Andrew Bennett - Cambridge United 1-1 Mansfield Town: The bells, the bells

Cambridge United 1-1 Mansfield Town: The bells, the bells
Andrew Bennett reporting:
It was Christmas Eve, babe, at the Abbey

Dave Doggett said to me, ‘D’you wanna buy Chris Dunn?’
And then he sang a song, something by the Moose Troop
I turned my face away, and dreamed about the U’s
We played the Peterborough, beat them eighteen to one
I’ve got a feeling next year will be big fun
So Happy Christmas, Darragh McAnthony
I can see a better time when your nightmares come true
They’ve laid on extra bars, revenue streams of gold

But the wind goes right through you in the Habbin of old
When you first took my hand after the Toon Army
You promised me Arsenal were waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty, used to manage AIK

When the Man U match finished they howled out for more
Donaldo was swinging, the Main Stand was singing
You kissed Colin Proctor and danced through the night
The boys of the NRE choir were singing ‘Barry Fry’

And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day
I was great, now I’m sunk

‘Cos your team turned to junk
To make some of those signings you’re out of your head
Look, don’t be a prannet, you just want to pan it
Happy Christmas your arse, were you not entertained?
The boys of the NRE choir still singing ‘Barry Fry’

And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day
You could have made League One

Well, so could anyone
I never dreamed that Ling would manage that one
You terrorised MJ, your style was all your own
Now you are all alone, you should go back to Luton
The boys of the NRE choir still singing ‘Barry Fry’

And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day
es, ‘tis the season once again, although the weather seems to indicate that it’s late spring rather than the not-so-bleak midwinter. Good old global warming. It certainly feels like spring again at the Abbey with Shaun Derry’s warm breeze of positivity and tactics that actually make sense, meaning a reasonably merry Christmas and the prospect of a fairly happy New Year for all those of the black and amber persuasion.

Mansfield were Richard Money’s first league opponents when he took over in October 2012, and are another team which now look revitalised from last season’s mediocrity. Their team today boasted one former U’s loanee, Matty Blair, and two former Abbey trialists, Ryan Tafazolli and Reggie Lambe, with a striker from United’s Conference days, Craig Westcarr, on their bench. They also sported an unusual change strip of sky blue and chocolate brown stripes, the colours of yours truly’s alma mater, the Cambridge Grammar School for Boys, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
United line-up: Beasant; Gayle, Legge, Roberts, Taylor; Berry, Newton, Ledson, Dunk; Williamson, Corr
On the bench: Dunn, Kennedy, Coulson, L.Hughes, Donaldson, Slew, Simpson

Derry unsurprisingly selected an unchanged side from that which won at Plymouth last week, with Jordan Slew replacing Jordan Jones amongst the subs following the latter’s early return to Middlesbrough after a spectacularly unsuccessful loan spell.

There was a stiff breeze blowing towards the Corona End on an otherwise balmy afternoon, but Mansfield, attacking in that direction in the first half, kept the ball on the floor, knocking it around with confidence and making good use of the flanks. They enjoyed much the better of early proceedings, Blair crossing for Matt Green to nod over on 4, while for United, Greg Taylor found the head of Barry Corr at the far post but he could not generate sufficient power to trouble 40-year-old keeper Brian Jensen.

The visitors continued to take the game to United and Chris Clements flashed a shot wide on 9, while eight minutes later disaster almost struck when Sam Beasant’s attempted clearance cannoned off the back of Green and almost sailed into the net in a near-copy of Ben Williamson’s goal against Notts County last month, which made the United players’ protests rather hard to fathom.

A minute later Williamson almost did it again at the other end, charging down Jensen’s clearance, but it bounced over the bar. Cameron Gayle was an early casualty, withdrawing on 19 due to a hamstring strain; he was replaced by Ryan Donaldson, who stationed himself on the left wing with Harrison Dunk switching to left-back and Taylor moving over to the right.

Two minutes later Ryan Ledson was first into the book for a foul on Blair. The ensuing free-kick was a good 35 yards out and both sides packed the box with bodies, but Adam Chapman chose to go directly for goal, and somehow his none-too-powerful daisycutter of a shot bobbled in past a late-sprawling Beasant. Perhaps the keeper was partially unsighted, perhaps it bounced unkindly, but it was a dreadful error, a bread-and-butter save that any competent keeper at this level should be able to make. 1-0.

Earlier in the season United might have let their heads drop at such a setback, as well as having been outplayed, but their response was swift and positive and they took charge of the rest of the half. Taylor crossed to Corr at the back post on 27 and his header into the six-yard box was steered into the net by Luke Berry, but he fell foul of the offside flag. A minute later more speedy passing culminated in Ledson attempting a curler from 15 yards, but it was palmed away by Jensen.

Mitch Rose was Mansfield’s first bookee on 33 for a needless lunge on Dunk, and three minutes later the U’s were level. Donaldson had now switched to the right, and he made one of his trademark scampers for goal from deep; once inside the box, he shot for the bottom right corner, only for his effort to flick off Krystian Pearce’s heel and nestle in the opposite side past the bemused Jensen. 1-1.

After being hustled out of their game for the first 20 minutes, now it was United who set the pace, and the Stags’ defence found Williamson’s pace especially difficult to cope with. Ledson’s superb through ball on 43 sent him away down the left channel, but his shot from a tight angle was blocked when he might have been better employed squaring it to one of his colleagues. The Ledson-Williamson combination repeated the trick shortly afterwards, but this time Pearce made the block.

The hosts’ high pressing created another opportunity in added time, Corr’s interception sending Conor Newton haring clear down the right channel, but his cross was poked the wrong side of the post by Corr. So ended a half of two halves, in which first Mansfield had dictated the pace, then United had taken over and might well have ended it a goal in front; in fact they would have done, if not for Beasant’s careless mistake.

