Spirited U's hold league leaders
Cambridge United shared the spoils with Grimsby Town after putting in a dogged display against the league leaders.
Injury-hit United had chances themselves, with Matthew Fletcher and Curtis Haynes-Brown going close early on.
Andy Cook hit the bar for the Mariners, before seeing his follow-up effort headed off the line by Josh Coulson. In the second period Mariners substitute Richard Brodie struck the bar, but United held on.
FULL TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-0 GRIMSBY TOWN
16.49: One last save from Ross, who holds on to a centre from Colbeck, and that’s full time. United more than deserve their point, having battled well to stay with the league leaders for 90 minutes.
16.45: Into the last minute, three minutes to be added.
15.41: The sponsors have chosen Rory McAuley as the May I Claim Man of the Match. Meanwhile Tom Shaw is ready to replace Curtis Haynes-Brown, who has put in a shift on the left.
16.39: That’s a free kick to Grimsby right on the corner of the box, McAuley tangling with Brodie. Luckily the delivery from Colbeck isn’t the best and United clear.
16.35: United inches away from taking the lead. Pugh picks Thomas’s pocket and he and Wassmer feed the ball inside to Rossi Jarvis, who sets himself and fires a shot across the keeper and just wide of the post.
16.31: Joe Colbeck coming on for Grimsby, he’s rather surprisingly replacing Devitt. United also making a change, Wellard coming on for Fletcher, who did well in the first half but had less of the ball in the second.
16.29: Thomas cross put behind by Jennings. Corner to Grimsby which Marshall will take, but it’s poor and Pugh can clear.
16.28: Crikey, that was close, Devitt powering into the box but sliding a shot just wide of the post under pressue.
16.27: The visitors pushing hard for the opening goal at the moment, United having to defend studiously. Today’s attendance is 2,764 (away 699).
16.18: Grimsby catch United out with a big switch to their left where Devitt is lurking. He advances into the box and drives in a low shot which Ross saves with his legs. Resulting corner is headed away by Wassmer, the visitors turning the screw here.
16.13: YELLOW CARD. That’ll be a booking for Jarvis, who charges Thomas off the ball as he bombs forward down the left. Wassmer and Pugh had been caught out there so probably a good one for Jarvis to take for the team. Free kick Grimsby, taken short to Marshall, who shoots. Brodie gets in the way and deflects the ball into the net, but his joy is short lived with the offside flag denying him a goal.
16.10: Grimsby hit the bar again. Ball chipped in by Brodie, Ross leaves it, presumably thinking it’s going over, but sees the ball strike the bar. Town get it into the box again, and Brodie throws himself to the ground under challenge from Wassmer. The referee isn’t amused, and Brodie and Wassmer continue to argue for several minutes before the ref gives them a talking to.
16.09: Grimsby corner on their left now, Devitt to take but Pugh is able to control and clear.
16.07: Free kick into the box from Jarvis. Coulson wins the first header but Grimsby get it away as far as CHB, who gets to the byline and wins a corner off Marshall. Jarvis with a deep delivery this time, Gash can’t get his header under control and the Mariners clear.
16.06: YELLOW CARD. Fletcher’s shot on the half-turn is saved quite comfortably by McKeown. Moments later Ian Miller becomes the first man in the book for a sliding tackle on Gash.
16.01: Back underway, no changes.
HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-0 GRIMSBY TOWN
15.43: CHB cleaned out by Hatton, the ref tries to play advantage but United can’t profit so it’s a free kick. Jennings takes, and its headed clear. One minute to be added, and as we go into stoppage time Marshall gets the better of Jennings but his shot is blocked by the diving Coulson. Josh will need treatment as the referee blows for half-time. Enjoyable half that, United more than holding their own against the leaders.
15.41: Several very dubious offside calls going against United courtesy of the assistant referee on the Habbin side. Fletcher and CHB both flagged when their runs started from onside positions. Ho hum. It should be said the referee is doing alright, letting quite a lot of physical stuff go which I don’t mind as long as he’s consistent
15.34: United have found their feet again in the last few minutes. McAuley with a shot blocked, then the ball reaches Pugh on the right. He twists and turns, and chips the ball up to Fletcher, whose shot is blocked by a diving defender. The U’s build again down the left with Jennings and CHB, who lays it in to Hughes, who smashes wide from 20 yards.
