Lilywhites:2 U's:2

It may seem like a million years ago, but we actually played a football match on Saturday.

What turned out to be the Brabinator's swansong ended in a vaguely entertaining draw, with City once again looking impressive under the tutelage of Gary Roberts. If they can keep their players fit, they'll surely have another tilt at promotion from the newly named Zamaretto League.

For United the future is less certain after yesterday's events. Looking back, the starting line up was certainly one that screamed managerial defiance, with Holroyd on the left wing and world player of the year-elect Daryl McMahon on the right. The obvious flaw in this plan is that McMahon's right foot is strictly for standing on only, which meant time and time again he got the ball in space, only to check back and cross from deep, rather than surging on to the byline.

City scored first through ex-U Ashley Fuller. A quick counter attack following a United corner saw Antonio Murray feed Steve Gentle, whose cross was emphatically finished by Fuller from just outside the box. 1-0.

At the back for United, trialist Rhys Day looked like the kind of cool, commanding presence we could do with to replace Bolly, although if he has any sense he'll be getting his agent to seek out alternative employment as I type. He was certainly more impressive than Hatswell, who seems to treat pre-season friendlies with the contempt of a man who'd rather have stayed on the beach for a couple more weeks. Hats looked decidedly dodgy on a number of occasions, but I'm sure he'll pull his socks up before the season starts.

United equalised from the unlikely source of Gleeson, who went on a Carlo Alberto-esque overlapping run, playing a quick give and go with McMahon and slipping the ball past City keeper Zac Barratt from close range. 1-1 at half time should've been 2-1 to the home side, but another former United man, Dave Theobold, missed a simple headed chance at the far post just before the whistle.

Murray hardly stuck out like a player who should be at a higher level, and missed a simple chance in the second half when he got free of his marker but glanced a header wide. He made no mistake moments later though, after Josh Coulson got in a muddle and gifted him the ball in the box in front of goal. No chance Potter, 2-1.

Danny Crow was one of many United substitutes, and if his performance is anything to go by he has (unfortunately) not changed much since last season; lots of nice touches in the build up but no end product. He was denied by Barratt from close range after being set up by Carden, and could've won the match but headed a Parky cross wide with the goal gaping. There is definitely a good player in there somewhere, but if he doesn't improve his finishing I doubt he'll last long under the new regime.

In between times a more deadly striker, Holroyd, had equalised. Again it stemmed from good work by Gleeson, who reacted quickly when a Sam Ives shot was blocked, and sent over a low cross which super Chris tapped in from three yards.

I guess any conclusions that could've been drawn from the match are now null and void. It will be interesting to see how we line up against Blackburn tonight, with Cardy presumably having taken the reigns. You would imagine a few prospective managers will be in the stands as well, crowd watching could be more interesting than the match itself.

Man of the Match: Dan Gleeson - Scored one, made another, and generally looked solid. If we don't sign another centre half, I reckon he'd do a job there too.





Banter of the Match: Day to Gleeson during the second half - "I feel like I've had five heart attacks". Pre-season fitness levels are obviously high for our prospective new number five.

Read more...

City:1 U's:1

No pre-season is complete without a trip to Milton Road, a stadium which for some reason has been judged unsuitable for the Blue Square South, meaning our neighbours will ply their trade in the Southern League next year. A bizarre decision to say the least when one considers that the likes of Stafford, Canvey, and Histon have been allowed to compete in the Blue Square Premier, but anyway.

This match had a much more proper feel about it than Saturday’s sleepy sojourn to Norfolk. Perhaps it was merely because there was some semblance of atmosphere, with both sets of fans in good voice, happy to direct abuse at our village dwelling chums.

It also helped that the Brabinator fielded what, give or take a centre half, is probably our strongest team, with Hatswell, Pitt, and Farrell coming into the starting line up for Hoyte, Convery, and Reed. Again it was apparent that United are going to try and be more Arsenal than Bolton this season, with Beesley and Parkinson in particular linking up well with some swift interchanges.

One such move saw Parky slalom into the area and have a shot blocked by a diving defender, while Hatswell and Matt Halliday saw headers comfortably saved by City’s new keeper Richard Willmott.

