A second-half blitz from The U's earned them their sixth straight home win with a hard fought victory over Barrow. Goals after the break from Craig Farrell, Lewis Haldane and Yemi Odubade gave United all three points although it took plenty of hard work to overcome a stubborn Barrow.
With new signing Simon Clist replacing Eddie Hutchinson in central midfield and James Constable back in place of Farrell at first it took United a little while to hit their stride, despite Adam Murray sending a long range effort just over and Haldane causing chaos with a driving run from halfway inside the first ten minutes.
The visitors were understandably slower out of the blocks, having left home at 7am for a six hour coach journey, but did have a couple of early strikes from distance without troubling Billy Turley too much. When United did get through their keeper Alan Martin was there to save well from another Haldane effort on sixteen, and like Lewes in the previous game the visitors were raising their efforts and defying the form book.
Wide men Haldane and Craig Nelthorpe were the ones catching the eye with neat flicks and some quality crosses, given the foundation by the ever steady Adam Chapman deep in midfield, but a pitch that was rock hard on one side and soft on the other was proving a good test for both teams and chances were rare in the first 45 minutes.
Maybe because of the pitch, tackles where flying in and just before the break, the game decended into an Antiguian cricket style farce. Nat Kerr had already been booked for handbags with Nelthorpe when Haldane popped up on the left flank and touched it past him. Haldane may have fallen a little dramatically but ref Cummins was straight on the spot to show the yellow card again, seemingly at Kerr. Kerr trotted away, Marcus Holness trotted forward and everyone in the ground waited for Kerr to be shown the red card. Assistant Rushton even called the ref towards him to explain he had double yellowed Kerr, but Mr Cummins insisted that the card was aimed at Holness. In a crowd of 4,532 that means one pair of eyes seeing things differently to all the others. I think it was the bizarrest decision seen in any game at the Kassam Stadium.
Instead of facing ten men United now went the other way about it and had the crowd as their twelfth man.Farrell replaced Nelthorpe and instantly forced Martin into a very good save inside the first minute of the second half. Indeed the former Carlisle striker might have had three goals in the first five minutes, being inches away from the finishing touch as United raised their game. He seemed to form an instant partnership with James Constable as they teamed up for the first time, and Barrow now had even more problems keeping The U's at bay.
Haldane blazed another chance over on 52 minutes, then on the hour came the clearest chance so far as Chris Carruthers' low drive came back off the post but Adam Chapman somehow steered the ball wide of the gaping goal from six yards as it came back to him. Thankfully it wasn't decisive.
All that we needed was a goal, but The U's have learned the art of patience and on 62 deservedly took the lead as Farrell found the killer touch. Strike partner Constable strode forward then timed his pass perfectly for Farrell to race clear. Martin came out, Farrell was too foxy for him, and a calm right footed pass went past the keeper and into the back of the net for the striker's first goal for the club.
United had a warning as Andy Bond fired just wide for Barrow on 69 minutes but were otherwise on top and playing like a side full of belief. It was a million miles away from the shambolic opening to the season at Barrow. Six straight home wins will do that for a side. Batt had a shot saved on 75, Foster headed powerfully wide on 77 from a Murray corner, before Haldane killed the game off.
In a week whcih saw the Welsh under 21 international called into the England C squad the on-loan Bristol Rovers winger reminded us all what a simple game football can actually be. First you run at your man for 79 minutes until he is bemused and demoralised. Then you drive at him one more time, wait until he commits himself to the challenge and skip past him. Once inside the box you look up and plant the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0.
And if you want revenge for a 3-0 defeat earlier in the season then three goals is ideal, and with five minutes left it came courtesy of sub Odubade. Murray, equally effective in an orthodox midfield role in the second half as up front in the first, once more unlocked the Barrow defence with a magnificent ball towards the right hand post where Odubade was arriving at speed to apply a decisive final touch and make sure that everyone went home smiling. (Perhaps exept for the 148 away fans who had supported their team so admirably and were left with just a quiet and very long journey home)
United remain unbeaten in the Year of the Ox. The impossible dream lives on...
Report by Chris Williams
See it all in GALLERY
Hear the reaction in Yellow World
Att: 4532
Away: 148
