U's 1-2 Stafford: U's can't beat a bit of Bully
Saturday 12th April 2008 - U's 1-2 Stafford: U's can't beat a bit of Bully
All around was a sea of happy, smiling United fans, enjoying a splendidly organised afternoon at the Abbey which was testament to the teamwork and management at our terrific little club. Unfortunately for United's playoff chances, this event was the second Abbey Beer Festival taking place in the Fans' Bar behind the Main Stand, and the U's supporters were imbibing the excellent ales on offer as a consolation and a way of forgetting a dismal defeat for their team on the pitch an hour earlier.
Some of the players had played like they had spent yesterday evening working their way through the strong beer on offer rather than getting an early night before matchday. What a contrast to the euphoria of Rushden on Tuesday!
Today's game was regarded by many as a formality. Stafford, now under the management of 'Former Wolves Legend Steve Bull', to give him his full title, were bottom of the league with relegation confirmed on Tuesday, had lost their last seven matches and were without a win in twelve in a run which has seen them concede six at Kidderminster, five at Grays and four to Northwich and York. And their main striker is still the oldest man in the world, Neil Grayson aka Nosferatu The Ageless One, who claims to be only 43 years old but is surely at least twice that.
Rangers were battered 5-1 at the Abbey in October in an FA Cup replay, but everyone at United would have taken a 1-0 today, points being all at this stage of the season. Seven of Stafford's team from that day survived, veteran David Oldfield being the most notable departee, and their line-up included former U's loanee Chris Flynn as one of three centre-backs in a 3-5-2.
United lined up in the same formation, Danny Brown's dicky shoulder meaning he was replaced by Dan Gleeson. But before battle could commence there was a minute's silence in memory of Alan Moore, player and manager from the early 1960s who played an important part in the club's transition to full-time pro status. The sixty seconds were observed as respectfully as the great man deserved.
The U's started in lively fashion on a windy but mild day, Lee Boylan narrowly missing out on making significant contact with a Courtney Pitt cross on 4. Three minutes later, however, they had the early goal they wanted.
Paul Carden latched onto a half-clearance by Tom Ingram and slid the ball inside to Ben Farrell, in a central position some ten yards outside the box. In a trice he had looked up and drilled a superb low fizzer into the left-hand bottom corner, giving keeper Danny Alcock no chance. What a player this boy is going to be: 1-0.
Hopes that Stafford's heads would go down, however, were premature, as the visitors showed good spirit as they played for their futures under their new(ish) boss. Samy Mawene fired wide on 8, and a minute later Damien Jarrett found the United back three slumbering and square with a through ball that sent Ross Draper clear on goal. Skipping around and to the right of Danny Potter, he squared it into the middle for an unmarked Grayson, looking suspiciously offside, to tap home. A bolt from the blue: 1-1.
All of a sudden this didn't look like the formality it was supposed to be. The hosts' first corner from Pitt on 11 found the head of Michael Morrison, but Lee Boylan was unable to twist his way past a packed six-yard box, while a good one-two a minute later between Rob Wolleaston and Dan Gleeson saw the latter swing in a tempting cross which was hoofed clear by visiting skipper Wayne Daniel.
Wolleaston lofted a through ball down the middle on 14 for Boylan to chase. Alcock dashed from his line faster than dismal Derby are tumbling towards the Football League, but his clearance fell to Pitt some thirty yards out. With an empty goal at his mercy, United's most skilful player failed disappointingly to find the target by some way, and although Boylan retrieved it before it could trundle off for a goal-kick, the chance was gone.
United went closer a minute later as Wolleaston's corner found the head of Morrison climbing above everyone else, but his powerful downward nod was well saved by Alcock, diving to his right. On 20 Mark Albrighton was harshly adjudged to have fouled Grayson just outside the area, but Mawene's free-kick was lofted hopelessly over the bar and into the Abbey car park.
Jarrett shot wide on 24 as the contest settled into a turgid midfield-dominated affair. United looked out of sorts, Carden and Wolleaston below par and the team unable to string any sort of coherent passing movement together, the strikers mobile but feeding on the most unappetising of scraps. If anything Stafford were playing more football but, like their opponents, they were unable to get near enough to goal to even look like changing the score.
United's enfeeblement was summed up on 36 when they were awarded a free-kick in the right channel parallel with the penalty box. All three centre-backs came up for the set piece, but instead of whipping the ball into the area, Gleeson and Mark Beesley tried to be clever by tippy-tapping it to each other and back again until they were dispossessed and Stafford were able to break, thankfully to no avail. That is the sort of frightful fiddling and faffing that drives supporters mad. Get the bloody thing into the box. Wibble.
The delivery was much better two minutes later, Pitt arrowing a cross across the area for Boylan to fling himself at it at the far post, but he could not guide his header the right side of the post.
A classy one-two between Farrell and Gleeson on 44 sent the wing-back clear down the right, but this time his delivery was found wanting. In the two minutes' added time Grayson essayed an outrageous forty-yard volley, but it dropped well wide.
Half-time: scores level, and no prizes for guessing who would be the happier with that. United would need a bit more quality, especially in the final third, if they weren't to be held to a shock draw, or... no, surely defeat was unthinkable? It was certainly unspeakable...
Mawene had the first shot of part two inside a minute, but he still could not find the target. Or spell 'Sammy.' Good work by Farrell culminated in a dangerous cross that bisected the box on 49, but Pitt had started his run too late and too deep and he was just unable to get the contact he needed to divert it into the net at the far post.
