy food prior to the game, there is also Hot Shots, the club’s café, where sandwiches and various other snacks and drinks are available.

Find the ground http://www.cu-fc.com/club/directions/

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As if it had ever really been away, domestic soccer returns to England this weekend. The 2016/17 English Football League campaign kicks off with what was, just a few short years ago, a Premier League fixture, with Fulham FC hosting Newcastle United at their Craven Cottage stadium.

The west London venue was also the stage earlier this week for the official launch of the new season, which is the first since the Football League – the body which governs the three professional soccer tiers immediately below the Premier League in England – rebranded itself as the English Football League, to be known as the EFL across its promotional materials.
To start this latest chapter in its long and storied history, the EFL invited a representative from each of its 72 member clubs to come to Craven Cottage to participate in the launch. All 72 representatives, from all levels of involvement at the clubs – from star players like Wycombe Wanderers’ Adebayo Akinfenwa, through medical staff to tea ladies and young fans – gathered in Craven Cottage’s Riverside Stand for a “squad photo”, with the EFL’s key message being that it is a brand that offers something to everyone.    
Drew Barrand, marketing director of the EFL and one of the key drivers of the body’s rebranding project, took the time to speak to SportsPro at Craven Cottage and explain the process and thinking behind it.

Read more below

http://www.sportspromedia.com/quick_fire_questions/the_efl_marketing_director_drew_berrand_on_english_soccers_big_rebrand

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The Cambridge football family lost a well loved member with the death on Saturday, 6 August 2016 of Mel Slack, at the age of 72.

Mel started 124 times and made ten sub appearances for the U’s between 1969 and 1971, starring for Bill Leivers’ side as it gained election to, and established itself in, the Football League. A hard-tackling midfielder, he played for Cambridge City when his United career ended.

Born on 7 March 1944 in Bishop Auckland (County Durham), he was on Burnley’s books as a youth before signing for Sunderland in 1961. He played twice in four years and then joined Southend United, for whom he played 107 league matches.

Read more here http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/blog/mel-slack-1944-2016

Funeral is in the Crem’s West Chapel next Friday, the 19th, at 1545.

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Statto Corner

Today saw the first time that United have failed to win their first home league fixture of the season since they drew 2-2 with Crawley in 2010-11. Since then they have beaten Telford 1-0, Lincoln 2-1, Halifax 5-1, Plymouth 1-0 and Newport 3-0.

The U’s have not lost their opening league match, home or away, since they went down 1-0 at Wrexham in 2010-11. Their team that day is a real where-are-they-now parade: Brown, Roberts, Saah, Partridge, Jennings, Russell, Carden, Miller, Platt, Willmott, Wright. Used subs were Marriott, Gray and a man who was also on the bench today, Josh Coulson.

Four of United’s debutants today have played against the U’s in the past. Blair Adams faced the U’s twice last season, for Mansfield (on loan) in a 1-1 Abbey draw in December, and for Notts County in their 2-1 home defeat the following April.

Joe Pigott started alongside Barry Corr for Southend in a 0-0 draw at Roots Hall in March 2015, while Medy Elito appeared in both Newport’s games with United last season, losing 3-0 at the Abbey and 1-0 at Rodney Parade.

Piero Mingoia has faced United five times in his career, starting when on loan from Watford to Hayes & Yeading in a goalless draw at Kingfield in April 2012. He then popped up to score both goals in Accrington Stanley’s 2-1 home win in November 2014 and added another in the return match, a 2-2 draw the following April. He also played in both of Stanley’s contests with the U’s last term, finishing on the losing side at home (3-2) and in a 1-1 draw at the Abbey.

Player Ratings
Norris 6. No chance with the goal, but had a few hairy moments against Barnet’s deliveries into the box.
Long 6. Fairly quiet; looks like he and the other new boys will need some time to bed in.
Legge 8. Tower of strength in a rookie back four.
Dallison 6. Difficult debut against some tough, wily opponents; he will have to learn quickly at this level.
Adams 6. Some good work going forward, including his assist for the goal, but was less impressive defensively, particularly after Dunk went off when he was more exposed.
Dunne 8. Excellent performance in the engine room.
Clark 6. Fairly below par and no surprise that he got the hook.
Mingoia 8. Most exciting signing this year and did not disappoint.
Berry 7. Decent, hard-working effort.
Dunk 7. Did OK until forced off by injury.
Pigott 7. Had every sympathy with him in the first half when he was left isolated by United’s system and a poor supply line, much better when paired with Williamson, although he should consult Barry Corr on how to win more crosses in the air.
Williamson 7. Made a good impact when introduced, although he really needs a goal
Elito 6. Competent cameo.
Maris 6. Unfortunate to be given only five minutes but gave it all he had.

