CAMBRIDGE UNITED v WOKING
3pm on Saturday 17 January 2009
The Cards resume their fight for league points with a tough trip to play-off chasing Cambridge United this Saturday. Woking have lost only once on their travels in their last eight league games, so their prospects are better than a casual glance at the league table might suggest. The U?s have a strong home record in the league but crashed 5-0 at home to Crawley Town in the Trophy on Wednesday night and have lost their top scorer, Scott Rendell.
WOKING
The Cards will still be missing Tom Hutchinson, recovering from his knee operation. Paolo Vernazza, who was not on the bench on Tuesday, is presumably still not fully fit after his hamstring injury. Bradley Quamina will be serving the second game of his two-game suspension after picking up ten yellow cards, but Gez Sole will be back in the reckoning, having served his ban.
Phil Gilchrist will need to decide whether to persevere up front with Tom Denton, who, admittedly, had a poor game on Tuesday night, but did not deserve the shameful barracking he received from a number of Woking fans. If common decency isn?t a good enough reason to refrain from this treatment of a young player learning his trade on loan, those responsible might care to reflect on the message this sends about the Club to young players whom Woking might wish to attract to Kingfield.
CAMBRIDGE
The U?s currently lie in 6th place in the table with 43 points from 25 games. They have won nine games at home, drawn three and lost two, scoring 18 goals and conceding only eight.
The U?s have been hit this week by the loss of top scorer Scott Rendell, who?s returned to Peterborough after United decided that they could not afford to continue the loan deal. Rendell has scored seven of the U?s last 12 goals, so is likely to be sorely missed. But Cambridge have signed midfielder Daryl McMahon from Stevenage Borough. In the absence of Rendell, manager Gary Brabin is expected to look to partner Danny Crow up front with the familiar figure of Mark Beesley or Chris Holroyd.
The U?s have some familiar Conference faces in their squad, including Danny Potter in goal, the experienced Wayne Hatswell and Phil Bolland in central defence, Paul Carden, Mark Convery and Jon Challinor in midfield and the speedy Courtney Pitt on the wing.
Recent Form
14 January: Cambridge United 0 Crawley Town 5 (FA Trophy)
28 December: Cambridge United 1 Stevenage Borough 1
26 December: Cambridge United 2 Histon 2
20 December: Cambridge United 4 Salisbury City 0
13 December: Histon 2 Cambridge United 3 (FA Trophy)
RECENT ENCOUNTERS
Our recent record against Cambridge has been none too impressive. In our last four encounters, Cambridge have won three, with one draw coming at Kingfield last season.
2006/07
Woking 0-1 Cambridge United
Cambridge United 3-0 Woking
2007/08
Woking 0-0 Cambridge United
Cambridge United 1-0 Woking
GETTING THERE
Abbey Stadium
Newmarket Road
Cambridge
CB5 8LN
Tel: 01223 566500
Website: http://www.cambridge-united.premiumtv.co.uk/
Coach
Leaves 11.30am. ?15 for members, ?20 non-members. Phone the Club Shop to book or turn up on the day.
Car
Leave M11 at J11 (s/p Cambridge A1309, Harston A10). Turn right at roundabout (s/p Cambridge A1309). Go straight on, at three sets of traffic lights, for 1.5 miles, then right at next set of lights (s/p Ring Road) into Long Road. Go straight on at next set of lights (s/p Ring Road) into Queen Edith?s Way. Follow ?ring road? signs at next five roundabouts into Newmarket Road. The ground is on the left after about half a mile.
Train
The fastest services leave KX at 15 minutes and 45 minutes past each hour, taking 46 minutes. So, for example, the 12.45pm service gets in at 13.31. You can get a Citibus C3 service or taxi from the station or walk for about 25/30 minutes to the ground. Walk away from station along Station Road and take first road on the right (Tenison Road). Take first road again on the right (Devonshire Road), follow round to the left, to next junction. Turn right, again, into Mill Road. Walk over railway bridge, take third road on the left (Sedgewick Street). Follow this road, pass a set of traffic-calming barriers and shops ? at this point you are in Cromwell Road ? to a T junction, Coldham?s Lane. Ahead of you should be a large field (Coldham?s Common). Go into this field and follow path under railway bridge to away turnstiles.
Come on, you Cards!
Don?t forget that the Cards are at home to Leatherhead in the Surrey Senior Cup on Tuesday 20 January and then have two vital home games, on Saturday 24 January and Tuesday 27 January, against Ebbsfleet United and Eastbourne Borough.
