INJURED former York City midfielder Simon Russell is unlikely to face his old club at Cambridge United’s Abbey Stadium tomorrow.

Russell has missed the U’s last three matches with a quad muscle strain after scoring in his last outing – a 1-1 draw at Newport County on March 1.

The Hull-born 25-year-old, who disappointed during a two-season spell with the Minstermen, is on the mend but caretaker-chief Jez George is unlikely to make any changes after Tuesday night’s 0-0 home draw with promotion hopefuls Luton Town.

Russell’s form has, however, been one of the few positives during a disappointing campaign for Cambridge with the one-time Kidderminster player netting eight times in 37 appearances – already his best return in front of goal since turning professional.

The U’s, though, will go into tomorrow’s match having won just one of their last 15 games – a 2-0 victory at neighbours Histon last month.

Furthermore, Cambridge have failed to win at home since beating Forest Green 2-1 back on December 11 – a three-month run that incorporates eight matches.

Lying 17th and four points above the relegation zone with just eight games left to play, Cambridge’s current form is becoming a cause for alarm as none of their struggling rivals have completed as many fixtures as George’s men.

As well as being placed in temporary charge of first-team affairs until the end of the season, George is also a club director, director of football and head of youth development at the Abbey Stadium, with the U’s admitting they cannot afford a permanent replacement for Martin Ling, who was relieved of his duties on February 1.

Only Histon have won fewer home matches in the Blue Square Bet Premier than the five Cambridge have mustered against Eastbourne, Gateshead, Kettering, Barrow and Altrincham – all teams currently outside the top 11.

The 2008 and 2009 Conference play-off finalists’ goals against record of 53 is, however, the best in the bottom half of the table.

As well as Russell, centre-back Josh Coulson, who is also the captain, is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, while former Stevenage midfielder Adam Miller has been crocked since August and is unlikely to feature again this term.

Along with former Histon forward Danny Wright, winger Robbie Willmott remains the U’s joint-top marksman on ten goals despite having left for Luton in a £50,000 deal at the end of January.

Wright has netted just once in nine matches and not been on the scoresheet in a home match since the end of November.

Unsurprisingly, given his coaching background, George has given youth a chance since taking over the top job at Cambridge with 18-year-old pair Luke Berry and Liam Hughes expected to start on the right wing and in attack respectively against City.

Cambridge (probable): Brown; Roberts, Saah, Partridge, Jennings; Berry, Wellard, Bentley, Patrick; Wright, Hughes.


Match facts

City have made five Conference visits to the Abbey Stadium, winning twice and losing three times.

The two successes were 5-0 in March 2007, when Clayton Donaldson hit a hat-trick, with the other marksmen being Craig Farrell and Jason Kovacs, and last term, when Neil Barrett was on target in a 1-0 victory.

The line-up for this game on January 23, 2010, was: Ingham, Parslow, McGurk, Graham, Meredith, Purkiss (Sangare), Barrett, Mackin, Carruthers (Ferrell), Rankine, Brodie (Pacquette).

Including a victory over Chester, which was later expunged from the records, this was City’s ninth successive league win and they were third in the table.

In the Football League, City won twice and drew four in nine trips to Cambridge.


It happened on March 19

1938: A run of eight league games without defeat ended with a 4-2 reverse at Crewe Alexandra. Reg Baines and Malcolm Comrie were the scorers and City were mid-table in Division Three North.

1955: Norman Wilkinson (2) and Arthur Bottom netted in a 3-2 win at Crewe and the latter also missed two penalties. City were fourth in the Northern Section.

1962: City moved up to fifth in the Fourth following a 2-0 win at home to Hartlepools United watched by 6,613. Billy Rudd and Jimmy Weir were on the scoresheet.

1971: An unbeaten league run was extended to ten games when Stockport County were defeated 2-1 at Bootham Crescent in front of 6,251. Kevin McMahon and Paul Aimson were the marksmen and City were sixth in Division Four.

1983: A 3-2 win at Aldershot with goals from John Byrne and Keith Walwyn (2) put City seventh in Division Four.

1984: City extended their lead at the top of the Fourth Division to six points after a 3-1 win at Colchester with John MacPhail, Keith Walwyn and Alan Pearce on target.

1994: A 3-0 home win over Hartlepool United with Jon McCarthy, Paul Barnes and Steve Tutill the scorers and City were eighth in the Second Division (League One).

2005: The club were 17th in the Conference following a 1-0 defeat at Tamworth.

Compiled by David Batters