Cambridge United drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest U23s in the U’s second pre-season friendly, hosted at the Championship side’s training facility.
Played over four 25 minute quarters, United registered through Paul Lewis early on but found themselves behind at the midway stage as Forest flipped the scoreline before Jabo Ibehre levelled with his third goal of pre-season.
United took the lead inside ten mins, with Paul Lewis leaping to meet an in-swinging Tom Knowles free kick and beat the Forest keeper in an aerial challenge, looping a header into the net.
The hosts levelled soon after when their striker proved clinical one on one with Dimitar Mitov ten yards out with a neat chipped finish.
Colin Calderwood rotated his keeper at the end of the first quarter with Finley Iron replacing Mitov, and the youngster showed great handling ability to claim a pair of dangerous deliveries into the U’s area and also watched Forest’s left winger flash another opportunity high and wide of the mark before half time.
However, he could do little to stop Forest scoring their second of the match when a shot inside the United area deflected beyond reach, nestling in the U’s goal to reverse the score.
The U’s responded quickly after the break and levelled the game through Jabo Ibehre, with the striker latching on to a cross from the left and burying it from six yards out.
Leon Davies’ deep set piece delivery towards the end of the third quarter landed on the forehead of Harry Darling, but the youngster’s attempt at goal was straight into the palms of the Forest keeper when the better option was perhaps across the face of goal to Ibehre who waited unmarked.
Reggie Lambe went within millimetres of restoring the U’s lead on the end of a cleverly played short corner, which resulted in the Bermudan striking a venomous effort on the half volley from 20 yards which whistles over the top of the cross bar. It proved to be as close as either side came to a winner.
Colin Calderwood’s men now travel to Scotland for their pre-season training camp next week, where they face behind closed doors fixtures with Rangers Reserves and Hearts.
CAMBRIDGE UNITED XI FIRST HALF | Mitov (Iron, 25 mins), Davies, John, Taft, Trialist, Knowles, Hannant, Lewis, Norville-Williams, Neal, Trialist
CAMBRIDGE UNITED XI SECOND HALF | Burton, Knoyle, Darling, Taylor, Dunk, Davies (Trialist, 75 mins - Knowles, 90 mins), Lambe, O’Neil, Trialist (Norville-Williams, 75 mins), Worman, Ibehre