Cambridge United: March 2014

Hello friends and welcome back to another update on my Cambridge FMS. This is a shorter one month post so that I’m able to wrap the season up in my next one without it becoming too long.

March 2014

The first game of the month was away to Leeds who were on a four game win streak and quite rightly favourites for the match. After a very intense first half Leeds took the lead in the 53rd minute taking advantage of our unfit right back and catching Maloney well up the field. I had to bring on LB Fernandez into this area and that immediately made a difference and we began to create decent chances. Julien Gorius grabbed the equalizer from a Fernandez through ball with seven minutes to go and deep into injury time the Spaniard found super sub Gibson who unselfishly squared the ball to Gorius to smash home the winner.

Following that excellent win at Elland Road we suffered two back to back defeats in which we got hammered away to Doncaster and followed that with a miserable effort at home to Plymouth. There could not have been a worse time to hit form like this especially with our next game….

FA CUP SIXTH ROUND: MARCH 15TH 2014

CAMBRIDGE UNITED V BIRMINGHAM CITY

A packed Abbey Stadium gave a warm reception to EPL side Birmingham City and the excitement was at fever pitch as the game kicked off. The visitors were soon keeping us busy but Wootten and Bennett were rock solid in the centre of defence and up the other end Fernandez was causing trouble with his curling free kicks but at the half it remained 0-0. As with the first half Birmingham started the stronger but failed to capitalize on their chances. Then on the 70th minute Darko Bodul (he’s going to be transferred by the way) gives the ball away in midfield, Birmingham attack — a shot – pushed away by GK Deniz Mehmet – another shot, again pushed away – a third shot……saved! Ball rolled out by Mehmet to Fernandez who quickly finds Walcott down the left flank and he speeds away like a greyhound and fierce shot – under the keeper 1-0!!!! Birmingham now pile everyone forward and for the next 14 minutes we defend resolutely and with time running out Fernandez finds substitute Smith down the left flank another breakaway – a cross ball and its Baston 2-0!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The stadium erupts like never before as we book our place in the semi-finals of The FA Cup!!

The draw for the semi-final was made and we will face Stoke City which considering the other half of the draw is probably the best we could hope for.

Following yet another FA Cup triumph I was approached by Birmingham’s rivals Aston Villa. I’ve delayed my decision until the end of the season which Villa agreed to.

The FA Cup had a negative effect on our league performance as we had to rely on a penalty converted by Julien Gorius to beat Hull by a single goal and by the time we played Peterborough three days later fatigue was a huge issue. I had to replace the entire team with back up players who struggled throughout the match but held on to gain a point.

For the final game of a very busy month we went to Loftus Road to take on QPR. Borja Baston gave us the lead with a powerful shot into the roof of the net from a Walcott though ball though it didn’t take that long for the home side to equalize from a corner. Javi Lopeze supplied the cross for a wicked glancing header by Baston to send us in front on the stroke of half time and as the second half progressed QPR once more brought the game back on level terms again from a corner. On came super sub Anthony Gibson with 15 minutes remaining and shortly after he met a curling free kick on the volley from Hernandez to send us in front once more. That was enough to demoralize the home side and we took the much needed three points.

Results Summary

League Table

We are still right in the thick of things and have a decent shot at automatic promtion which will be helped greatly if we can beat Bolton in the opening game of next month and we have a difficult away games to Sheffield United and Leicester. We will of course make an historic trip to Wembley for our FA Cup semi-final match against Stoke City.

Fixtures

That completes this update which I didn’t think I would bring to you so soon so I appreciate you taking the time to read back to back postings.