Taylor’s plans hampered by map-reading error (04.05.06)

A MAKESHIFT Magpies team capped a disappointing season with a heavy defeat away to promotion hopefuls Histon on Saturday.
Already facing an uphill struggle, United’s hopes of recording an unlikely win were further hampered when Chris Wild and Dean Bradshaw went missing on the way to the game, only showing up for the second half.
A rueful Carl Taylor said: “It probably sums up our season. Chris and Dean were ahead of us in the traffic jam on the M11.
“We came off the motorway but they didn’t pick up the signs for Cambridge and went the other way.
“I got a call from them asking where the ground was, and they were 56 miles away on the other side of Ipswich.
“We only got to the ground at 2.35pm and had to play at 3pm. By the time we changed we didn’t have time for a warm-up and we only had three defenders. It wasn’t good at the time.
“I suppose it’s just one of those things, but it’s a sad end to the season.”
Taylor was forced to throw coach Matt Gore into the fray, but was pleased with the result.
He said: “Matt’s never had a sniff at this level, let alone played in it. But he did okay.
“I told him ‘Whatever you do don’t think about it. If the ball comes to you just move it on’. He actually contributed a lot. He did very well.”
Taylor had further words of praise for his makeshift side, adding: “They were fantastic, holding Histon out. People might look at it and say it’s just another 3-0 defeat, but Histon did the same to Farnborough in midweek, which tells you something. They’re very powerful and I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat St Albans on Saturday.”
Looking for other positives from the game, Taylor’s mind immediately leapt to Portuguese keeper Francisco Ramos.
He said: “Chico had his best game for us to date.
“Anyone who saw him on Saturday knows what a good goalkeeper he is. He made one brilliant treble save.
“Matt Gore said he had never seen anything like it. He was saving shots from three yards out.
“The problem now is keeping him, but I hope we do.”
Histon’s keeper was not quite as busy, as Taylor was ready to admit.
He said: “Roach had a couple of half-chances and Gore had a shot from distance which their keeper had to deal with, but that was it.”
The game was a last-chance saloon for a few players, as Taylor begins to look forward to next season.
He said: “I had already made certain decisions.
“I had thought about who I definitely wouldn’t keep, and some of them underlined that. But others did well.”
However, the real low point of the day for Taylor happened off the pitch.
He explained: “There was an unnecessary moment on Saturday when a couple of fans got involved with Chris Wild.
“It happened last year to Dennis (Greene). Okay, they didn’t like him, but that doesn’t excuse it.
“Chris is great lad and he was really upset.”