Cambridge United aim to record their first triumph of the 2024/25 Sky Bet League One season this weekend as they welcome newly-promoted Crawley Town to the Cledara Abbey Stadium…
How to Watch
A bumper crowd is expected for Saturday’s league homecoming, which gets underway at 3pm in CB5. Tickets in the Petrest Main Stand, Newmarket Road End and North Habbin are all likely to sell out first, with space in the Mead Family Stand also dwindling rapidly.
To avoid disappointment, please purchase in advance by securing your place online at cufctickets.com or over the phone by calling 01223 566500 (option 1). All prices increase by £2 when buying in-person on the day.
CUFC TV will be on hand for those who have an account but are unable to attend. Overseas U’s fans can stream the game live, whilst those based in the UK can tune into audio commentary.
Opposition Focus
There’s plenty to admire about Crawley Town’s miraculous recent rise. Heading into last season, they were favourites for a drop to non-league for the first time since 2011, but thanks to 46 battle-hardened performances and three awe-inspiring play-off clashes, they steamrolled to an unlikely promotion to the third tier thanks to exceptional recruitment and man-management from legendary figure Scott Lindsey, who only arrived in January 2023.
From the XI that started the memorable 2-0 Wembley victory over Crewe Alexandra in May, just three players remain, so a summer of upheaval beckoned post-euphoria. So, for the second year on the bounce, it’s all about survival. A mammoth challenge awaits them, but don’t write off this side – unfancied, but certainly unfazed.
So far, so good. The perfect introduction saw the Red Devils begin life with a 2-1 success over Blackpool on home soil, before continuing the 100% start by overcoming Swindon Town 4-2 in a thriller to book an away tie against Brighton & Hove Albion in Round Two.
The new-look squad may lack depth currently, but Lindsey squeezes out all of their strengths and delivers a clear style that all abide to. Jojo Wollacott is the man between the sticks, with a back three of Joy Mukena, Toby Mullarkey and former FC Volendam man Josh Flint ahead of him. Scott Malone arrived in the summer with heaps of experience and his know-how will be instrumental, whilst captain Jay Williams and the returning Panutche Camara pull the strings in the middle of the park.
Further up the ranks, Junior Quitirna and Ronan Darcy are exciting attacking threats, with a pair of former U’s loanees Jack Roles and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy itching for a start thanks to impressive early form. Like Jeremy Kelly, new signing Tola Showunmi has been snapped up from the United States and will hope to take this level in their stride.
Form Guide
- 27/07/2024 – Crawley Town 3-6 Crystal Palace – Pre-Season Friendly
- 30/07/2024 – Aldershot Town 1-2 Crawley Town – Pre-Season Friendly
- 03/08/2024 – Ebbsfleet United 1-1 Crawley Town – Pre-Season Friendly
- 10/08/2024 – Crawley Town 2-1 Blackpool – Sky Bet League One
- 13/08/2024 – Crawley Town 4-3 Swindon Town – Carabao Cup Round One
The Amber Angle
In the face of back-to-back defeats, the U’s approach is an optimistic one thanks to a really front-footed and energetic performance throughout their slender 1-2 Carabao Cup defeat to higher-league QPR in midweek.
United had it all to do heading into the break at CB5 following instinctive finishes from Michael Frey and Paul Smyth, but to their credit they came out of the blocks firing by carving out an array of golden chances against the R’s. Although Paul Digby reduced the advantage on the hour mark, their persistence couldn’t quite pay off as they bowed out.
Reflecting straight after the whistle, a satisfied Garry Monk stated: “Where do I start? It’s one of those nights where you’re disappointed with the result obviously, but I could not be any prouder of that performance… It was a good representation of what we want to try and be this season and it all came out in that game.”
Applauded off the pitch, there was a real sense of enthusiasm within the ground courtesy of some standout individual performances and overall entertainment factor on offer. Deliver that on a consistent basis and the U’s will enjoy a really strong season – the task now, to showcase that and tally their first points of 2024/25 against a fellow underdog.
Form Guide
- 27/07/2024 – Ebbsfleet United 1-3 Cambridge United – Pre-Season Friendly
- 02/08/2024 – Cambridge United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion – Pre-Season Friendly
- 03/08/2024 – Colchester United 6-0 Cambridge United – Pre-Season Friendly
- 10/08/2024 – Stockport County 2-0 Cambridge United – Sky Bet League One
- 13/08/2024 – Cambridge United 1-2 QPR – Carabao Cup Round One
Quick Quotes
Monk on the visitors: “They’ve been touted, like us, as cannon fodder for the season – I know full well they’re nowhere near that… This will be a really extremely difficult game for us.
“My expectations of ‘this should be our first three points’ is not there, but what we do want to do is make it our three points. We’ll be doing everything we can to make sure of that.”
Monk on expectations: “Crawley basically are doing what we’re trying to do. They’re really good in the build-up, it’s quite literally a clash of the same styles. Often what that means is the game will be a very transitional game, it will be who can win those key moments in transitions. It will be a lot of heavy pressing on each other, a lot of congestion and man-to-man situations.
“I think it’s whoever comes out on top of the individual battles will more than likely win the game.”
Team News
The Head Coach confirmed that Kell Watts is available for selection despite missing Tuesday’s cup match, with no injuries fortunately picked up. Nonetheless, Gary Gardner, Jordan Cousins, George Hoddle and Ryan Loft all remain on the sidelines.
Head-to-Head
- Cambridge United wins: 9
- Crawley Town wins: 12
- Draws: 4
Last Time We Met
Saturday 30th January 2021 – Cambridge United 3-1 Crawley Town – Sky Bet League Two
Three-and-a-half years ago, the U’s accelerated their promotion charge towards the third tier with a commendable 3-1 victory at the Abbey. Joe Ironside’s 10th of the campaign was immediately cancelled out by Jake Hessenthaler, but a barnstorming strike from Kyle Knoyle on the brink of half-time restored the hosts’ lead. Their attacking impetus helped put the game to bed in the dying embers when a neat Wes Hoolahan attempt helped to cement their place at the summit of the division. The Red Devils went on to claim 12th place and the rest was history for Mark Bonner’s men.
Boot in Both Camps
Appearing for both at opposite ends of a strong footballing career, Kwesi Appiah is safely locked as a cult hero and a respected figure by both Cambridge and Crawley. Linking up with Crystal Palace in 2012 following a devastating spell with non-league Margate, the former Ghanaian international bulged the onion bag on 18 occasions over two loan spells at CB5 in 2013 and 2014 before finding new homes in AFC Wimbledon, Indian Super League outfit NorthEast United and the Red Devils as recently as 2023. The 33-year-old currently plies his trade in the National League South with Boreham Wood.
Officials
- Referee: David Rock
- Assistant Referee: Oliver Bickle
- Assistant Referee: Stuart Kane
- Fourth Official: Wayne Cartmel
