Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: Damp, chilly
Goals:
United: Rendell 21'
Aldershot: Winfield 87'

United extended their unbeaten record after taking the lead, but were kept at bay by Shots keeper Nikki Bull and were pegged back three minutes from time by an Aldershot side that got stronger as the game progressed.

Aldershot provided Cambridge United's toughest test yet but the U's extended the only unbeaten record in the Blue Square Premier to twelve games and became the first team to deny the Shots an away win.

Jimmy Quinn named an unchanged starting 11 with defender Gavin Hoyte returning from a hamstring injury to take a place on the bench alongside new loanee striker Marvin Robinson, and Gary Waddock also named the same side that won a 4-3 thriller against Farsley Celtic last time out.

With supporters still filing along the packed rows of seats after the game had kicked off, United made a bright start and referee Gary Sutton played advantage when Leo Fortune-West was fouled in the opening moments. Scott Rendell was close enough to nod the ball on for Mark Convery as he sprinted into the area, but the midfielder lost his footing on the slippery turf and the ball ran out of play.

The early pace was frenetic but United's defence looked equal to Aldershot's mobile front men while the midfield worked tirelessly, and after seven minutes Rob Wolleaston did well to win the ball and feed it wide to Courtney Pitt, whose cross was just too far in front of the supporting Scott Rendell and easy for Nikki Bull.

The play switched from end to end as two lively, inventive sides tested each other out, and the first booking arrived on 14 when Potter tried to take a free kick quickly and Elvins failed to retreat, earning himself a needless booking.

Dan Gleeson scored only his second career goal on Saturday at Stevenage and a minute later he made a trademark strong run down the right but opted to shoot from 25 yards rather than pass to his team-mates advancing through the middle and Bull made a comfortable save.

Aldershot countered and the lively Grant cut in from the right and tested Danny Potter but the U's keeper smothered the ball as another Aldershot man raced in, another counterattack two minutes later saw Elvins stoop for the ball on the edge of the area but he sent the header wide of the far post, and Harding lifted a long-range shot over before United took the upper hand.

20 minutes in, Pitt's run and first time cross caused problems in the area but was hacked away under pressure, but a minute later United took the lead with a well-worked free kick. The ball was lifted over the top and nodded on by Gleeson to Scott Rendell who ran onto the ball and steered it low into the net from six yards for his seventh goal of the season.

Aldershot roared back and Grant had a shot charged down while Potter collected Harding's header, and on 26 Grant's shot was put behind by Peters for a corner that Convery cleared.

At the other end Fortune-West headed the ball on into the area, it was missed by Rendell and Gleeson was pushed to the ground as he tried to meet it but probably went to ground too easily for the referee to react.

On the half hour Davies drilled a free kick just wide of the far post with Potter diving at full-stretch, but three minutes later United went agonisingly close to adding a second goal. Rendell advanced into the area to have a shot parried wide by Bull, Pitt followed up and crossed it back into the box but Fortune-West's header crashed off the bar from close-range, Rendell couldn't quite get to the rebound, and in the pushing and shoving that followed a free kick was given against the United goalscorer.

United were on top of proceedings and on 37 Reed went close as he took a Pitt cross in his stride and drove a powerful shot that looked to have been turned over by Bull but resulted in a goal kick.

Both sides earned corners in the closing stages of the half and Aldershot threatened with Davies' long throw into the area, but a competitive half ended with United on the attack and deservedly in front at the interval. Half-time 1-0.

Second half:
Aldershot signalled their intent with a good early move, breaking down the left to cross, but but Stephen Reed summed up United's confidence by chesting the ball into Potter's hands from inside the six-yard box to a collective intake of breath from the crowd. The U's keeper sent Pitt away on the counter to earn a free kick, and Reed drove a 20-yarder over the bar.

U's physio Greg Reid was urged onto the pitch in the 48th minute when Dan Gleeson stayed down after a clash of heads with Day in the Aldershot area, but the wingback was helped to his feet by degrees and after jogging back to the halfway line he was able to rejoin the game.