But somewhat against the run of play it was the hosts who took the lead through the finally tuned goalscoring machine that is Michael Gash. It looked as though Roberts was fouling Hatswell as he flicked the ball through to Gashy, who took one touch before hammering a half volley past Potter.

Beesley forced the ball in from close range for the equaliser after Halliday had headed the ball back into the goalmouth. The young defender put in another good-not-great performance, and one has to wonder whether we can do better in the centre back arena.

The same can be said of Ramon Calliste, who appeared in the second half and was far better than in Saturday’s game, showing some neat touches and going on one decent run which unfortunately ended with him slipping over and shooting wide. I’d like to see him given a run with the ‘first’ team rather than all the subs, but again I suspect we can do better.

The highlight of a mediocre second half was the introduction of an unknown trialist, subsequently identified as Dutch winger Filino Jardin. I prefer it when trialists are unexpected – it lets you imagine they are a young star wrongly discarded by Barcelona rather than some journeyman who couldn’t get a game at Bognor Regis.

By that I’m not saying that little Filino couldn’t get a game at Bognor Regis. In fact he was quite useful in patches, though I don’t really think we need another right winger with Parky, Bussens and Willmott in the squad. Robbie had the best chance of the second half, with a header from a Pitt cross that drew a good save from his namesake Richard.

So yeah, more good football, which was pleasing, and although we did only score one goal, I’m sure our clinical-ness in front of goal will improve between now and the start of the season. Maybe.

Man of the Match: Mark Beesley – Bees was all over the place in the first half, and showed his strikers instinct to get in where it could’ve hurt and poach the equaliser.

(very)Minor celebrity sighting of the Match: Wantaway P*sh striker and part-time Buster Rhymes impersonator Aaron Maclean was hanging around outside the main stand at half time. Checking up on his potential new employers perhaps?

Read more...

Lalala, I'm not listening

So it seems that everyone at Bridge Road is continuing to stick their fingers in their ears and hope that Craig Pope’s four-game ban for being a big nasty racist will go away.

Their supposedly unofficial message-board has disappeared from view (anyone who has read the bizarre drivel spouted by some of its members might consider this a blessing in disguise) and there is no word of the suspension on their official site. Still, at least they have Pravda, I mean the CEN, to speak on their behalf. No point having a dog and barking yourself eh?

In more interesting news, it seems the Brabinator is keen on bringing Josh Simpson back to the Abbey. “I think it's a pretty strong possibility,” affirmed Gary Roberts to BBC Cambridgeshire. "I think a lot of fans didn't see the best of him when he was over there.”

I like Josh as a player, and was a bit gutted when he left last time. I seem to remember lack of a guaranteed first team starts was cited as his reason for returning to City, and I can’t imagine he’ll be getting any such guarantees this time around with the likes of Carden and Farrell in the squad. But for me he’s certainly a better prospect than Quinton or Reed, so we shall have to wait and see what happens on that front.

Read more...

Histon Village FC - The family club

We all know that Histon FC are a lovely little village club run at no cost by an army of volunteers, and whose players are honest part-timers who hold down jobs as butchers, bakers, and candle-stick makers while playing for little more than 50p per week and the honour of walking out on the hallowed glassworld turf. In short, they are a credit to non-league football.

But events at said stadium this week have me wondering whether the marvellous Stutes are all they’re cracked up to be. Firstly, we have Cambridge City boss Gary Roberts labelling them “a bit despicable” over their handling of Josh Simpson’s potential move to the Glassworld Stadium. “I suspect that there may be an agenda that Josh can leave Cambridge City for anywhere but Histon”, warns Steve Fallon, demonstrating that he has ample room on both his shoulders for chips.

Then we have the curious case of Craig Pope, who has mysteriously accrued a four-game suspension for the start of next year. Could this perhaps, maybe, possibly have something to do with alleged racist abuse directed at LFW during the Boxing Day match last season? I couldn’t tell you for certain, as there has been no mention of his ban on the Histon website or in the press.

However, I’m sure our favourite family friendly club wouldn’t dream of intentionally sweeping something which could tarnish their squeaky-clean reputation under the carpet. So if Pope has indeed been found guilty then I’ll expect to see a statement condemning his actions in the local media in the coming days. It’s the only correct course of action that a family friendly club could take, isn’t it?

Read more...