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Coconuts
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Starting the campaign with the warm embrace of an away defeat.
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09/08/2026
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This article has been viewed 21 times.
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by Max Bygraves
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If anyone pretends they were massively excited when we pulled Cambridge United away out the League Cup draw then they’re a liar. But, once the initial disappointment settled of not going somewhere more exciting, we could have done a lot worse. Cambridge is a fine place for an away day. A shame though that injury would mean no early reunion with Callum Stead.
Honesty always has to prevail here and I must admit that this didn’t have the same first day of the season buzz as others in seasons gone by. What felt like an unnecessarily early start due to the unexplained 1pm kick off wasn’t met with masses of excitement as I made the standard scramble to the tube in time for my train. For what it’s worth, I’m a proper first day of the season merchant. I love that buzz but perhaps it being a cup game took something away from that. I’m away for the next few weeks, so I’ll have to wait until 2027 for that Christmas Eve feeling about our first league game.
Saying this, I wasn’t on the tube to Finsbury Park in a bad mood. A young lad got on across from me with a bag of beers at the first stop. He had a good look at my old school Barnet shirt and I think we both thought about starting conversation but stuck with our AirPods. He wasn’t wearing colours, but you know when you know? Should have said hello when clocking downstairs at half time. Another time.
An uneventful individual train journey up was easy enough. A few minutes initial delay caused some concern but the worry was needless and I arrived in Cambridge about 11.15. Several of our merry band were already assembled in the Station Tavern over the road from the station. An enjoyable couple of drinks in the sun here before a six-seater to The Abbey.
I’ve said it here before but I will say it again that Cambridge’s ground is great. A relic that there are fewer and fewer left of. Enjoy them whilst you can. I just love those massive floodlights.
If you have read these before, you know this isn’t the place for performance analysis to any great level or tactics. Having caught one and a half friendlies, I know which players looked ok but who really knows at this stage?
The new look team started brightly and in the early stages had a goal flagged offside in plenty of time before Oisin Gallagher put the ball in the net. Contentious according to a mate watching from home. Not long after this, Nik Tavares was presented with a completely free chance at the back post but volleyed over. You either wanted it on his head or if it to be someone else in that situation.
Midway through the first (and second) half there was a sanctioned hydration break. This was met with similar popularity to those at the World Cup but without Bon Jovi to drown out the boos. It was a hot day but let’s please not make this part of our game going forward. We play halves not quarters.
It was a bit of a nothingy first half and as one punter shouted to me on the way down at half time, there wasn’t much for the write up.
I like the away end at Cambridge with the simple beer tent and open area to enjoy said produce. Better in the summer than the winter it turns out. I’m not going to lie here, we were still finishing our half time refreshments when we heard a cheer. Given the initial volume, we assumed it must be the home team but this was wrong. Kabongo Tshimanga off the mark for the new season, 0-1 Barnet. Start as we mean to go on.
Hastily taking our place back amongst the reasonable 506 away following, we hoped we’d missed the only goal of the game. This wasn’t to be. A really bad 5 minutes saw us go from thinking about Round 2 to being very much on our arses and 2-1 down.
You could legitimately call this a bit of a strange game. Aside from that five minutes, Cambridge didn’t offer much. They had a number of first half pea roller shots into the arms of debut keeper Cox, but little else. At 2-1, they were clearly happy to sit in and see it out for half an hour.
There was endeavour from Barnet but little end product. Idris Kanu a real example of this. I am a big advocate of his but a friend’s description of “the first 40% of everything he does is great,” is hard to argue with against this particular showing. Cambridge were solid and resolute and won what felt like every single header until the bitter end. We didn’t look full of alternatives to combat this.
In a not particularly intense spell of play with about 20 to go, it was well pointed out how 1990s their right back looked. With his shirt tucked in and fittingly absolute clogger running style, Bennett (even the name!) felt like a real throwback. Cambridge’s kit this year is a little on the yellower side of things but even then, I would bloody love it if we turned up dressed like them. They looked quite like 91/92 Barnet from a distance. It has to be said that close up this season’s home kit is a real assault on the eyes. WE PLAY IN AMBER NOT ORANGE.
A few changes were made though notably there was no introduction for the young winger Bright Siaw. This felt like maybe the ideal opportunity for him but he remained on the bench. As the latter stages approached, Brennan got into a heated discussion with the ref. He didn’t have a great game but based on last year’s experience, you’d have to say our manager may be better taking this kind of scenario a little easier. Luckily no massive punishment in the moment. Let’s hope for nothing retrospective.
The clock ticked into stoppage time and there was only one team pushing. With 94 on the clock, we had the ball in the net but it wasn’t to be. Tshimanga seemingly fouling a defender in the build up. Maybe a tad harsh without a proper look back? Hard to tell in the moment, anyway. I luckily saw the ref blow up which seemed to bypass much of the away end who went into short-lived raptures, much to the amusement of the locals.
A few more aimless balls forward and then the ref called time. A nod here to Cambridge’s unique victory song of “I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts,” over the tannoy. Terrific. This was a low stakes occasion with no one particularly hurting about a defeat but there was a little sense of frustration nonetheless as we shuffled out the ground into the adjoining fields of cows. Watch your step.
This was a good test before the league campaign begins next week and we acquitted ourselves generally well. Salford next Saturday arguably poses an even more daunting challenge given their expensive recruitment. But perhaps the best time to play them?
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