Aldershot made a change on 54 when former U's defender Rob Gier was replaced at right back by Dean Smith after being given a testing time by Courtney Pitt, and the game continued at high tempo with United having to resist concerted pressure before breaking away to draw two superb saves from Nikki Bull.

The first came after Rendell chased down a loose back pass and Gleeson pounced with a low shot from the right of the area but Bull produced a reaction save with his feet, and as United kept the pressure on the ball reached Courtney Pitt on the left side of the area and he rifled a thunderous shot from the left that the backtracking Bull palmed over at full-stretch. He then saved from Mark Peters when the defender got his head to Reed's corner.

Scott Rendell was next to require treatment in the Aldershot area after a clash of heads but he too was able to continue, and again Aldershot broke away to threaten as sub Dean Smith had a long shot deflected wide.

Rob Wolleaston needed treatment for a thigh strain following Saturday's game and on 63 he was replaced by Darren Quinton after a hard-working display, and moments later United escaped when a corner was only partially cleared and Day's header was blocked on the line by a combination of Gleeson and Potter and possibly an Aldershot player.

The U's midfield struggled to contain the visitors after Wolleaston went off and were forced to defend deeper and deeper as the visitors turned up the pressure and added fresh legs when Joel Grant replaced Davies on 67. The United defence passed a stern examination as the visitors earned two corners and on 73 a ball was nodded back to Soares inside the area but he scooped the ball over.

Fortune-West drew another fine save from the outstanding Bull on 75 when he met Convery's cross with a firm header but the keeper palmed it away, and as Aldershot broke away again Elvins was mere inches from meeting a dangerous ball into the area.

Joel Grant was booked for clattering Dan Gleeson on 78, and a match played at breakneck speed was interrupted briefly again in the 79th minute when new loanee Marvin Robinson came on to make his debut in place of Rendell, who left the pitch to a deserved ovation.

Aldershot went close at another corner on 82 when John Grant drilled a shot over from 12 yards, Stephen Smith came on for the busy Reed in the 83rd minute, and Fortune-West had a shot blocked a minute later, but the visitors finally scored the goal they had been threatening with three minutes remaining.

Joel Grant showed good skill to work his way to the byline, and although his initial cross was blocked he lifted a second ball into the area and Dave Winfield headed the ball beyond Potter.

There was further disappointment in the final minutes when debutant Marvin Robinson clattered into Winfield and was booked, then within a minute caught Day near the centre circle with an over-enthusiastic challenge and was booked again and dismissed.

There was yet more pressure for United to withstand as Aldershot chased the win, but Elvins' shot was parried by Potter, another Aldershot corner was cleared, and the only unbeaten record in the division survived intact with a draw that was probably a fair result.

Man of the Match: Courtney Pitt - tireless in both halves of the pitch, gave both right backs a torrid time, and forced the best save of the match with a thunderous strike.

Andrea Thrussell

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Mark Peters, Mark Albrighton (c), Michael Morrison; Dan Gleeson, Rob Wolleaston (Darren Quinton 63'), Mark Convery, Stephen Reed (Stephen Smith 83'), Courtney Pitt; Scott Rendell (Marvin Robinson 79'), Leo Fortune-West.
Subs not used: Gavin Hoyte, Robbie Willmott.

Booked: Gleeson foul 31', Robinson fouls 88' and 90'

Aldershot Town:
Nikki Bull, Rob Gier (Dean Smith 54'), Rhys Day, Dave Winfield, Anthony Straker, Louie Soares, Scott Davies (Joel Grant 67'), Lewis Chalmers, Ben Harding, Rob Elvins, John Grant.
Subs not used: Ricky Newman, Kirk Hudson, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz.

Booked: Rob Elvins unsporting behaviour 14', Joel Grant foul 78'

Att: 3,610 (away 305)

Referee: Mr Gary Sutton

Now talk about the match with fellow U's on our lively and friendly message board!

AT070925