AUGUST

After a great unbeaten pre-season programme former manager Mick Wadsworth's "summer revolution" looked to have paid off with a 1-0 opening days win at Chesterfield thanks to a second half Jason Dozzell goal.

Dozzell and Lomana Tresor Lua Lua are on the mark again as the U's open their Worthington Cup account with a ten-man 2-2 draw against First Division rivals Crystal Palace after goalkeeper Simon brown is sent-off only three minutes into his home debut.

Four days later Wadsworth's new look U's are outplayed in a 3-0 home defeat by Notts County and before the month is out Wadsworth resigned after the U's lost their Worthington Cup second leg to Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park (5-3 on aggregate).

Warren Aspinall (two) and Karl Duguid score the goals to celebrate Steve Whitton's appointment as manager with a 3-2 home win over Reading.

SEPTEMBER

Richard Wilkins and Lua Lua are on the mark, but the U's kicked-off September with a 5-2 thrashing at Bury, followed by defeats against Scunthorpe, Burnley and Millwall and the departure of Aspinal to Brighton.

OCTOBER

Goals from Karl Duguid and Wilkins earn the U's a 2-2 home draw with Wrexham, but a crushing 5-2 defeat at Cambridge in mid-October dumped the U's on the bottom of the Division Two table.

Duguid scored as the U's hit back with a scintillating 1-1 draw at Bristol City, but a few days later it was the same old story as the they lose 2-1 at home to Millwall despite Steve McGavin celebrating his comeback with a goal.

October ended with undefeated table toppers Wigan snatching an injury time equaliser in a 2-2 Layer Road draw. Wadsworth signings Brian Launders and Sagi Burton both follow Aspinall out of the club.

NOVEMBER

The U's bow out of the FA Cup as Third Division Swansea come from behind to snatch victory with two goals in the final seven minutes.

Back at the bottom McGavin scores an equaliser to force a 1-1 draw at Oxford, but Whitton is sent into the stands from the dug-out. A few days later high flying Preston snatch a last ditch goal to force a 2-2 draw.

Loanee goalkeeper John Vaughan marked his arrival in a great 2-1 success at Oldham, but 3-0 home defeats against Brentford and Cardiff left the U's in deep trouble until Aaron Skelton hit the mark in spirited 1-1 draw at promotion chasing Stoke City where Luton loanee Alan White enjoyed a great debut.

DECEMBER

Lua Lua scores as the U's kicked-off December by completing the double over Chesterfield, but a youthful U's side bowed out of the Auto Windscreens Shield 3-1 at Swansea followed by a 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers.

Two goals from McGavin and one via Dozzell blitzed Luton Town 3-0 at Layer Road before the U's ended the first half of their season in 18th place after the 2-1 Boxing Day setback at Gillingham.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.