Andrew Bennett reviews last season, continuing with the month of August 2007.

The whole squad went to Norwich on the 1st for a behind-closed-doors friendly against the Canaries' reserves. Boylan scored yet again and United also got the help of an own goal but eventually went down 3-2, with Joseph-Dubois (right) and Cambs League trialist Lee Clift playing one half each as the search for another forward went on. Speaking of which, an offer was made for Barnet's Liam Hatch and interest was also expressed in another, unnamed striker.

On the Saturday came United's last weekend friendly on a baking hot afternoon in Bedford. JQ was away spying on next week's opponents, York, so Lewer and Wordsworth were in charge, with Bimmo also absent along with Danny Brown, attending the birth of his latest offspring.

Nearest to a goal in the first half was a Hoyte header off the post against his former club, but Quinton bundled one home in the first minute of the second after a build-up more notable for an injury to Boylan, who suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder in attempting an overhead kick. Mark Peters moved up front and Quinton got his second on 64, with Peters sealing a 3-0 win a minute from the end with a commanding header. Useful workout, shame about the injury. Nice tan, though.

More fixture shenanigans ensued on the Monday as United sought to move their second home game, with Farsley Celtic, from Saturday week because their first home game with Oxford was now on the preceding Thursday for t'telly. The U's wanted the following Tuesday, but looked like having to settle for the Sunday as the part-timers from Yorkshire had 'travelling issues.'

Final Abbey friendly on the Tuesday saw the visit of Leicester City, evoking memories of the early Nineties when the clubs competed on an equal footing.

36-year-old veteran Leo Fortune-West, who first played against United in 1995 for Gillingham, arrived on trial after his release from Rushden and started up front alongside Chilli. LFW made a most impressive debut, all United's attacking play revolving around him, but Chilli was forced off with ankle ligament damage on 19. Little did we know, but as far as the U's were concerned, it was the end of his season.

In a low-key match, Matty Fryatt won it for the visitors with a tap-in eleven minutes from the end. Ready? Of course we were.

The Hatch deal was off, JQ blaming agents, but Boylan looked like staging a miracle recovery ready for Saturday. Chilli was diagnosed with deltoid ligament damage and was estimated to be out for six weeks. On the Thursday LFW signed a one-year deal for what he rated as "a very good side" and was allocated squad number 12, although he switched to number 19 after his league debut.

Off the pitch, those nice people at Marston's signed a deal to supply the Abbey with beer and the South Stand was renamed the Marston's Smooth Stand.

Saturday 11th August: York City 1-2 Cambridge United [att: 3,136, away 516]

So to Malteser Mansions for the first Blue Square Premier encounter of season 2007-08. On a warm summer's day the programmes ran out at half past two and the refreshment hut ran out of hot water before three, but the amber army remained unfazed in their early-season excitement; all they wanted to run out was the teams.

There were league debuts for Potter, Albrighton, Hoyte, Convery, LFW and Boylan, with Quinton preferred to Wolleaston and Gleeson wearing his fifth different squad number in five seasons. In a tight contest, Craig Farrell hit the bar for the hosts on 19 and the same man put them in front on 38, a soft penalty given for Gleeson's challenge on Martyn Woolford.

A minute later we were treated to the tackle of the season as the hulking Hoyte took out Manny Panther, Danny Brown, the linesman and - oh yes - the ball in one earth-juddering challenge. United equalised on 51, Albrighton's header from a Convery corner forcing a parry from which Hoyte stabbed home, and four minutes later the amber hordes went crazy as their side took the lead in controversial circumstances, Stuart Elliott dismissed for a punch at LFW and Boylan stroking home the resultant spot-kick. The U's went on to battle to a fine win, and even sourpuss opposing manager Billy McEwan was forced to give them due praise in between complaining about everything else. Good start. Man of the Match: Gavin Hoyte

Next week the fixture fun continued as the Farsley game was now moved to the following Tuesday due to safety reasons, United unable to guarantee the presence of adequate medical cover on the Sunday. The U's received a £3,000 fine for the previous season's disciplinary record (9 reds, 86 yellows) with another £3,000 suspended until the end of this season pending "acceptable improvement." Wayne Purser was disappointed at the verdict, given that all of the sent-off players had now moved on, but Messrs Power and Quinn made a point of warning the players about their conduct.

Thursday 16th August: U's 2-1 Oxford United [att: 3,327, away 385]

United's first home game of the season was also their first live on Setanta TV, marked by the players bursting sheepishly through a Blue Square paper hoop as they entered the field of play. Albrighton was skipper with Brown sidelined by an ear infection, Wolleaston replaced the injured Convery, and the new striped kit got its first airing to popular acclaim. However, United again went a goal down on 41 in particularly messy style, Hoyte slipping, and the ball ricocheting off our old chum Robert Duffy's face before Gary Twigg slotted home.