Five minutes later Gleeson's pass sent Beesley into the box, but he went down under the challenge of Sangere to the accompaniment of some not-terribly-convincing penalty appeals. On 56 Pitt found Morrison's head from a corner, but the centre-back's nod fell the wrong side of the post.
Stafford still looked unfazed by United's shock (Potter going 'Boo!') and awe (Hatswell's Colin Hendry impersonation) tactics, Nathan Smith firing wide on the hour. United were enjoying plenty of possession, but just could not find that killer final ball, and in despair Carden blasted one over on 61. Grayson responded with a similar effort at the other end a minute later, but on 64 they found United's back line, usually so reliable this season, wanting again.
Draper lofted it forward, Ishamel Reid flicked on down the left channel, and there was Smith sprinting clear of a statuesque defence. Arriving in the box his finish was emphatic, hammered high into the top left corner past Potter. 2-1.
Surely this was some sort of nightmare. The visitors made their first change on 68, Jonathan Loukes replacing Ingram, then they received their first yellow card when Jarrett barged Pitt to the floor. Two minutes later the little wing man was sent down the left wing by a Wolleaston long ball and, beating his man at the byline, he spurned the cross and cut inside towards goal, but his touch was too heavy and it ran to a grateful Alcock.
Carden became United's first bookee on 74 for a foul on Draper as levels of anxiety and impatience began to rise both on and off the field, Stafford content to defend and break when possible. JQ rang the changes with two surprising substitutions, Boylan replaced by the goalshy Magno Vieira and, astoundingly, the impressive Farrell who was subbed in favour of the more defensive minded Stephen Reed. Sorry, can't explain that one. For the visitors, Nick Wellecomme came on for Nathan Smith at the same time.
A minute later a foul by Flynn on Beesley presented Pitt with a free-kick deep out on the right. His delivery was excellent, dropping deep into the Stafford box, and Grayson was forced to clear the danger with a spectacular diving header towards his own goal which he guided just wide of the far post. Vieira's only contribution was two handballs in three minutes and on 81 Pitt was withdrawn in favour of Jack Jeffery, United going to 3-4-3. Sebastian Arnolin replaced Jarrett for the visitors.
United soon signalled their growing desperation by pushing Albrighton up to act as target man, Gleeson and Reed filling in as full-backs in a mutant 4-2-4 as the U's huffed and puffed like a pack of asthmatic Big Bad Wolves. Mawene was next into the book for a foul on Reed on 84, while Jeffery fed Beesley but he pulled his shot wide of the far post.
Next chance was even better, Wolleaston guiding a precision cross into the area towards the head of Jeffery less than ten yards out, but somehow he guided his nod wide of the far post. You have to at least hit the target with those. Still United threw men forward with an increasing lack of subtlety, but Stafford's big men held firm. Four added minutes were indicated.
Right at the death, Beesley latched onto a half-clearance in the left channel just outside the area and lashed a low scudder against the foot of the post, the ball bouncing off for a goal-kick. There still remained time for Wolleaston to sum up his and his team's performance on the day when he galloped onto a loose ball in the box but instead of shooting for goal when he had the time and space, he chose to try to dribble the ball into the net, lost control and ran it out for a goal-kick. Give me strength.
United have never been a team to do things the easy way, and this season it seems is no exception. Too many players were off the boil today, too many hid when the going got tough, too many made the wrong decisions due to a combination of pressure and lack of confidence. Stafford worked hard for their win, but graft and effort was really almost all they had to offer and a team with promotion pretensions should be able to overcome that, especially with their recent record.
United still have not filled that McEvilly-sized gap up front (how good to see him out on the pitch warming up today) and now they need good results against some of the better teams in this division. This has been their speciality this season, with an exceptional record against the top five; now they need to do it again, and again. This term has been a nine-month-long festival. We don't want it to all end with disappointment and a hangover now.
Player Ratings
Potter 6. Little to do and horribly exposed by his defence for both goals.
Morrison 6. Did a decent job and was also a threat from set pieces.
Albrighton 5. Unusual off-day for the usually reliable skipper.
Hatswell 5. Uncharacteristically subdued performance.
Gleeson 6. Busy first half with some good crosses, faded in the second.
Farrell 7. Another impressive effort.
Carden 5. One of several normally dependable players who did not attain their usual standard.
Wolleaston 5. Can and must do much better for the rest of the season.
Pitt 5. Courtney at his most frustrating, with some good work but too much underachievement, running into blind alleys and regularly staying too deep to be able to support his attack.
Beesley 5. Barely registered as a threat, except right at the end.
Boylan 6. Worked his socks off to little reward.
Reed 5. Unable to make much of an impression on the game.
Vieira 4. United need to work out how to make the best of this guy, because he looks far too lightweight as a central striker.
Jeffery 5. Energetic as ever, but doesn't look like a natural goalscorer.
Match Summary
United stumbled clumsily within sight of the finishing line, handing Stafford two goals on a plate after taking the lead then lacking the wherewithal to play their way back into the game. Too many off-days, and we cannot afford many more of those.
Man of the Match
Ben Farrell. Comfortably United's best player, he was the main link between midfield and attack until bafflingly withdrawn when United were losing for the more defensive-minded Reed. If he wasn't withdrawn for injury reasons, it was a massive clanger by the normally reliable JQ.
Ref Watch
Hendley 4. A grinner, always a bad sign, he was consistent only in his inconsistency, awarding free-kicks for no apparent reason on a regular basis then ignoring other seemingly more obvious offences. Not very good at all.
Non-League Player's Name of the Week
Leek Town's Matt Conkie.
Soundtrack of the Day
Jim Noir 'What U Gonna Do'
Andrew Bennett
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