Bookmark and Share

NEWS

 

 
 

CAMBRIDGE UTD 1-1 FOREST GREEN

 

 

Cambridge United stretched their unbeaten record to four games with a draw at home against Forest Green Rovers.

Although the unbeaten run continues it has to be said that the draw was undeserved. The performance was poor and that is being nice. Jez George will really need to get to the bottom of what went wrong at the Abbey.

On a wonderful late summer sunny afternoon in Cambridgeshire Jez George made two changes to the starting line up. Rory McAuley came in for the injured Kevin Roberts and Michael Gash came in for the rested Luke Berry. Also coming into the squad for the first time was Keiran Murtagh after hamstring injuries.

Forest Green playing in red set up in a 4-5-1 formation which suggested that they would be tough to beat.

The match started with a energy and a quick pace. Cambridge earned a early free kick when Ryan Charles was taken down by Forbes. Winn and Carew deliberated over who would take the kick, the latter put the ball into the box but it was headed clear.

Forest Green then got into gear gaining a corner which was cleared by James Jennings. Cambridge went up the other end and earned a corner themselves. Winn put the corner into the far post where Gash helped it back for McAuley whose shot was deflected for another corner. This time Carew's corner was cleared straight away.

A minute later Forest Green took the lead when Michael Wylde and Danny Naisbitt made a hash of a simple clearance and Reece Styche took the ball round the keeper and laid it back into the path of Charlie Griffin who slotted home.

Cambridge looked to be in trouble as Forest moved forward again losing the ball but getting it back from Utd who made a succession of misplaced passes.

Wylde and Naisbitt again carried out their clown acts almost giving Forbes a chance to put the Green further ahead.

With the crowd getting restless Cambridge began to turn up the heat with Ashley Carew probing from the right hand side. Whilst the U's were on the up it was obvious Forest Green were dangerous on the counter attack.

With the half nearing its end Stokes raided from left back down the whole left side and put in a cross which was cleared by a nervy Cambridge defence.

In the last minute of the half the clown double act was on show again. Wylde was dispossessed near the touchline by Styche, who gets into the box and rolled the ball across towards Allen, whose shot is blocked away by a combination of Naisbitt and Coulson. Naisbitt redeeming himself.

At the half time whistle it must of been in the thoughts of the players they were about to receive the hair dryer from Jez George.

The second half was a drab affair until twenty minutes from time when Jez George made a double substitution bringing on youngsters Luke Berry and Jordan Patrick for Rossi Jarvis and Peter Winn.

Berry immediately got involved in the play linking the midfield and attack. Minutes later George made his final substitution bringing on Keiran Murtagh.

Minutes the later the substitute played his part in the equaliser. Murtagh backheeled the ball, sending Berry away down the left, the youngster jinked and was bought down by Bittner for a penalty.

Ashley Carew stepped up and slotted the ball away. All of a sudden Cambridge took the upper hand. Berry started prompting and Carew began to run at the defence stretching them.

As the minutes ticked away Cambridge turned the screw and forced two corners. Forest Green tried to slow the game making a double change but it couldn't stop the Amber pressure.

With five minutes of injury time shown the Ambermen pressed forward for the winner. They earned themselves one last corner. The ball came over in front of goal but Rory McAuley could not convert. The whistle blew and Cambridge can say that it was a point gained.

 

Att 2408

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
           
This website is © Shadow Ents. All rights reserved. All photography copyright Shadow Entertainment (unless otherwise stated)