U's 0-3 Kidderminster: Playoffs? Difficult as 1-2-3
Saturday 29th March 2008 - U's 0-3 Kidderminster: Playoffs? Difficult as 1-2-3
They made a decent start, were even on top for a while, but once their more powerful opposition got their noses in front, they could only flail and slog gamely as they slipped further and further behind, lacking both the strength and the nous to draw level again. But hey, enough about the Boat Race, eh? The travails of our light blue friends across the city served as a decent metaphor for today's encounter with Kidderminster; our sincere hope must be that it does not do the same for United's season.
There is no doubt that the U's are experiencing choppy waters at the moment, struggling to cope with the loss of their two most important forwards and today, their goalkeeper and captain too. And, alarmingly, they sprung a definite leak or two this afternoon while struggling to make any headway forwards. Avast behind! (Insert Greg Reid joke here).
The weather was at least improved on last Saturday's bizarre four seasons in one day, settling down to a quintessentially British chill laced with light drizzle.
Three changes were forced on JQ from Easter Monday's disappointment at Ebbsfleet, with Dan Gleeson injured and Danny Potter and Mark Albrighton both suspended after a red card and ten yellows respectively. Change number four was to drop Lee Boylan to the bench as United went for a 4-4-2 spearheaded by Jack Jeffery and Magno Vieira, with Stephen Reed and Paul Carden restored to centre midfield after injury with Rob Wolleaston and Courtney Pitt wide.
New boy Alex McCarthy (above), a 6'4" eighteen-year-old from Reading, debuted in goal behind a back four in which Wales' No.1, Mark Peters, was restored to a more accustomed position.
Kidderminster had not won away in the league since early November, and indeed had lost six away from home in a row including an embarrassing defeat at lowly Droylsden, until their surprise 4-0 triumph at Crawley on Thursday night. They sported one familiar figure in Yeovil loanee Darryl Knights, following a similar spell at the Abbey last October, who was stationed in the hole behind speedy frontmen Iyseden Christie and Matthew Barnes-Homer.
Heavy rain on Friday meant an 8.30am pitch inspection by ref Halliday, but it was passed fit thanks in part to the dumping of what looked like half of Blackpool beach on the formerly green sward to create a soft, spongy surface on which to do battle.
Early exchanges were tentative in front of a crowd one short of 4,000 thanks to the latest South Stand Initiative, filling United's newest stand with wide-eyed village folk from Milton, Impington and Histon. The hosts at least looked as if they were starting to shake off their former habit of aiming high balls at a less than towering front two, trying to play through midfield and particularly the influential Carden, although there was the occasional skied relapse.
First corner on 4 fell to the visitors, but Simon Russell's inswinger was comfortably cleared, and United's first shot came on 8 when Vieira found Jeffery who saw his effort blocked by the hulking Harriers skipper, Mark Creighton, an imposing figure who looked about to turn green and burst out of his shirt at any moment. The U's front two were undoubtedly lively, full of running if lacking in physical presence, but neither keeper was exactly over-employed.
For the visitors their two spearheads looked equally pacy and promising, but stronger. Dean Bennett blasted a long-ranger wide on the quarter hour and the Harriers' added muscle and power gradually began to tell against a lightweight United side. Christie sped clear on 21 but fired over, and four minutes later a harsh free-kick awarded against Carden gave Knights the chance to float a free-kick over the wall but saw it easily plucked from the air by McCarthy.
The fragility of United's back line was exposed moments later when Russell Penn wriggled through it down the right channel and made it right to the byline, where McCarthy spread himself and just managed to stop his attempted cut-back. A minute later, however, the deadlock was broken.
The set-up was simple, a Christie flick-on over the top, chased by Barnes-Homer and Josh Coulson. The bustling Kiddie striker proved the stronger, bundling past the young United defender and holding him off to advance into the box and slot home low past the exposed McCarthy. 1-0.
Visitors' tails up, especially after Thursday, Knights had a shot blocked by Wayne Hatswell a minute later, while at the other end Wolleaston found keeper Dean Coleman's gloves on 32. The Harriers glovesman looked less than convincing in the air, however, and three minutes later he was lucky to escape as he fumbled a Carden free-kick in a crowded area but was rescued by Barnes-Homer. Then Hatswell's tempting free-kick into the box was lashed home by Coulson, but the whistle had gone for a push by Vieira.
United continued to probe busily while producing little to scare their visitors in the final third, Jeffery curling one wide on 38, and on 42 Christie hared through again but could not keep his shot down. A minute before the break a good Wolleaston cross from the right ran through to Pitt lurking at the far post, but somehow Coleman managed to block at point blank range.
