Cambridge United (H) Tue October 27th, 7pm

Match Centre 24/25 Match Centre 20/21
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"Of that district I prefer
The lovely hamlet Grantchester
For Cambridge people rarely smile
Being urban, squat, and packed with guile"

Rupert Brooke

As the fixtures pile up thick and fast, we face what is undoubtedly our biggest test of the season so far. The U’s currently lie in 2nd place in the League 2 table, and they are the leading goalscorers by something approaching a country mile (19 scored, compared with our 10). Elected to the Football League in 1970, they’ve almost perfected the art of the yo-yo - only the top tier has been denied to them, and they’ve also exited and re-entered the League in that time. Their current playing squad doesn’t reveal any ex-Saddlers, but goalkeeper John Ruddy started his football career there, and of course Richard Money was the U’s manager for 3 years (2012-2015). Current form is:-

October 3rd Exeter City (A) Lost 2-0
October 10th Newport County (H) Won 2-1
October 17th Scunthorpe United (A) Won 0-5
October 20th Port Vale (H) Won 3-1
October 24th Bolton Wanderers (H) Drew 1-1

The 5-nil away win at Scunthorpe may seem to be a flash in the pan, until you see that this was merely a repeat of their showing at Morecambe in September, another 5-0 away win. It’s evident that Cambridge United (on their day) can “score for fun”, and the prospect of our defence gifting them a couple for good measure sends shivers where they are not required.

Darrell Clarke has apparently admitted that he got his team selection wrong for the game at Barrow, so we can probably expect further tinkering as he attempts to get things back on track. There are two certainties at present … (a) We are the only team in the entire Football League still undefeated, but (b) Only winning a quarter of our matches isn’t going to see us racing up the table.

Team selection for this one largely depends on the injury situation - we know that “Flash” Gordon will not be available, and there must be doubts over Rory Holden and James Clarke. There also hasn’t been any news as to the progress of Cockerill-Mollett … as always, we shall have to wait and see.

Prediction? If we can preserve our unbeaten run at the end of this match it’s probably all we can hope for. The U’s have only conceded 5 goals in their 8 games, so scoring won’t be easy for us (and neither will defending!!). Let’s go for a streaky 1-1 draw. Scorer irrelevant.

UTS

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About time Irrelevant started pulling his weight and got a goal or two.

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4-4 draw

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This is where the unbeaten run ends. Our defence/goalkeeper always has a mistake in them and Cambridge will make it count.

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Depends if we manage to score first. If Cambridge score first they win.

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I think we will win…2-0 !!!

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1-1 for me

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As others have said we do tend to raise our game against better teams and in bigger games. Will go for a much needed morale boosting 3-2 win with some good attacking play and couple of defensive errors as per usual.UTS

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Who is making the mistake to give them a goal this game? I’m going for Zak Jules.

1-1

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Scarrs due one :smile:

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I just hope they don’t decide to all drop one in the same game otherwise it could be a drubbing :grin:

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14-0. In yer face, Ajax.

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Someone has gotta get a thumping soon, this is the game, Walsall 1-0
Scarr with the winner.

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You have been warned about taking too many of those happy pills with the smiley faces before! :wink:
Think this will be the end of our undefeated run, we have too many generous individual errors in our defence which they will exploit to the full, they look a very strong team.
I would love to get a point out of this game but don’t see where any equalising goals are going to come from.
0-3, bad day at the office, then onwards and upwards…but lets actually WIN some games…

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Some interesting common players. Roy McDonough, Darren Byfield, Gareth Ainsworth…Steve Claridge, Jabo Ibehre

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Looks a nailed on away win, but football is a funny old game, so 3-1 to the Saddlers.

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Think we’ll show up tomorrow and win comfortably 2-0👍🏻

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Tricky one to call even with the mass drawing run.

Cambridge miles better than last season and added Hoolahan who’s given them more quality in final third despite not being far off 40 now.

Will go for a shock 1-1 prediction!

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Indeed. Hoolahan is a quality player and a great capture for them.

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Not only that, before Saturday, they were boasting that with 18 goals, they were Europe’s leading scorers (although Ajax’s 13-0 win at the week-end scuppered that record). Prolific as they are, nevertheless, with a Saddlers defence prone to the not infrequent error and Tinkerman respectfully shuffling to pack to play a 9-0-1 formation, I’ll go with a 0-0.