FA National Futsal Super League

Sunday 6th May 2018 (4:30pm KO)

York Sport Arena

FT: York City 0 – 6 Cambridge United FC Futsal (HT:0 – 3)

Goals – Toby Hardwick (2), Vitalii Burnus, George Harlow, Monty Bouttell, Enrico Barnes

Squad – Jose Lima (GK), Chay Jakes (GK), Alberto Morcillo, Toby Hardwick ©, Monty Bouttell, Vitalii Burnus, Paulo Rodrigues, George Harlow, Jonathan Tofts, Greg Birch, Enrico Barnes

Head Coach – Luis Mendonca

Attendance – 125

Cambridge United FC Futsal reclaim 3rd place in the FA Futsal National Super League at York.

The bank holiday weekend saw Cambridge United FC Futsal travel north to face York City on Sunday at the impressive York Sport Arena.

United were without star man Angel Martinez but Paulo Rodrigues returned.

After the disappointing narrow 5-4 defeat against Oxford the previous weekend, United were determined to get back to winning ways in their quest for 3rd place whilst York City still needed a point to ensure National Super League safety.

Cambridge were well worth their 3-0 victory the last time the two sides met but Us Head Coach Luis Mendonca knew that his side would face a sterner test this time on York’s larger home court in front of their own crowd.

After the unusually below par performance against Oxford, the Us started well and were 1-0 up after just a minute with another well taken goal from that man Vitalii Burnus.

Cambridge were playing well, controlling possession and defending with discipline when they had to. York were unable to take advantage of the few chances that fell their way.

A clinical United made no such mistake and doubled their lead mid way through the first half when Paulo Rodrigues did well to intercept and his perfectly timed pass presented youngster George Harlow with a simple finish.

A composed Cambridge display was further rewarded when Toby Hardwick made it 3-0 from a well worked free kick on the edge of the York area and this is how it stayed until half time.

Coach Luis Mendonca ensured there was to be no complacency in the second half and it was soon 4-0 to United when some good Cambridge pressing saw Monty Bouttell win back possession and finish calmly from distance.

With York playing fly almost continually now, again Monty Bouttell pounced on some loose York possession and was brought down by the last York defender when clean through on goal. The York player was deservedly shown a straight red card to then be followed by the York goalkeeper who was shown a second yellow card for dissent. With two York players sent off as a result of the same incident, they were forced to play with 3 players, against United’s full complement of 5, and it was only a matter of time before Toby Hardwick finished from close range for his second of the game to make it 5-0 to the Us. However, as still within the allotted 2 minute penalty ‘power play’ period, United’s goal only meant that York could restore one of their two players. Again, Cambridge made no mistake with this 4v5 advantage and youngster Enrico Barnes got his first goal of the season to make it 6-0 which is how it stayed.

The comprehensive 6-0 victory for Cambridge United FC Futsal was a welcome and timely return to winning ways after the Oxford disappointment and also saw the Us move back above Birmingham into 3rd place in the FA National Futsal Super League, although Birmingham have a game in hand.

United’s last two fixtures of the season see them travel to leaders Reading Escolla next Sunday before finishing at rivals Loughborough the following weekend. Reading dropped their first points of the season in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the University of Cambridge Sports Centre earlier in the season so it is sure to be a close fought contest again with Reading needing a win to fend off title rivals Helvecia and Cambridge needing the win in the battle for 3rd.

Location

York Sport Arena