Marvin Robinson replaced Duffy for part two, and slightly against the run of play the U's were level five minutes in with a nice team goal, Albrighton's superb crossfield ball finding Gleeson who nutmegged Alex Jeannin and found LFW for a bullet header into the net. Now the tide had turned, and Boylan was unlucky to hit the post with a brilliant turn and shot on 78, but he was not to be denied and notched the winner in the fourth minute of added time with a brilliant curler into the far corner. Cue bedlam, and untrammelled optimism for the infant season. Man of the Match: Mark Albrighton

Tuesday 21st August: U's 5-1 Farsley Celtic [att: 2,845, away 40]

The yawning gap between the top of the BSP and the tinpot tiddlers like newly-promoted Farsley was illustrated first by the near-emptiness of the South Stand and then by two United goals inside the first ten minutes. It was 1-0 after eighty seconds, Wolleaston's mazy run culminating in a long-range shot that was deflected past the wrong-footed keeper. Eight minutes later it was two, Wolleaston's corner nodded goalward by Albrighton, spilt by hapless custodian Sutcliffe and poked home by a grateful LFW. On 28 it was 3-0, Quinton's cross shovelled out by that man Sutcliffe again, and once more LFW was on the spot to shoot coolly home. Only desperate Celtic defending kept the score down.

To their credit, Farsley rallied after the interval and even pulled one back on 65, an atrocious Wolleaston back-pass giving an easy chance to Gareth Grant. United roared back and the next minute saw the clearance of the season as Boylan's shot was blocked by Sutcliffe, Quinton squared up for an easy tap-in, and from nowhere Bailey Camfield flung himself full length across the goal-line to head clear.

The visitors' brave resistance was worn down in the end, however, LFW completing his hat-trick on 80 from close range from a Boylan cross, and two minutes from time Albrighton completed the scoring from Reed's flag-kick. United were top of their division for the first time since the penultimate week of 1998-99, and it was the first time they had won their opening three games of the season since the glory days of 1991-92. Man of the Match: Leo Fortune-West

Saturday 25th August: Woking 0-0 U's [att: 1,805, away 385]

Mark Peters depped for an unwell Hoyte and LFW received his customary rousing welcome from opposing supporters who remembered some obvious misunderstanding from past encounters. United dominated possession throughout but simply could not find a way through the hosts' doughty resistance, and the teams fought each other to a standstill in a forgettable meeting most notable for the latest round in the battle of the mighty midgets, Courtney Pitt versus Goma Lambu . So we weren't going to win every game of the season after all. Man of the Match: Mark Albrighton

Monday 27th August: U's 1-1 Ebbsfleet United [att: 2,974, away 129]

With Brown and Quinton out through injury, Mark Albrighton was pushed forward into a midfield holding position, while familiar face Warren Goodhind turned out for the newly-renamed visitors. Early highlight was a tremendous diving save by Potter from a Mark DeBolla free-kick, but the heat and a virus that was making its way round the Abbey seemed to be taking its toll.

Hoyte almost broke the bar with a 35-yard guided missile just before the half-hour, but the U's were one down on 42, Luke Moore finishing off a flowing passing move.
Liam Daish and Alan Kimble's Fleet were proving pretty unsinkable until Rendell was introduced for LFW on the hour, and he made an instant impression with some dynamic running. Still no breakthough, though, and Peters joined the attack towards the end. Then in added time, Hyem's marvellous 25-yard shot cannoned off the underside of the bar, and the alert Rendell followed up to head home a memorable first goal in the black and amber. Honours even. Man of the Match: Scott Rendell

Friday 31st August: Weymouth 2-2 U's [att: 1,502, away 168]

No-one from either club seemed to know why this hellish journey had to be on a Friday night, given that August Bank Holiday was the previous week, and the team spent five hours on a coach and missed their pre-match meal. It wasn't much fun for the supporters either! Michael Morrison was dropped for the first time since early April 2006 and the leggy U's made a slow start against the hosts' pacy wingmen. Unsurprisingly they were one down on 39, a long ball over the top catching them napping and Jefferson Louis lolloping through to finish past Potter.

United looked more solid after the break and equalised on 63, Wolleaston's free-kick, Albrighton's flick on and LFW swivelling to smash home. A young U's fan was promptly ejected for the heinous crime of lobbing a toilet roll onto the roof of the net. Tails up, subs Rendell and Hyem made a good impression again and the visitors were in front on 70, LFW knocking on to Rendell who turned and fired home in an echo of his strike partner's effort.

Potter saved fantastically from a long-range Simon Weatherstone blaster, but with United looking like cruising home safely, they conceded a harsh penalty six minutes from the end when Vickers beat the offside trap then went down under Wolleaston's challenge. JQ called it a "blatant dive." Potter blocked Louis' penalty but the Terras hit man converted the rebound. In a breathless end-to-end finish Potter produced another great save from Platt before a pulsating contest drew to a close. Man of the Match: Leo Fortune-West

End of month position: 1st

Andrew Bennett

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