Cambridge University 0-0 Arthurian League, Grange Road, January 23^rd 2007

With two games prior to Christmas aborted, the Arthurian League Representative side began its 2006/7 campaign with a trip to Grange Road to face the traditionally strong Light Blues on a cold but calm and clear night.

Late cry-offs meant that a squad of sixteen had been reduced to thirteen the day before the game and eleven by the morning of the match - less than ideal preparation for one of the hardest fixtures of the season.

However, the side that did travel was a strong one with a formidable spine made up of Lancing goalkeeper James Butcher, Cholms captain and centre-half Joe Adams, who was partnered by Forest debutant Alex Donnellan, club teammate Rob Marshall who anchored the midfield, supported by two more Rep side debutants, Cholms` Luke Davey and Tonbridge skipper James Lockwood and up front, Eton skipper Matt Lowe, who performed in his usual role as a lone striker.

Harrovian pair David Lederman and Piers Bourke withdrew from their usual wide midfield roles to play at right and left full-back respectively. Westminster`s Heneage Stevenson, who along with James Lockwood was a member of the Cambridge side a few years ago, made his Rep team debut on the right wing with Chigwell forward Oli Compton moved onto the left.

With the pitch in excellent condition, the visitors made a confident start, passing the ball around nicely and keeping possession more confidently than on previous occasions at Grange Road. As per usual, the University team looked to spring their wide players with long balls knocked over the top of the full-backs but Adams and Donnellan looked commanding at centre-back and with Lederman and Bourke sticking well to their defensive duties, the Arthurian League side had little to trouble them during the first half.

In attack, Stevenson was showing some pace and determination down the right leading to several opportunities being created and Compton was holding his own down the left. In midfield, the physically-powerful trio of Marshall, Davey and Lockwood were getting the better of their opponents and although Matt Lowe was starved of any clear-cut chances, he was receiving plenty of possession from the midfield area and distributing it well.

With chances at both ends at a premium, set-pieces proved the most likely route to goal with the Arthurian League twice going close from corners before Lederman just failed to find either Lockwood or Lowe from a free-kick on the right. However the visitors lost a bit of momentum in the fifteen minutes before the break as the University side made the first of some numerous personnel changes, which seemed to reinvigorate them.

Despite this, the sides went in level at half-time after an entertaining 45 minutes and the mood in the visitor`s dressing-room was extremely positive. Maintaining their 4-5-1 formation but hoping to get more support to the wide men who were looking dangerous, the reds took to the field knowing that it was the best chance for victory over Cambridge that they had been presented with for several seasons.

Ominously however, it was the home side that started the second half the better and for fifteen minutes the Arthurian side looked stretched for the first time in the game. Although Butcher was still not asked to make any save of note, several corners and throw-ins were procured by Cambridge and the constant supply of reinforcements from the bench looked as though it may begin to pay dividends.

Having come through this nervous spell with their clean sheet in tact, the reds began to come out of their shell and the game suddenly opened up, with play transferring from end to end in exciting fashion. Heneage Stevenson made several fine runs down the right which resulted in a number of chances.

Alex Donnellan had a free header from a corner which was cleared off the line and Lederman then failed to deliver a good enough ball from a free-kick close in. The students began to look the more tired side and several late and desperate challenges led to bookings for two of them.

In a fifteen minute spell in the middle of the second half the game could have been won and lost by both sides. Superb forward play by Lowe saw him fire inches wide of the far post when well placed and he then came even closer a few minutes later, curling the ball over the `keeper only for it to come back off the crossbar.

The Etonian then turned supplier as a fine Arthurian move led to him crossing from the right only for the on-rushing Bourke to blaze his shot high and wide. Luke Davey also began coming into the game more as the half wore on and he made a number of fine breaks from midfield only to be stopped by a desperate Cambridge defence.

But with the visitors looking well capable of earning a fine win, they were nearly to fall behind from a spectacular Cambridge effort a quarter of an hour from full-time. A corner was half-cleared from the right and from the resulting head tennis that ensued, an acrobatic bicycle kick was executed to perfection, its trajectory only prevented from finding the top corner by a fingertip save from Butcher, who tipped the ball onto the bar before it was cleared. It was a fine save, especially given that he had so little to do prior to that moment.

In the final fifteen minutes, neither side was able to fashion any clear-cut chances and the game ended goalless, although it had been an enjoyable encounter for the spectators present.

For the Arthurian League all eleven players contributed to the performance with the four debutants all doing themselves enormous credit. Joe Adams and Alex Donnellan were superb at centre-half and Matt Lowe showed why he is one of the most feared strikers in the League. A fine all-round effort from the League side who can now look forward to their remaining fixtures with confidence.

Arthurian League (4-5-1): James Butcher (Lancing); David Lederman (Harrow), Joe Adams (Cholms), Alex Donnellan (Forest), Piers Bourke (Harrow); Heneage Stevenson (Westminster), Rob Marshall (Forest), Luke Davey (Cholms), James Lockwood (Tonbridge), Oli Compton (Chigwell); Matt Lowe (Eton)