Cards:0 U's:1

For me, the thing which sets football apart from all the other, inferior, sports, is the absolutely unique value which one goal can, and often does, have.

Obviously all sports have a decisive point of some kind, but usually they will have been preceded by several others; you never get a cricket match with one run, or a basketball game featuring one basket, yet you often get football matches settled by one goal, one moment of brilliance or misfortune which renders the other 89 minutes irrelevant, no matter how turgid they may have been. I can't think of any other sports where that is the case, though if you can then let me know.

So for all that Phil Gilchrist can say that his side were worthy of a point in last nights encounter, Jai Reason's solitary goal in the 82nd minute is all that really matters. United were far from their best in what was a fairly low quality game, but they did enough to keep the pressure (such as it is) on Burton.

Gilchrist might want to have a word with his keeper Danny Knowles about why he was so late getting down to Reason's 20-yard shot, which was accurate yet not very powerful, and should probably have been kept out. The dingy conditions may have been to blame, as kick off was delayed by 30 minutes due to floodlight failure, and indeed the match only went ahead under what Setanta described as "safety lights". It was quite amusing to watch Bower and Parker try and ad-lib as they faced the prospect of another live game cancellation; Bower expressed sympathy that "Cambridge haven't had a league game for 13 days", but failed to mention that his employers were responsible for lengthening this period by three days. Funny that.

Woking shaded a fairly even first half, with left winger Matt Pattison enjoying plenty of space as make-shift right back Jon Challinor went walkabout. Pattison and Liam Marum both forced Danny Potter into saves, and in between times another shot from Pattison whistled inches wide of the post with Potter rooted to the spot like a constipated statue. It wasn't all one way traffic though, and both Scott Rendell and Courtney Pitt should have done better when well placed. Chris Holroyd was also off target with a shot which would have found the net had it not faded away at the last minute.

But the home side were unable to maintain the same intensity in the second half, and United began to dominate possession, despite the fact that both Carden and Reason were having stinkers. There wasn't much in the way of goal mouth action though, and the match looked to be heading for stalemate before Reason's late intervention. The Ipswich loanee limped off shortly after his goal with a foot injury, and one can only hope this doesn't turn out to be anything serious. Woking didn't offer much in the way of a response, and United played out the final eight minutes in comfortable fashion. Now all we can do is wait and see how the Brewers respond.

Man of the Match: Phil Bolland - Setanta went for one central defensive colossus, Wayne Hatswell, as their MotM. I'll pick the other just to be contrary.





Milk Tray Man of the Match: Gary Brabin - The Brabinator always scrubs up well when he's on TV, and didn't disappoint with last nights all-black outfit.