Accrington Web - Stanley v Cambridge Thread.

Great and deserved result today for Stanley. Draw was probably a fair reflection of the game. But what might have been if Stanley had not returned Cambridge's hospitality with a gift- wrapped opener? Cambridge had several tall players (that's not that surprising compared to Stanley) and it became clear from the rugby style kick off that one of their tactics would be to hoist high balls towards Stanley's box. Opener was down to Mr.Davies dithering on his line, then coming too late and leaving the U's centre forward (higher league loanee?) with an easy task of heading the ball over the late-arriving goalie. Atkinson may have done better with the aerial challenge but you'd think those two Stanley players would have worked things out between them for such situations. Having said that, Atkinson handled their CF pretty well for the rest of the game; no easy task.
For much of the rest of the first half Stanley appeared to have plenty of possession but to little end. Cambridge pressed into Stanley's half and harried the midfield and especially back four constantly.
Stanley's first ;) equaliser was well timed. 'Little' (see above) McGuire managed to knock the ball from under the Cambridge defender's feet near the half way line and it fell to Piero, who took off like an Italian Greyhound and superbly slotted the ball home.
Second half started much like the first. Fast and furious harrying from Cambridge, leading to a lofted ball into Stanley's penalty area whenever they got possession; Stanley trying to play passing football but with no real threat up front. McGuire ran himself to exhaustion but, like another CF of this parish, was too easily out muscled and knocked to the ground by their big CB(s). Windass was thus unable to help out much in his forward role.
Cambridge's second goal came late and looked to be the result of some lax defending, but I read on the fishy site that it took a deflection, so that might explain Davies's obvious disgust at the ball hitting the net. But the Cambridge player did seem to have plenty of space.
That looked like that but, not for the first and hopefully the last time, Stanley came good at the death. And if only Chubbyman had been there to see Mr.Hunt charge his way into the box and pick up the through ball. It seemed like the first time any Stanley player had managed to run into space behind the U's defence, and he was determined not to waste such a rare burst of speed. His shot at the near post was parried by their keeper but, after heart-stopping ping-pong on their 6 yard line with bodies and feet flying in all directions, and the ball coming down off the bar on the line, it was an equaliser in Murphy-time and a half.:)