Halifax 1-2 U's: Undo The Hoodoo
Saturday 16th February 2008 - Halifax 1-2 U's: Undo The Hoodoo
There are all sorts of reasons for dreading a visit to a particular football ground. Some might bring back unhappy memories (Wrexham, Yeovil, Histon), some might offer sub-standard facilities (Aldershot, Brighton, Histon), or some might just be plain horrible (Colchester, Canvey, Histon).
Then there is our old friend, the bogey ground. United and Halifax are unusual in that they are reciprocal bogeys: until they finally won 2-1 in August 2006 the Shaymen had not won at the Abbey since 1973, and until today the U's had not tasted victory at The Shay since 23rd October 1976, when they triumphed 2-0 with goals from Dave Stringer and Ian Seddon. The Yorkshiremen had laid their bogey last season; now could United do the same?
The day started bright and sunny, and several U's fans found their way to the Three Pigeons pub, a bizarre but welcoming hexagonal-shaped establishment with several rooms radiating off from its central hub. Thirsts were slaked with a good selection of real ales and real ciders, so authentic they still had bits of twigs and dead field mice floating in them. Well, almost.
The Shay has changed a lot over the years, but not, unfortunately, in recent times, their continuing financial woes meaning their vast main stand remains a semi-roofless shell with only a few forlorn seats marooned near the front which serve as the most peculiar directors box in the league. The away end, though, is terrific, easily the largest, highest covered terrace around and affording a magnificent view of the proceedings below. Talks remain ongoing regarding a takeover of the club with two gentlemen from a consortium called Bosomworth and Ham, who sound like a tremendous, if rather risqué, cabaret act.
The food outlet at the top offered classic Northern embellishments like mushy peas and mint sauce to pour onto your pie and/or chips, while the cheap'n'cheerful programme greeted us with the words "...it only seems a couple of days ago since we were here", which as they were at home to York on Tuesday, was hardly surprising...
The Shay pitch was not quite as impressive as its away facilities, with large bare brown patches and severely faded markings, due doubtless to its being shared by those rough rugger boys from the preposterously named Halifax Blue Sox. Perhaps Town could jazz their name up and revamp themselves as the Cream Jockstraps. Or perhaps not.
One wonders what Shaymen manager Chris Wilder thinks now of his decision not to take up the reins at the Abbey last season, as one mediocre term has been followed by another, Town lying a precarious eighteenth at start of play and held up by a home record of five wins, seven draws and only one defeat. Like so many opposing managers this season, he lined his side up in a hybrid 4-3-3 system to counteract United's wing-backs with one main striker flanked by two support colleagues.
For the U's, Paul Carden was suspended and replaced by Stephen Reed in the middle. Sadly Ben Farrell remained unavailable following his head injury, so Jordan Collins was called up from CRC for his first appearance on the bench this term.
Early exchanges were cautious, Jon Shaw clearing a Courtney Pitt free-kick before it could find a United shirt, then the little winger was felled by Mark Peters' boot as he stooped to guide a header back to Danny Potter and required some TLC from Greg Reid before he could continue. Potter had knocked the ball out of play and Halifax responded by throwing the ball off for a goal-kick, but stickler for the rules, ref Waugh, insisted that they do it again because Pitt had still been trailing off the pitch the first time around.
Reed essayed an early shot wide on 7, and on 10 Wayne Hatswell headed a Pitt corner down for Mark Beesley but with the goal at his mercy he half-volleyed wide of the far post. It became apparent, though, that United were firing on less than half of their cylinders and they were struggling to thread any decent passing movements together.
The hosts looked altogether more assured despite their lowly position and passed and moved neatly, looking particularly effective when attacking the U's down the middle where Mark Peters was having an exceedingly rare off-day. Simon Heslop headed a Craig Nelthorpe cross wide on 12, but on the quarter hour the former made no mistake when he ran onto a flick-on by Tom Kearney. Rob Wolleaston went with him as he ghosted past Peters, but he could not get goalside of him and Heslop slotted calmly past Potter from 18 yards into the bottom corner. 1-0.
It was a wake-up call which slipshod United needed, but they seemed to have hit the snooze button. They did, however, create a decent chance on 18, Scott Rendell climaxing a move down the right by crossing to Pitt arriving late in the left channel, but with a clear shot at goal he scuffed an underpowered shot straight into keeper Adam Legzdins' arms.
Halifax responded with more neat passing and another incisive cut through United's heart on 19, Anthony Griffith sent clear and he seemingly had to score from eight yards out until Potter leapt to parry, Morrison completing the clearance, and two minutes later with the U's back line still at fours and fives (they hadn't even reached sixes and sevens yet) Shaw drew another save from the United keeper two minutes later. They came even closer on 25 when shoddy defending allowed Heslop to skate past a couple of tackles, cut inside and unleash a curling fizzer from the left channel which was sneaking in at the near post until Potter dived to tip away for a corner.
