The Liam Manning era began with a draw this afternoon as the U's drew 1-1 at Morecambe.
Marcus Browne's first-half goal looked to have decided a tense affair, but Ash Hunter cruelly levelled with three minutes left to deny United a dream start for their new Head Coach.
Manning’s first line-up saw a full league debut for Oisin Smyth as the 1 in a 4-2-1-3 formation, with the robust Irishman also taking set pieces and running himself into the ground against a Morecambe side who had also gone five games without a win.
Former U’s midfielder Dan Crowley forced Simon Eastwood into an early save but that was the home side's only real effort until Hunter's late hearbreaker, while Yanic Wildschut had two similarly speculative efforts at the other end as the U's grew into the game.
They were patient, enjoying over 60 per cent of the possession in the first half, passing the ball neatly and stretching the game at all times. In the end that paid off five minutes before the break, when Wildschut barrelled away down the left and sent a perfect pass across the goal for Browne to tap home a simple finish that gave his side their precious lead.
Cameron Brannagan was outstanding, showing terrific determination all game, and almost doubled the lead with a free kick that home keeper Connor Ripley just about smuggled away just before the interval. However, Brannagan's typical energy was matched by Smyth and Marcus McGuane in the middle of the park as the whole team worked together for the greater cause.
That stifled Morecambe, who never quite built up the head of steam they needed as they chased the game. They found United a very hard team to break down, quite an achievement after just one week of intense training and a first clean sheet in 17 games was so close, but then Hunter found space on the left and let fly with his right foot to level and deny United the win they had come so close to claiming.
The last three games have seen steady progress each time and a win is coming. Today saw true commitment and a highly encouraging discipline and style, but those familiar shortcomings are going to take more than a week to iron out. We take a point that stops the rot, we edge closer to safety and we move on.
Bring me sunshine...
Att: 4,260
Away: 543
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds, Darrell Fisher