Match Summary
United’s new-look side failed to gel on the opening day of the League season and despite taking the lead, were a little fortunate to avoid defeat in a torrid finish. Some promising signs, but much work still to be done.

Man of the Match
James Dunne. Held the midfield together with crisp tackling and precision passing. Needs to improve his shooting, mind.

Ref Watch
Horwood 7. Kept the game flowing well and was sparing with the cards.

Soundtrack of the Day
Morgan Delt “Some Sunsick Day”

Cambridge United 1-1 Barnet: Persistent memories
Andrew Bennett reporting from a traditionally sun-drenched season opener at the Cambs Glass (Abbey!) Stadium (remember the 'Corona'?):

Ah, the Big Kick-off. A time for optimism, anticipation, excitement at what the coming season will bring. It is such a big event in the calendar that it deserves its own opening ceremony, although preferably not like last night’s Olympic equivalent, which seemed to consist of a re-creation of a hellish disco I went to in 1979 followed by a grim Open University programme about climate change and a series of mostly unintelligible speeches.
For many United supporters it was doubtless a return to football spectating after a summer away from the game, although after yours truly’s expeditions to Marseille and Wattenscheid it feels like the holiday season never really happened. The weather obliged with classic opening day sultriness, albeit nowhere near as searingly hot as that notorious first day of 2003-04 at Huddersfield when it seemed like the whole stadium might melt like a Salvador Dali timepiece.
New shirts of black-pinstriped amber and amber-sleeved white abounded at the Abbey, now re-christened the Cambs Glass Stadium, while the shock of the new was everywhere, from the signage on the fronts of the stands to the new array of luxuriously-priced snack options, although there were still some comfortingly familiar cobwebs adorning the back of the Habbin. Welcome back, old friend, they said, we’ve caught you again.
After a strangely disjointed pre-season of foreign tours, behind-closed-doors, no Barry Corrs and Braintree’s wherefores, it was good to return to League action, those dark and dismal days in the Conference now just a fading and unlamented memory. Opponents Barnet escaped that unwelcome ghetto even more recently that United did, in 2015, and like the U’s were now looking upward, hoping to push on towards the holy grail (or at least nice shiny cup) of League One. It will always be Division Three to me.
Barnet sported their second strip (of, gulp, four) of white with a purple-and-white hooped sash while both goalkeepers wore turquoise, something of a surprise given that FIFA regulations state a keeper’s colours should be clearly distinguishable from that of his equivalent on the opposing side. The visitors’ team included two former U’s men, Michael Gash and captain Michael Nelson, with a third, Tom Champion, on the bench, where he was joined by three experienced new signings, Alex Nicholls, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.
United line-up: Norris; Long, Legge, Dallison, Adams; Dunne, Clark; Mingoia, Berry, Dunk; Pigott
On the bench: Gregory, Taylor, Coulson, Keane, Maris, Elito, Williamson
Five United men were making their League debuts for the club: Joe Pigott, Piero Mingoia and three of the back four, Sean Long, Tom Dallison and Blair Adams. The team lined up in Shaun Derry’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation and such is the strength of United’s squad that Conor Newton and Mark Roberts were unable to even make substitute, while Dallison’s inclusion at the expense of Josh Coulson reflected the manager’s preference for a left-footed central defender as opposed to fielding two right-footers (northpaws?). George Maris in particular was unlucky to miss out on the first XI after an impressive pre-season.
A recent rule change dictates that the ball no longer needs to played forward from the kick-off, so Pigott started proceedings alone on the centre spot, passing directly back to James Dunne, who promptly showed nothing had really changed by lumping a long ball towards the left touchline and out of play.
The contest was fast and furious in the early stages despite the heat and Mingoia got the first shot in on 7, his low effort on the turn flying wide. Barnet’s first effort on goal was a header from Bira Dembele, comfortably clutched by Will Norris, and on 13 visiting keeper Josh Vickers had to palm away a Harrison Dunk cross-shot. Five minutes later a Max Clark corner dropped to Dallison, who fired a good chance over.
United were enjoying the better of possession but had difficulty in creating many clearcut scoring chances, while John Akinde was lucky to escape censure when he kicked out at Leon Legge when he conceded a free-kick near halfway. Dunne latched onto a loose pass to forge forward on 28 only to spurn the chance of a shot when he reached the edge of the area and instead slid it to Pigott, who shot over the angle. Just before the half-hour Clark won a free-kick in a central position just outside the box and Berry’s set piece flew over the wall but curled just over the top of the bar.
