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Saturday |
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| Cambridge
Utd Marshall Chenery Mustoe Duncan Eustace  Campbell Wanless Taylor (Walker 80) Butler MacKenzie Ashbee Subs not used |
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Cardiff
City Hallworth O'Sullivan Legg Mitchell Eckhardt Carpenter Fowler Ford Bowen (Williams 80) Nugent Hill (Middleton 75) Sub not used |
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| Report by
NigelBlues. What a strange affair The Abbey Stadium is. The terrace hosting supposedly 1,900 City fans behind one goal and around one corner was jam packed. City fans had to use all the walkways and yellow painted areas too but it all helped the atmosphere. Narrow stands were on both sides on the pitch, one section seating 300 City fans although more were visible in the Cambridge areas. Cambridge's home terrace wasn't all that deep and only extends to two thirds of the area behind the goal - the rest being taken up by some outbuilding and a knackered electronic scoreboard. All in all, it was a typical Division 3 standard ground. The crowd of 7,787 was apparently their best for 7 years and I couldn't see any spaces to work out where the missing 1,300 could have fitted in but it certainly wasn't in the Cardiff end. It was a match of few chances but that does not mean the quality of play and excitement did not exist, far from it. I take it all back about Mike Ford, the only change for an injured Scott Young. I didn't think Ford added to the team but how wrong I was. He was outstanding in his play, tackling and performance - a real captains show topped by his celebrating and applauding of us at the end. City's man of the match and inspiration by some distance although every player shone. A Ford inspired defence genuinely restricted Cambridge to just one shot in the half, an effort dragged wide. All the moves and flowing football came from City who looked a notch above Cambridge in most things they did. O'Sullivan had his best game at right back since Delaney left and Leggy was a demon again on the left - play was spread wide time and again to them. In the middle, Carpenter was an unsung hero winning possession and his link play between defence, wide men and the forwards was outstanding. Danny Hill played well but still not showing real menace whilst Fowler looked quality every time on the ball. The hardest battle was up front though. Nugent had a tremendous tussle with Cambridge's black no 5, Eustace, who was easily their best player - another sign that Cardiff were on top. Wish he was ours but he is so big and physical, he noticeably wilted towards the end when City's best chances came. The reason City didn't score was largely due to his play. Bowen, for me, had his best match for City yet as he supported the wide men at every opportunity and buzzed all over the field, pulling the Cambridge defence. However that said, he still does not look a centre forward and I don't think he had a single effort at goal. One time he tore through but allowed himself to be tackled and he also received the ball wide as the Cambridge keeper raced out and then slipped but Bowen took too much time to look for a man in the middle and the chance disappeared. In fact, he ran it out of play. Fowler had the best chance of the half, and match, when Nugent flicked on the perfect header to put him clear on the edge of the area. It was a real shame to see Fowler completely screw his effort and it harmlessly sailed yards wide. I think he tried to place the ball over the keeper for a typical Fowler finish but he must be reflecting on that opportunity. He did have a good free kick later and blasted an effort that seemed on the way to goal to those of us at the other end until a Cambridge defender blocked it. Half- time arrived and City were cheered off to fantastic applause from fans hoping they could win the game attacking 'our' end. H/T Cambridge 0 City 0 In the second-half,
Cambridge pushed on a little more but City were rock |
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