There was still time for another free-kick to the hosts which Wolleaston touched to his left to Reed in another ponderous routine from the U's. Closed down predictably by the Harriers, Reed eventually managed to scuff a shot towards goal, it bagatelled around the box then fell to him again, and his second effort was much better, arrowing for the bottom right corner until stopped by a diving Coleman. The ball ran loose again and Mark Peters rushed in to try to get his toe to it before the Kiddie keeper gathered, and the Harriers' defence, led by Creighton, made a wholly unnecessary, trouble-making fuss about the most innocuous of challenges. Tellingly, the ref did not even award a free-kick, and quite right too.
United had enjoyed some good possession, but had looked lightweight both up front and at the back. Improvement was required at both ends in part two.
With no changes on either side, the U's made a determined start to the second half. Knights fouled Michael Morrison out on the right early on, and Hatswell's ambitious blaster of a free-kick cannoned straight into the wall like so many of his recent efforts. A nice build-up set Vieira up for a scuffer across goal on 49, while Wolleaston missed the target a couple of minutes later, then Pitt hammered a good effort just wide as the hosts continued their bright start and laid siege to the Harriers goal.
The visitors responded by deciding that fresh legs were needed and on 56 they replaced Knights and Russell with Andrew Ferrell and Brian Smikle. Why is it I start humming 'Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats And Dogs' whenever I hear the latter name? United made a contemporaneous change, introducing Robbie Willmott in place of Morrison as they went for an early, positive 3-5-2.
More neat approach play set up Carden for a cross-shot just before the hour which was blocked half-clear by Gavin Hurren, Vieira following up for a shot which was on target but lacked the pace to truly trouble the hands of Coleman. Lee Boylan then entered the fray in place of the Brazilian with the misspelt name on his shirt, who had got through plenty of neat, pacy approach work but seemed to lack the killer instinct in front of goal, which is certainly not an accusation you can make against his replacement.
The scurrying Jeffery gained his team a free-kick when felled by Creighton, but like too many of United's set pieces today, Wolleaston's ball into the box was comfortably claimed unchallenged by Coleman. The hosts' pressure was demonstrated on 64 when Kiddie left-back Alex Jeannin became the first bookee for timewasting at a throw-in near halfway, and a minute later Reed fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
The U's had made all the running since the restart but on 68 the deficit was sickeningly doubled in the visitors' first attack of the half. The lively Smikle ran onto a through ball, Peters should have cleared but unaccountably made a complete hash of it, and Smikle seized upon the loose ball to trundle his shot low past the exposed McCarthy towards the far post. Barnes-Homer and Hatswell both gave chase, the ball hit the foot of the post, and although the U's defender seemed to have it covered, somehow the Harriers hit-man's point-blank toe-poke went through his legs and nestled cosily in the back of the net. A shambles worthy of Heathrow's Terminal Five: 2-0.
Smikle was duly carded for his over-the-top celebrations. United responded almost immediately with a move that set up Wolleaston for a shot, but he slashed wildly over, to his obvious self-disgust. Michael McGrath replaced Barnes-Homer on 70 as the visitors went to 4-5-1, content to sit on their lead. United continued to flail, Hurren clearing Hatswell's cross to Jeffery who mishit his shot, and the West Ham youngster was replaced by Mark Beesley on 74.
A minute later Pitt's free-kick found Boylan's head in the box but he could not keep his goalward nod down. Hatswell was playing almost as an auxiliary striker now that Kiddie were fielding only one striker, a rare example of United playing a flat back two, although he subsequently dropped slightly deeper to leave the hosts in a fluid 3-3-4 formation. The visitors did manage a rare goal attempt on 78, McGrath's effort safely held by McCarthy, then Wolleaston, now freed of right-flank duties, stepped up with two goal attempts in two minutes, one wide and one into Coleman's arms.
Ferrell then deflected a Reed blaster off for a corner, Coleman punched unconvincingly, and a second flag-kick saw the Kiddie keeper miss the ball completely and Hatswell produced a diving header which sailed just over. Then five minutes from the end, the one-way traffic was interrupted again by a goal at the other end.
This was the daftest one yet. A Harriers pass fell to Hatswell, alone just inside the box, and instead of hoofing it clear, he fiddled and faffed and dallied and dithered until Smikle nipped in and took it off him. As he advanced on the helpless McCarthy, Hatswell tussled with him and brought him down, but not before he had got his shot away into the net. But the ref had amazingly already blown for a penalty, unable to wait a couple more seconds. No goal.
Go on then, we said, round off our perfect day, send him off. To everyone's relief, the card was only yellow. Christie then stepped up and coolly sent McCarthy the wrong way for his side's thoroughly undeserved third: 3-0.
Tempers frayed and Christie and Carden were both booked for a brief kerfuffle in the aftermath of the pen. United attacked gamely, Beesley having a shot blocked by Hurren, then Reed demonstrated his own frustration by sprinting at Penn and lunging into a studs-up tackle that missed by a mile, thankfully, but earned him another card.
In stoppage time matters got surreal in the right-hand corner of the field by the United goal. Hatswell seemed to have lost all interest in proceedings since his uncharacteristic foul-up, and he and his colleagues conspired to allow Smykle to dribble his way past three feeble tackles, all the way along the byline towards the United goal, until arriving at the near post, his shot was blocked at whites-of-his-eyes range by McCarthy.
