United won their first away game in twelve attempts as they triumphed at Stafford for the second year in a row. A fifth strike of the season from Matt Green saw United home in a game they dominated without taking their chances.

Played in a constant light drizzle on a grey March afternoon United had the first chance on just three minutes as they sprang the Stafford offside trap and Matt Green's low cross was knocked over his own bar by home captain Wayne Daniel as Justin Richards homed in on it. That home defence was playing very high up the pitch and leaving plenty of space in behind it and was  caught out again on ten minutes as Green got to the by-line with ease and crossed for left winger Phil Trainer whose powerful header missed the goal by no more than a foot.

The U's were in control and on twelve minutes they made the breakthrough with a goal which had been coming ever since the first whistle. Luke Foster joined the attack and skipped through a challenge then Eddie Analclet nicked the ball through and Green, inside the area, powered the ball home to give home keeper Danny Alcock no chance from fifteen yards. The Cardiff youngster has a great eye for a goal and clearly loves scoring, running the length of the pitch to celebrate with the superb away fans.

Stafford had a couple of snap shots  from distance fly into the arms of Turley and then just wide and played with more conviction than their league position had suggested but looked porous at the back and were clearly troubled by the pace and power of Green and the ever willing Richards. It was Richards who span and fired wide from the edge of the box on 23 minutes after an astute pass from Hand, very influential in the middle of the park. Hand's role was key with United looking to get the ball over the top of that Stafford back line rather than playing it through midfield, which left Adam Murray chasing the ball in the first half rather than able to get on it and spray passes around.

United almost doubled their lead when a fine ball from Anaclet sent Hand running down the right wing on 40 minutes and his cross picked out Green once again only for the shot to fly over from eighteen yards and then only the heels of a defender stopped Green from releasing Richards moments later. All of which meant just a 1-0 lead at half time despite dominating much of the game.

The excellent Anaclet then had two chances in the first two minutes of the second half to kill the game off. First he did very well to hold play up as Turley cleared quickly and then latched on to a Hand return pass to test Alcock from eight yards, and Anaclet then saw a left footed shot go just the wrong side of the post after Richards had dummied a Green cross inside the area.

Playing with more tempo, and closing Stafford down quicker, United were starting to flow forward and on 62 only a great save from Alcock denied Green again as he tried to touch home Anaclet's cross after the best move of the match and a magnificent 30 yard Murray pass had carved the home side open. Chances were coming by the minute and sub Craig McAllister should have finished the game on 66 but chose to try and square the ball for Hand inside the area rather than shoot from the edge of the box.

Home boss Steve Bull knows his side are in a desperate situation in the league and went for broke on 68 minutes by throwing on another striker and leaving one man less at the back, and it nearly backfired as another superb passing move saw McAllister send in a shot which was destined for the bottom corner of the net until Alcock's fingertips touched it round the post.  Alcock and Bull indeed...

Stafford huffed and puffed but found United's defence in uncharitable mood and with the increasingly influential Murray and Hand running the show in midfield the boys in blue were playing some good stuff despite the conditions.  Green fizzed yet another effort wide with six minutes to go and his energy levels were extraordinary on such a strength sapping pitch, Trainer saw a right footed drive saved by Alcock once again on 87 and it might have been four or five nil by the end. The last effort saw Adam Murray try and find the empty net in injury time after Man of the Match Alcock had fluffed a clearance, but by then the game was up and Stafford had accepted their fate.

Stafford battled hard and look to have hope for the future in Bull, although it looks as though they are doomed this season. For United an important win even if the points are almost irrelevant

A win in a no win situation...

 Att: 962

Away:  277 (and wet)

Report: Chris Williams, pictures Darrell Fisher

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