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Cambridge 2 Wrexham 2

Game of two halves
By Scott Hilsden
October 6 2002
Talk about a game of two halves, infront of the divisions biggest crowd of the day United conceded a goal with almost the last kick of the game and had to settle for a point when it looked like they were set for a third league win on the bounce.
Nationwide Division 3
Cambridge United 2 Wrexham 2
Youngs, Riza Whitley, Morgan
Att: 6004

John Taylor made two changes from the team that lost Sunderland in midweek, bringing in Man City loanee Steve Jordan at left back and Andy Duncan returned from suspension. They replaced the injured Phil Warner and suspended Shane Tudor with Terry Fleming pushing into midfield. Tom Youngs and Omer Riza were the wide men with Big Dave upfront on his own.

Before the game got underway it was finally time for the new South Stand to be officialy opened. United started ok when in the sixth minute David Bridges corner was flicked on by Tom Youngs and from twenty five yards new boy Steve Jordan almost got of to the best possible start but for his volley being saved by Andy Dibble.

From here on in to half time the boys in amber failed to cope with Wrexham's midfield and on nine Super Shaun had to collect with the first of many crosses. United were giving the ball away to often and at times were playing the game at a high tempo when they should have been putting a foot on the ball and taking time.

United fell behind after 25 minutes when a Wrexham corner was only cleared as far as Whitley whos first time shot flew straight into the top corner giving Shaun no chance at all.

United were trying to create chances but every where United looked there seemed to be red shirts in the way. The first of the United players to show his frustration was Bridges when he was booked for kicking the ball away after fouling Wrexham's Shaun Pejic.

Two minutes later United almost got back on level terms when Big Dave came close with a volley. United still struggled despite a number of changes in the system by the management and were lucky not to be more than one down at half time, Shaun made two saves, one from the leagues top scorer Andy Morrell and then tipping a Hector Sam shot over the bar.

Half Time Score: Cambridge United 0 Wrexham 1

Wrexham replaced Hector Sam with Lee Trundle at half time but Taylor and Brooks and clearly had words at half time and it showed when Omer Riza cut in from the left but failed to find the target with his shot from 25 yards.

United gave the crowd something to shout about on 57 when Dave Kitson forced a save from Dibble after Omer Riza found Kitson following a 40 yard run but his shot was blocked by keeper Dibble who had been taking a fair amount of stick from the NRE.

Jordan again went close with a long range effort and then 18 minutes into the half U's captain released Riza out wide and his cross was deflected away by Wrexham defender Shaun Pejic before United forward Youngs could get to the cross.

In a total revearsal of the first half United were the team on top creating chances and it took just two minutes to create another good chance. This time Youngs managed to get to his head to a cross only for the ball to loop over the bar. The large crowd now felt as if United would be able to get something from the game and NRE made it clear they thought something was going to happen with the singing of 'We're gonna score in a minute'.

Captain Paul Wanless climed to head a corner back across the goal mouth for Andy Duncan to head towards goal only for it to be scrambled of the line by a mixture of Carey and Dibble. Dibble came of the worst of the two and went down for his troubles after Wanless had hit the post. When the ball went out he recieved lenghtly treatment before being replaced by Paul Whitfield. At the same time new boy Jordan made way for Dan Chillingworth as United looked for the equaliser with 15 minutes left.

Kitson went close with a header beofre Shaun made a good save from Fergy Junior and up the other end Chilli should have possibly gone for glory but instead decided to set up Youngs whos shot was blocked.

United then turned the scoreline on its head in the space of two minutes. The scores were all square on 84 when for the third time this season Big Dave failed to give up on a lost cause and managed to keep the ball in play, Kits then found Tom Youngs who put the ball past Whitfield making the score 1-1 and claim a very much needed goal for the local lad.

Almost straight from the restart Big Dave won the ball around half way on the left flank adn played the ball over the top for speedy Omer Riza to run onto and managed to beat the advancing Whitfield and managed to squeeze his shot just under the bar and into the back of the net to give United the lead with just four minutes left on the clock.

Omer Riza left the field dead on 90 to be replaced by Franco Nacca. Straight after the change the fourth official put up the board to say four minutes injury time was to be played.

In the fourth minute of injury time a Wrexham cross was turned behind by Nacca after not recieving a call to tell him he had time to send the ball upfield. The box was packed with players and Marshall was unable to get through the crowds to claim the corner which was met by Morgan to bring the scores level again. There was barely time for the restart and as soon as the game was underway again the ref blew up leaving fans and players with hands on heads totally gutted that again United had let a lead slip in injury time.

Full Time Score: Cambridge United 2 Wrxham 2

Cambridge United Marshall, Goodhind, Duncan, Angus, Wanless(c), Fleming, Kitson, Youngs, Bridges (Guttridge 61), Riza (Nacca 90), Jordan (Chillingworth 76)

Wrexham Dibble (Whitfield 75), Whitley, Holmes, Carey, Lawrence (Morgan 80), C Edwards, Ferguson(c), Morrell, Barrett, Pejic, Sam (Trundle 45)

UnitedWeStand Man of the Match
Dave Kitson
His hard work put United infront.

Other Match Reports
MJs Official Report
Official Wrexham
CFU

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