Amber Army on the march to Old Trafford

Labour MP candidate for Cambridge DANIEL ZEICHNER woos us with his match report

Amber Army Cambridge cambridge united FA cup football Manchester United Sport

Sprits were high on the bus; the Amber Army was marching to conquer The North. It turned out to be one of those nights, where the score misses the point. The Cambridge turnout was outstanding – it felt as if the Abbey’s atmosphere had been transported to Old Trafford.

The atmosphere was full of gossip. Giggs had been revived, Fergie had chosen the pre-match playlist and Beckham had picked the formation. They were afraid, and rightly so.

Look they’re terrified!

The game got off to an excellent start, when Cambridge striker Tom Elliott was clean through in the opening minutes with the best chance of the tie. The dream was alive, or so it seemed. But the post shuddered and the moment passed.

Things then began to look a little iffy when Richard Money was reported to have lost his hat. A bad omen, I thought. But the Manchester United fans were curiously quiet, as the Amber Army goaded them: “we support our local team”!! I am told that the only commentary to be heard on the TV coverage was “We Are Amber Army”.

The Army was out in full force

The Us held their own for half an hour until Mata pushed one in from a corner, and a second soon followed. Others might have buckled but Cambridge showed their mettle. Their formation stayed tight, and they stayed competitive.

A second goal before the break by Rojo meant that the game was essentially over, but it did not dampen the spirt of the crowd or the fight of the players. They went into the break 2-0 down but came out and started the second half strong and refused to lie down, showing the fighting spirit that got the promoted last season.

A third goal in the second half finished the contest. But the game ended as it began: with a near miss, this time from McGeehan. It would have been nice to see a goal for Cambridge at Old Trafford but the performance they put in was brilliant enough to make the traveling fans happy.

A brilliant and resilient team!

7.2 million people watched the first game on TV and the second game was the biggest crowd any Cambridge team has played in front of. A big payday and a match that all members of the club will remember for the rest of their careers is a great way to end this years Cup run. Fans and players alike were reluctant to leave – everyone had done Cambridge proud! And Richard Money realized he had had his hat all along.

For the thousands of Cambridge fans that sang their hearts out all night long every player in yellow and black was a hero. I would urge any students with some spare time on their hands to get down to the Abbey and support their local club. You never know, you might get to see Man U.