15.28: Pugh finding plenty of space on the right, this time he drifts a cross is towards Haynes-Brown, who is charged off the ball by Pearson and as a result can only head back across goal and it’s cleared. Crowd want a penalty, can see why, Pearson made not attempt to play the ball.
15.25: Cook hasn’t recovered from that injury, he’ll be replaced by Richard Brodie, who receives an, er, warm, welcome from the home fans.
15.19: Good play from Gash to find Pugh, who gets it forward to Fletcher in the right channel. He goes past Hatton but Thomas races across to put the ball behind. Jarvis’ corner is headed clear. He picks the ball up and lays it in to Wassmer, who hammers a volley wide. Don’t think it would’ve counted though, as the referee has blown up due to a head injury to Grimsby’s Cook.
15.14: Devitt goes down under pressure from Wassmer, free kick Grimsby right on the corner of the box. Hatton takes aim and fires in a curling shot which clears the cross bar. Prior to that Devitt had fired in a long range shot which Ross spilled. Fortunately McAuley thumped it away.
15.12: Good ball from Hughes releases Haynes-Brown, who fires in a low cross on the run which McKeown nearly fumbles into his own goal. Luckily it hits a defender and the keeper can gather.
15.09: United struggling to retain the ball at present. Grimsby look dangerous every time they go forward, particularly down the right with Marshall. Hannah finds the winger in space in the box, but Coulson is on hand to head his cross away from inside the six yard box.
15.04: Close from Grimsby, Hannah finds Devitt in space, his cross picks out Cook but his header canons back off the top of the bar. Devitt seizes on the rebound and chips it back in, but as Cook heads goalwards Josh Coulson is on hand to head off the line. United just about clear their lines from the resulting corner, danger over. For now.
15.01: Corner is deep from Jarvis, over Gash but McAuley meets it and heads goalwards. The ball finds Fletcher who turns but guides a left-footed volley over the bar from six yards. Might feel he should’ve done better there, that was half a chance.
14.59: Good first touch for Fletcher, getting Haynes-Brown away down the left. CHB fires in a decent cross which is headed behind with Gash looking to pounce. Corner is cleared but United win it back and find Pugh on the right, but McKeown is equal to his shot and parries it behind.
14.58: Grimsby get us underway, attacking the Newmarket Road End.
14.56: The teams are out. United in their usual amber and black, Grimsby all in blue.
14.56: The teams are out. United in their usual amber and black, Grimsby all in blue.
14.51: Grimsby won 1-0 here last season, Anthony Elding scoring the only goal. In 2010/11, Town’s first season in the Conference, this fixture finished 1-1, Danny Wright on target for the U’s.
Cambridge United: Ross, Wassmer, Jennings, Coulson, McAuley, Pugh, Haynes-Brown, Hughes, Jarvis, Gash, Fletcher. Subs: Hedge, Shaw, Wellard, Hudson, Brighton.
Grimsby Town: McKeown, Hatton, Thomas, Pearson, Miller, Marshall, Devitt, Niven, Disley, Hannah, Cook. Subs: Colbeck, Brodie, Ford, Wood, Thanoj.
14.35: TEAM NEWS. United make three changes from the Nuneaton match, with Curtis Haynes-Brown making his second start for the U’s, and two debutants coming into the side – defender Charlie Wassmer and yesterday’s loan signing from Sheffield Wednesday, Matthew Fletcher. Billy Gibson (injured), Tom Shaw, and Jonathon Thorpe, now on loan at Tamworth, make way.
Grimsby’s line-up is packed with quality and experience, from defender Ian Miller, through skipper Craig Disley in midfield to prolific strikers Andy Cook and Ross Hannah.
14.30: Good afternoon and welcome to a chilly R Costings Abbey Stadium for this afternoon’s match between Cambridge United and Grimsby Town. Injury-hit United will be looking to put their disappointing defeat to Nuneaton behind them, but face a really difficult task against the league leaders.