As much as the first half had been entertaining, the second half turned out to be scrappy, sometimes without the ‘s’. Mansfield came out with a more containing intent, while the U’s struggled to get the measure of the following wind, overhitting pass after pass as well as playing too many hopeful long balls instead of keeping it on the floor and playing the simple ball. The result was that neither keeper had much to do at all as the game became bogged down in midfield with neither team able to muster sufficient quality in the final third. Corr won his share of headers and flicks but Williamson was well marshalled by a deeper-lying defence, while the midfield could not produce any telling through balls, with Berry rather wasted out of position on the left flank.

Neither side could muster so much as a shot until Newton had one blocked on the hour. Three minutes later Leon Legge nodded a Donaldson corner wide, then when Corr was fouled by Pearce, Newton lifted a deeply disappointing free-kick into the car park from 20 yards out. Hopefully Berry or Donaldson will get a go next time.

Nathan Thomas replaced the anonymous Blair for the visitors on 66, but despite winning a couple of corners United did not look like making a breakthrough, Berry essaying a hopeful volley over the top on 77. Mansfield began to find some space going forward in the last ten minutes and Thomas had a couple of shots blocked, and United almost threw it away two minutes from time when Legge’s imprudent attempted clearance cannoned off Green, allowing him to race through on goal, only to be denied by a good save from Beasant, atoning a little for his first half calamity.

Adi Yussuf then replaced Lambe, and into stoppage time there was one last moment of panic at a Mansfield corner when Pearce’s close-range shot was blocked by someone on the line. It only remained for Green to be booked for a foul on Dunk, and the stalemate came to an end, a fair result all round and a decent outcome for the U’s against a useful, in-form side, albeit they had given them the softest of a goal’s start. With a little more fine tuning, this team has the potential to continue to push upwards in the second half of the season. And that would be the kind of fairytale we could all enjoy.

Statto Corner
United are now unbeaten in their last four league games. This is their longest such run this season, and something they did not manage in the whole of last term. The last time they went unbeaten in more than three consecutive league games was in a run of nine matches between 11th March and 12th April 2014, which consisted of: Luton (h) 1-1, Dartford (h) 1-1, Welling (h) 2-1, Salisbury (a) 3-0, Barnet (h) 1-1, Macclesfield (a) 1-0, Southport (h) 3-1, Woking (a) 3-0, Hyde (h) 7-2. They then lost five games in a row without scoring a goal before defeating Halifax 2-0 in the playoff semi-final second leg and, of course, Gateshead in the final.

The last time United went as many as four games unbeaten in the Football League was in the last four matches of the 2003-04 season. They drew 0-0 at home to Kidderminster, 2-2 at Barnet, beat Scunthorpe 3-2 at the Abbey then won 1-0 at Leyton Orient, with John Ruddy saving a penalty on his debut.

Mansfield’s squad today contained four players who have worn the black and amber. Matty Blair was signed on loan from Fleetwood Town last season and made his debut in a 2-1 defeat at Accrington Stanley on 22nd November. He was a substitute in one more League game and made one start and one sub appearance in the FA Cup before Richard Money decided he did not want to sign him permanently.

Craig Westcarr signed for United in their first Conference season of 2005-06 after his release from Nottingham Forest. He made 23 starts and 8 as sub, scoring 8 goals, before leaving to join Kettering Town, eventually finding his way to the Football League with Notts County via Stevenage, and has since also been on the books of Chesterfield, Walsall and Portsmouth.

Reggie Lambe came to the Abbey in the pre-season of 2011-12 following his release by Ipswich Town. He took part in two friendlies as a trialist, a 2-1 defeat at Bedford and a 1-1 draw at Bury Town, before jetting off to try his luck in Toronto, eventually joining Mansfield after a spell in Sweden with Nykopings BIS.

Ryan Tafazolli had been on Southampton’s books when he was a trialist for a United XI in a 1-1 draw with Brentford’s development squad on 28th February 2012. He subsequently signed for Cambridge City, then moved on to Concord Rangers before being picked up by Mansfield.

Player Ratings
Beasant 5. Did most things competently, but his dreadful mistake effectively cost the team two points and United really must find a keeper of greater quality than the two they have fielded this season if they have any pretensions to a promotion push.
Gayle 5. Given a torrid time down the flank until forced off after 19 minutes.
Legge 7. Strong, no-nonsense display as usual.
Roberts 7. Much better defensively, good at spotting danger early. Now if only he would pass the ball to his team-mates when in possession instead of humping the ball long EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Taylor 8. United’s most improved player this season.
Berry 7. Never at his most effective when employed on the wings, but put in a decent shift.
Ledson 7. A little up and down as you would expect from a teenager, but showed several flashes of Premier League class.
Newton 7. Now firmly established as a pivotal figure in central midfield.
Dunk 7. Spent most of the game at left-back and gave a good account of himself.
Williamson 7. Mansfield could not cope with his pace and he really should have done better with the several chances which came his way.
Corr 7. Not playing at full pelt but still made a useful contribution.
Donaldson 7. Energetic and committed, let us hope he can find his best form again.

Match Summary
United would probably have lost this game a few weeks ago, and could well have won it as well, but a draw was ultimately a fair result against an in-form Mansfield side after a scrappy second half in which the teams ended up just cancelling each other out.

Man of the Match
Greg Taylor. His step up in form has been an unexpected and welcome surprise.

Ref Watch
Joyce 7. A little laissez-faire on occasion, but rather a ref who tries to keep play flowing than one who blows for every other challenge.

Soundtrack of the Day
Frankie & the Heartstrings featuring Edwyn Collins “(Too Right) It’s Christmas”

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