Cambridge Utd FC 11-0 Diss Town FC (FA Youth Cup 2nd Qualifying round)

A crowd of 101 turned out to watch yet another goalfest at the Abbey Stadium as once more Cambridge United's youth team notched a high score, this time without any reply from a Diss Town side who were outplayed throughout.

United have now scored 30 goals in the 3 rounds so far, whilst only conceding 4 against. Robbie Willmott and Adam Marriott both struck four goals, however a string of missed chances prevented an even more emphatic victory.

The tone for the game was set as early as the second minute when a good cross from Craig Bussens was palmed away by the Diss keeper, however there were no United players following the ball in and Diss cleared the ball. Within two minutes United had forced a corner after Diss could only clear behind. The ball across the face of the goal was inswinging and nearly went in the net directly, but despite providing a simple tap in, once again there was no Amber shirt within range. United clearly wanted to dominate from the off, unlike the previous round when they let Wroxham go two up before they fought back.

Diss were being forced to rely on backs to the wall defending and any respite was short lived as United played the ball straight back at them. Luckily for Diss, although United were dominating possession, their finishing was wayward and within the first quarter of an hour a string of chances had been missed.

Robbie Willmott dragged the ball across the face of goal with only the keeper to beat, having beaten several defenders. He followed up within three minutes by dragging another shot wide, which two incoming players failed to get onto. United were managing to test the keeper, who looked unconvincing every time United won a corner, unfortunately for the him his defenders were conceding them every minute or two. Fortunately for him though, despite the crosses raining in, United seemed in no mood to exploit his lack of confidence.

On 16 minutes Willmott fired a shot in, after good patient build up play, which the keeper spilled, but the loose ball was blazed wildly over. After the sequence of corners United now began to lose their composure in front of goal, as several players snatched at shots, when with time and patience goals would surely have come. Piers Wixon shot straight at the keeper from point blank range, after the ball had pinged around the box, it was cleared for yet another corner. Rory McAuley had a shot blocked and then Calvin Dinsley launched one over the bar.

It was starting to look as if a goal wouldn't come as apparent frustration & nerves seemed to be getting the better of players. Diss had barely been able to force their way out of their own half, but United's lack of end product was still evident. But on 28 minutes Robbie Willmott produced a cool finish to finally break the deadlock and give United a lead they deserved. Still enjoying all the possession, United managed to miss more chances, Robbie Willmott hitting a superb curling shot that came off the upright with the keeper simply a spectator, before Craig Bussens made it 2-0 with a close range header after a shot had been blocked and spun high into the air.

If United looked to be in the driving seat they were reminded it was far too early to relax as they suffered a scare, when during a rare break over the half way line Zac Costello ballooned a pass backwards, luckily Michael Kirby reacted quickest to head the ball back to Phil Smith in goal. On 40 minutes came the third goal, when the Diss keeper spilled a ball played through the middle and Robbie Willmott pounced to slot the loose ball home.

It was a goal that seemed to settle United's players, and with their tails up and a familiar looking pattern emerging, United started to cut loose. Piers Wixon curled a 35 yard shot which came off the cross bar. Then just before half time Adam Marriott blasted in his first goal, with a long range strike, which the keeper flapped at.

As United emerged for the second half Jez George made two changes, bringing on John Yambasu for Piers Wixon and Darryl Coakley for Michael Kirby.

The second half started off in the same vein as the first, with a goal to make it 5-0 scored by Adam Marriott, when he toe-poked a deflected shot in as the ball presented itself at his feet, and moments later the woodwork saved Diss when a John Yambasu shot hit the post. In a flowing move Yambasu was fouled just inside his own half, but the referee played advantage. Craig Bussens advanced to the edge of the penalty area before playing in Adam Marriott, who shot wide. Missed chances were still occurring regularly, but at 5-0 up they were no longer as crucial to the result.

On 58 minutes Robbie Willmott bagged his hat trick with a powerful shot to make the score 6-0. Somehow on 60 minutes Zac Costello managed to head over the bar from two yards out after a corner had been played in to the near post. Not to be outdone by Robbie Willmott, Adam Marriott completed his hat trick and United's 7th goal, with a well taken strike into the roof of the net from 20 yards.

A minute later Robbie Willmott claimed his fourth with an easy finish from five yards out. As if to give someone else a chance of scoring a goal, Jez George replaced Willmott with Sam Cutler on 71 minutes. Willmott getting well earned applause as he left the field.

United won a free kick on the edge of the area and the ball was powered into the area, where Rory McAuley placed a snap header past the helpless keeper to take the score to 9-0. By now the Diss keeper's already fragile confidence looked shot to pieces and a minute later he dropped a cross right in front of Adam Marriott to enable him to keep pace with Robbie Willmott and claim his fourth of the game. Finally in the 89th minute Craig Bussens helped himself to his second goal and completed the scoring with a header from four yards.

The final score was Cambridge United 11 Diss Town 0 in a game which was certainly one-sided from the start to the finish. Diss tried to match a United side whose superiority showed - until they got in front of goal. Diss' forwards got no service to help relieve the pressure on their goal, while the defence had no answer to United's forward play. With more composure the goal for column could easily have been a record score for United. Once again they brushed aside their opponents, but this time - whilst the scoreline reflected the possession and overall play - as in the previous round it doesn't tell the whole story!

Gordon McMillan

Cambridge United:
1 Phil Smith
2 Rory McAuley
3 Michael Kirby
4 James Paterson
5 Zac Costello
6 Calvin Dinsley
7 Craig Bussens
8 Adam Marriott
9 Piers Wixon
10 Robbie Willmott
11 Jordan Patrick

Subs:
12 Darryl Coakley (Kirby 46 mins)
GK Sam Beagle (not used)
14 Sam Cutler (Willmott 71 mins)
15 Lewis Carr (not used)
16 John Yambasu (Wixon 46 mins)

Goals:
Willmott - 28, 40, 58, 65
Marriott - 44, 49, 64, 74
Bussens - 35, 89
McAuley - 73

Cambridge United will play Bury Town's youth team in the 3rd Qualifying Round match, to be played at the Abbey Stadium in the week commencing 22nd October, date and time to be confirmed.

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