United finally produced a move of quality on the half-hour as some lovely one-touch passing between Beesley, McEvilly and Rendell sent the latter though down the middle, but his ambitious lob from 25 yards failed to clear Legzdins' grasping hands. Reed saw an underwhelming free-kick blocked on 34 and Gleeson broke clear down the right on 39 but under no pressure inexplicably curled a feeble cross straight out of play with several team-mates waiting in vain in the centre.
The U's were gaining more of a foothold on the match, though, and Legzdins was forced to grab a McEvilly header from Pitt's corner on 42. And just before half-time came a shock for the hosts which was less welcome than a visit from the US Olympic Waterboarding Team.
It was McEvilly who was the catalyst as he put pressure on Simon Ainge as he tried to pass back to Legzdins in the corner of the box; Legzdins swung hurriedly, his sliced clearance fell to Beesley in the middle 25 yards out with only one defender between him and the now-empty goal, and with supreme coolness he chipped in with all the accuracy and confidence of Tiger Woods. His twelfth goal of the season but first in United colours: 1-1.
It was a good end to a mediocre half in which United had looked uncharacteristically shaky at the back and far from their creative best going forward. But they had slowly shaken off their bogey ground-induced torpor as the match had progressed and they just about deserved to be level at the interval. More, much more, would be expected in part two.
And the U's did start the second half in more energetic mood. On 47 McEvilly was fed by Pitt in the left channel and bulldozed his way superbly past his marker before sliding an angled shot into the side netting when he might have been better advised to cross for Rendell or Beesley in the middle.
The hosts responded with their own move down the left which culminated in a Nelthorpe cross to Heslop rising at the far post, but although Wayne Hatswell failed to get off the ground, his presence was just enough to force him to screw his header wide.
The contest now hung in the balance; what was needed now was something special to break the deadlock. And on 57, that was exactly what United gave us. It started in the centre circle as line leader McEvilly laid the ball off to Pitt and headed for goal. Pitt slid the ball forward for Wolleaston and a delicious series of one-touch passes ensued as he fed Beesley who knocked the ball across the line for Rendell in the right channel. Inside him, Gleeson ran through the Halifax defence, calling for it as he went, Rendell's diagonal ball was right into his path, and as he approached the byline, Gleeson flashed a wicked low cross into the six-yard box where that man McEvilly was arriving to finish the move he had started from close range. Top notch: 2-1!
So, would United now turn the screw and cruise to inevitable victory? Perhaps you're forgetting: this was The Shay. The old vulnerability through the centre reared its head like Dwayne Chambers arriving at a sprint meet just before the hour as Nelthorpe picked up possession and drove straight at the heart of the United defence, darting easily past a couple of challenges then pushing it past Mark Peters just outside the box.
The big Welshman brought Nelthorpe down in a heap and injured himself in the process, too. But his treatment from Greg Reid only delayed the inevitable; he had been last man, and he saw the first and only card of the game. Red. It was only United's second dismissal of the season after Marvin Robinson's suicidal efforts at home to Aldershot back in September.
Heslop's free-kick was blocked by a wall of bodies and Mark Albrighton was introduced to the fray in place of Beesley as United went to the old 'two banks of four' set-up, with a back four of Morrison, Albrighton, Hatswell and Reed and a middle four of Rendell, Gleeson, Wolleaston and Pitt with McEvilly left to be a nuisance up front on his own with support from Rendell whenever possible.
Halifax replaced a defender with an attacker on 65, Lewis Killeen on for Tom Harban, and United stood firm as both sides adjusted to their revamped line-ups. Another positive substitution on 69 saw veteran striker Andy Campbell introduced in place of Ainge as the hosts looked to pile on the pressure.
To their credit, United's players remained resolute and calm and McEvilly proved a particularly good outlet up front, holding the ball up, running it into the channels and making a general nuisance of himself. On 72 Gleeson gained the U's a free-kick out near the corner flag and, with only Rendell and McEvilly in the middle, Pitt's set piece was a wickedly dangerous curler into the six-yard box that narrowly evaded the touch it would have needed to bulge the net.
The hosts wasted no time in making change number three, Mark Whitehouse on for Nelthorpe on 75, and when they attacked down the right the ball found Campbell in a congested box; his shot was blocked, but it ran across to the far post where Nathan Joynes was lurking unmarked. With all the goal to aim at, he buckled under the pressure and lashed hopelessly over.
The Shaymen's hold on the match was gradually tightening so on 78 Josh Coulson replaced Rendell; he partnered Albrighton in the centre, Hatswell moved to the left and Reed went back to midfield with Gleeson returning to the right flank. A clearance from a corner on 82 was hammered over by Heslop and the ball hoofed towards McEvilly again, and on 85 he almost produced a miracle as his bull-in-a-china-shop presence produced an error from Adam Quinn and he had a chance for a chip at goal from the left channel, but he could not get hold of it properly and screwed wide.