There was still time for the hosts to finally force Coleman into a genuinely impressive save, Carden's goalbound 25-yard blaster tipped over spectacularly from under the bar, then it was all over.
This is a worrying run from United, W1 D1 L4 from their last six games, and all but one against lower-table opposition, almost undoing all those great results against their promotion rivals. Yes, there have been injuries and suspensions, and JQ has chopped and changed both line-ups and formations in a desperate attempt to recover that winning formula. And the weak defending and silly errors from the back four didn't help, either.
Basically, United have completely failed to replace Lee McEvilly, and they desperately miss his line-leadership, his strength, the way he brings colleagues into play and keeps the opposition occupied, the way he acts as a fulcrum for all his team's forward play. All of his replacements have been lightweight ball-playing types and while Lee Boylan has done a marvellous job, the U's now have no Plan B. For whatever reason, the club's only other target man has not been recalled from loan at York.
JQ now has a week to sort all of this out before United's playoff ship sinks beneath the waves. Now we will see what he learned on all of those coaching courses. For the sake of our season, let us hope that we don't turn into the Titanic...
Statto Corner
Today was only the second time United have conceded three goals in the league this season; the first occasion was the 3-1 defeat at Forest Green on 29th September. The U's last surrendered three at the Abbey in their 5-0 tonking by York City back in March.
United's 2-1 defeat of Kidderminster in their first-ever meeting on 22nd September 1959 remains their only victory over the Harriers. Overall, the U's have won one, drawn five and lost eight.
Alex McCarthy became the fifteenth United player to be allocated the number 20 jersey upon his work experience signing from Reading. Of those, only the last three have been keepers, the other two being Shane Herbert and Luke McShane.
Several players have made the permanent move from Reading to the Abbey: Colin Bailie, David Crown, George Harris, Liam Marum and Colin Meldrum. Sixties names Mike Fairchild, Wesley Maughan and Len Vallard also made that move. Only three players have gone the opposite way, but what excellent players they were: Martin Butler, Derrick Christie and Dave Kitson.
For the first time in many a long year, United's all-time League record of 31 games without a win from 1983-84 is under threat. Derby County's relegation was confirmed today before the end of March, and they have now gone 25 matches since their only Premier League victory over Newcastle. If they do not win again until the end of the season, they will equal the U's long-held record. Good luck, you Rams!
Player Ratings
McCarthy 6. Good handling, mostly reasonable distribution, and really had few saves to make. No chance with any of the goals, all gifted by his defensive colleagues.
Morrison 6. Competent at right-back, although hardly his best position.
Peters 7. Looked thoroughly imperious... except when his mistake led to the second goal.
Coulson 6. Given a thorough test by Christie, and did OK... except when he was overpowered for the first goal.
Hatswell 6. Gave a decent account of himself, especially when helping the attack... except for the hideous, inexplicable error which led to the third goal.
Wolleaston 6. Put the effort in, but exerted little influence out on the right, and must have left his shooting boots in the dressing room.
Carden 8. United's most consistent player, although even he was not immune to the odd stray pass. But then again, who isn't?
Reed 7. Put in a respectable shift in centre midfield, and had a few decent strikes on goal.
Pitt 6. More promise than achievement, his crossing still leaves much to be desired, and he seems to have lost either the will or the ability to get past an opponent to the byline to get a cross in.
Jeffery 7. Gutsy battler, but his control let him down in the box.
Vieira 6. His pace and movement are good qualities. His shooting and goalscoring, on this evidence, need a lot more work, and he seems a little lightweight as an out-and-out striker.
Willmott 6. Did his best when finally given the ball, but unable to make much of an impression for once.
Boylan 7. Ever mobile and alert, if only he had been on for longer.
Beesley 5. Disappointing spell continued with a negligible contribution.
Match Summary
A decent showing in midfield was not nearly enough to compensate for weak and wasteful play up front and disastrous errors at the back, which cost United three goals against bogey side Kidderminster, who enjoyed a flattering scoreline and some belated gift-wrapped Easter presents from a fumbling U's defence. Back to the drawing board before it's too late.
Man of the Match
Paul Carden. He finds space, receives the ball, looks up and distributes it (mostly) accurately, and covers back when his side is not in possession. Sounds simple, doesn't it? No, he makes it look easy when so many others are unable to do so.
Ref Watch
Halliday 6. Good points: commendable application of the advantage rule (with one exception) and unafraid to award free-kicks for illegal challenges. Bad: too intolerant of sometimes innocent physical challenges, more likely to book a player for dissent or time-wasting than for a bad foul. Decent start, plenty of room for improvement.
Non-League Player's Name of the Week
Ashford Town (Middx)'s Wes Goggin.
Soundtrack of the Day
Portishead 'Deep Water'
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.