Thereafter the game became something of a stalemate, with Barnet attempting the odd speculative shot from Luke Gambin and John Akinde, while Derry’s decision to select two holding midfielders was backfiring somewhat because what the team gained in solidity it lost in creativity; Pigott was isolated as lone striker with insufficient timely backup from his colleagues and struggled with a series of high balls that foundered on the twin peaks of Dembele and Nelson.
Akinde then fell to the ground while challenging Norris and ref Horwood stopped play when the ball reached the Barnet half, only for the Bees striker to get up unhurt. The man in black awarded an uncontested drop ball for Barnet to return the ball to United, in apparent contravention of another new rule which states ‘referees shall not ‘manufacture’ dropped ball situations, in terms of who takes them, or the outcome.’
The first half therefore petered out into something of a non-event, with Barnet the happier of the two teams with their share of the spoils thus far.
Derry wasted no time in remedying his team’s lack of variation by replacing the off-form Clark with Ben Williamson and switching to a more positive 4-4-2 formation for the second half. The side was immediately transformed, Pigott firing a low shot wide on 48 and Mingoia drawing gasps from the Corona with a powerful 25-yarder a minute later which flew narrowly over the top, then Pigott cushioned a header down to set up Luke Berry for a shot which he scuffed disappointingly wide.
Barnet responded, however, and when the ball was not fully cleared from a corner Elliot Johnson cut inside from the left and arrowed a shot through a crowded box which was cleared off the line by Dallison, standing next to Norris. Back came the U’s, Berry’s chip finding Williamson in the box, but by the time he had chested it down the defence had time to block his close-range shot, then on 58 Pigott essayed a blaster from 20 yards which was held by Vickers.
Just after the hour Barnet gained a corner when Gambin had a shot blocked, but when it was cleared United manufactured a lightning-quick break, Berry sending Dunk sprinting down the left channel. When he reached the edge of the box Sam Togwell got his toe end to the ball but sent it only to Adams, overlapping in support, and he drove a superb low ball across the six-yard box which Pigott could not convert but Mingoia could, arriving at the far post to lash high into the roof of the net from five yards for his first goal for the U’s. 1-0!
Within a few minutes Barnet introduced two forward changes, replacing Gambin and Harry Taylor with Akpa Akpro and Nicholls, and on 69 Dunne showed why he has such a poor goalscoring record with a wild slash wide. Togwell received the only yellow card of the day a minute later for a clumsy lunge on Dunk, but Barnet’s directness and physical power gradually began to tell as they won a series of corners.
Legge did superbly to block Akpa Akpro’s point-blank shot at the far post on 73, then Dembele fired just wide, while Dunk was forced to withdraw through injury to be replaced by another debutant, Medy Elito. The visitors responded by withdrawing the ineffective Gash, whose only shot had been a speculative 30-yard volley which flew wide, for Campbell-Ryce, and within a minute the scores were level.
The powerful Akpa Akpro was the architect, controlling and turning past Dunne midway into the United half then sliding the ball forward to Nicholls in the right channel. Cutting sideways into the penalty box, he evaded the challenges of Adams and Berry before lashing home past the helpless Norris as Dallison tried in vain to block. 1-1.
Now it was all Barnet as Nicholls has a header from a corner blocked, Ryan Watson had a deflected shot smothered by Norris, and the ball pinballed around the home six-yard box but somehow evaded a telling touch. In an increasingly rare break Elito advanced with some neat footwork before lashing a shot wildly wide when he should have passed.
The closing minutes, including the four added to the 90, were all about holding on for the U’s as their rookie defence struggled to contain the visitors’ rampant forwards. Akpa Akpro drew a good save from Norris with a thunderous strike for the top corner, then the same man broke down the left channel but opted to shoot under pressure when Nicholls was screaming for the ball, unmarked to his right. Deep into injury time Nicholls manufactured another chance but sent his shot scudding across goal and wide of the far post.
Ultimately United were glad to settle for a draw despite having been apparently well placed for a win with half an hour to go. The first half formation had not worked at all, while they seemed to blow themselves out after they scored with too many individual underachievers. In mitigation the heatwave conditions were difficult and the number of new faces in the team meant that patience will be required while they settle in. No-one has lost or won a title in August.
After the game it was a pleasure to attend a Q&A and book signing session with Abbey legend Tom Youngs, a supremely gifted player and a thoroughly likeable, humble and articulate gentleman whose autobiography ‘What Dreams Are (Not Quite) Made Of: No Fame, No Fortune, Just Football…and Multiple Sclerosis’ is well worth a read.
Then it was home to watch the goals on Channel 5 and hear Michael Gray utter the immortal phrase of another match, “The game was literally over in 25 minutes!” No it wasn’t, Michael. I think the word you are looking for is ‘effectively’…