Predictably, the closing minutes produced a few backs-to-the-wall moments for United's ten doughty heroes as they repelled the increasingly desperate Shaymen. But they stood firm, throwing bodies in the way as time seemed to stand still for the noisy amber hordes. Potter blocked a snap shot from that man Heslop, Reed blocked a Griffith blaster, and amber hearts were in mouths when Potter came for Whitehouse's corner, failed to get to it in a crowded box and somehow the United defence managed to hoof the ball clear from almost under the bar.
Four added minutes were indicated and the pressure was eased when Morrison pounced on a loose ball to sprint forward, finding McEvilly and racing for a return pass that was cut out. But the big target man led from the front in keeping possession as long as possible, frustrating the opposition, and the Shaymen's threat blew itself out.
The final whistle signalled the end of a 32-year Shay bogey and elated celebrations between the United team and its loyal supporters, which resulted in the lads on the pitch offering their own version of the now-legendary Bounce! Bounce! Great scenes, great result, only Halifax's second home defeat of the season and a rise to third in the table for the first time since Boxing Day. Another battle won; the war continues. Both players and fans look up for the fight!
Statto Corner
Today was the first match that United have won with ten men since they defeated Stevenage 1-0 at the Abbey on 16th September 2006 after having Richie Hanlon sent off. Since then their one-man-short record reads four defeats and two draws, with the red card recipients being Trevor Robinson, Andy Duncan, Paul Crichton (twice), Christian Smith and Marvin Robinson.
Player Ratings
Potter 7. Safe hands apart from one aberration.
Morrison 8. Proved his commitment to the club with strength, determination and character.
Peters 5. A rare off-day for the great man, he had already had a poor game until that sending off put the seal on it.
Hatswell 7. Rock-solid defensively, distribution a bit too much hit-and-hope.
Gleeson 7. Gave his all for the team, great run and cross for the winner.
Wolleaston 7. Recovered from a forgettable first half to improve as the game wore on.
Reed 6. United desperately missed Paul Carden, especially in the first 45, and Reed did little to suggest that he should retain his place next week.
Pitt 7. Worked like a Trojan up and down the left.
Beesley 7. Still finding his way in the team, but his quality shows through, not least when he scored that tremendous equaliser.
Rendell 7. Put in the graft without managing much of an end product.
McEvilly 8. Inspirational.
Albrighton 7. Helped keep the Shaymen at bay in his usual inimitable style.
Coulson 7. Welcome late reinforcement.
Match Summary
Doughty United showed all the grit and character they will need to achieve their goals this season with a battling ten-man victory at their Yorkshire bogey ground for the first time in 32 years. Fairly poor in the first half, much better in the second, and topped off with two absolutely top-quality strikes. Onward and upward.
Man of the Match
Lee McEvilly. Created the first goal with his persistence, started and finished the move for the second, and after Peters' dismissal did a quite magnificent job in taking the pressure off his colleagues by keeping Halifax occupied almost single-handed up front.
Ref Watch
Waugh 6. No quarrel with the red card, but tended be too quick to stop play for the most trivial of free-kicks, and when a kick was justified, showed no interest in even warning the Halifax players about their regular fouling of their opponents.
Non-League Player's Name of the Week
Newport YMCA's Junior Borg. A part in Star Trek awaits - perhaps a children's version?
Soundtrack of the Day
I Am Bones 'The Main Thing Is To Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing'
The MP3 Files
Mark Peters lends an ear to the Shay sounds. "Being of a certain age now, I have come to recognise that it is the role of every generation to disapprove of the next generation's music. When I got into grunge when I was a lad, my 'da' would always snort derisively and say it wasn't a patch on Led Zeppelin or Free, or even great Welsh bands like Man and Budgie. And in hindsight he was probably right about most of it, except Nirvana - I mean, who wants to hear Tad or Alice In Chains or L7 now, apart from my old mate Llangefni Evans who still wears checked shirts and fancies Courtney Love to this day, poor beggar?
"So I tried to be tolerant when Halifax's idea of pre-match music was to put on an album of ghastly 'happy hardcore' music, which seemed to consist mainly of some crappy old song like 'Truly Madly Deeply' or 'Self Control' speeded up so only some hoodie high on ketamine could possibly enjoy it. If that is someone's idea of good music, they need a new set of ears in my opinion! There was some respite at the end when they played something melodic by Roisin Murphy and an oldie by Bobby Brown, bizarrely, but overall, that was a dog's dinner that even my old Shih Tzu, Bronwen, wouldn't touch! Hwyl! MP3 verdict: 1/10"
Andrew Bennett
Now talk about it on the message board!
Andrew's previous match reports
The views expressed on this page are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cambridge United Football Club or the webmaster.
