From the Archive | A Spirited Second-Half Fightback  

The 2002/03 season is not one that many Salop fans look back on too fondly.

Despite its difficult end, there were still some exciting moments sprinkled throughout the campaign, one of which came against Cambridge on a cold Saturday afternoon at the start of November.

Salop arrived in the game on one of their stronger runs of the season. We had lost just one in six games in all competitions, winning three and drawing two. However, much of our good fortune had come on the road, picking up away league wins at Carlisle and Macclesfield, having only registered two home wins in our first eight outings at Gay Meadow.   

Three of the previous four home games had ended in defeat, and it looked as though things were about to get worse for Kevin Ratcliffe’s team. Future Premier League star Dave Kitson’s driving effort rebounded off the post, leaving Ian Dunbavin helpless to stop Tom Youngs from netting the rebound and putting the visitors a goal to the good.   

Town’s frontline kept Shaun Marshall busy in the Cambridge goal throughout the first half, with the keeper pulling off fine saves to deny Luke Rodgers and Nigel Jemson.   

Jemson, who had not scored in eight games, was clearly fired up in the second half, with the striker breaking his poor streak in style. The veteran forward smashed the ball past Marshall after an excellent run in the 66th minute to pull Salop level and help us find a way back into the game.   

Town would then take the lead with just 12 minutes on the clock, with Ian Woan firing a powerful strike from outside the area to put us 2-1 to the good. Jemson would then add a third with a couple of minutes left on the clock, defeating Marshall again to seal his brace.   

The victory would end our winless home run, lifting us from 18th in the table up to 15th, with Cambridge, who were chasing the play-offs at the time, dropping into seventh.