Cambridge United suffered a first defeat in three Sky Bet League One matches as Rotherham United came from behind to secure a 2-1 triumph at the AESSEAL New York Stadium…
After cancelling each other out in a tight first half, the match burst into life after the break as Ryan Loft found the scoresheet again with an expert finish. Mallik Wilks popped up with an immediate equaliser to flip the momentum in the hosts’ favour, who went on to secure the win courtesy of Hakeem Odoffin.
In response to the morale-boosting 3-2 victory against Mansfield Town three days earlier – their first since early December – Garry Monk named two changes to his starting XI. The enforced swaps saw Jack Stevens and Jubril Okedina replace Marko Marosi and Zeno Ibsen Rossi, who were both forced off last time out owing to injury. Fresh from penning a loan deal until the end of the season, strikers Dom Ballard and Esapa Osong were named on the bench.
The U’s had been prone to some lightning, front-footed starts of late, but this was shaping up to be more conservative, with the visitors needing to deal with some early deliveries from out wide.
Once they had found their feet, they were playing some really neat and intricate football down the flanks – combining at speed to turn defence into attack. The first opportunity of the evening was made from Danny Andrew on the 10th minute whose low drive from distance hit Kell Watts en route, who tried to race onto his touch in the six-yard box, but Dillon Phillips was alert to claim.
Three minutes later, the men in green were rather unfortunate not to have made more from a well-worked move. A long throw was headed back into the mixer by Michael Morrison and then bravely by Jordan Cousins, which invitingly fell to Loft but the striker couldn’t get the connection from close range as it trickled wide of the post.
Up the other end, United continued to persevere and were dealing with the set pieces in an assuring manner as both sides waited for someone to take the match by the scruff of the neck – particularly in the middle of the park.
A moment of sustained pressure on the half an hour mark from Steve Evans’ men saw them force their opening attempt when Joe Rafferty’s teasing cross was met by a diving Andre Green, but due to being off balance he could only gently stab it towards Jack Stevens from yards out.
Moments after a tactical setup tweak, Millers substitute Sean Raggett got on the end of Rafferty’s deep cross on 39, but the defender headed wide of Stevens’ right post.
The half-chances continued for the hosts right up to the whistle, with Wilks’ cross from the right was towards the target of captain Odoffin by the near post – any sort of touch would have resulted in the opener.
Overall, the U’s maintained that sense of control and capitalised on the 48th minute courtesy of some Loft magic. Architect Stokes embarked on a quick drive and teed up the lone striker, who still had work to do, but kept his balance by skipping past two defenders before getting his shot away, where he rifled into the roof of the net in front of the visiting faithful.
Before they could even plot how to keep their lead intact, the Millers dished up an immediate consolation on 52 when Joe Powell’s pinpoint cross was met by the head of a leaping Wilks, who tapped the post and watched it nestle over the line.
As a result, the energy in the match had ramped up, with Cambridge needing to retain their shape and deal with a barrage of pressure.
Stevens was called into action to deny two quickfire opportunities on the 64th minute. First, he was smart in diving low to protect Reece James’ drilled strike towards the near post, before showing great reflexes to paw Louie Sibley’s shot from 12 yards over the crossbar.
Just as Monk handed Ballard his Club debut and introduced Paul Digby to the midfield, the on song Millers took the lead when Wilks scampered down the left, beating his opponent for pace and cutting back to Odoffin, who fired home from inside the area.
With time still remaining to salvage something, the travellers accumulated an excellent chance on 78 when Digby floated a delivery towards Loft in the danger zone, who jumped and unleashed a header, but Phillips was there to make himself big and get a vital block.
As the clock ticked down, Osong and Dan Barton were called into action - before a sixth concussion substitute was needed after Watts took a heavy blow to the eye – but despite the fresh legs it was the hosts who concluded in the ascendency to secure maximum points.
Up next, the U’s return home on Saturday afternoon (1st February) by welcoming promotion hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers – be sure to back the boys.
Rotherham United: Phillips, Rafferty, Odoffin, Jules, James, MacDonald (Raggett, 37’), Humphreys, Powell, Sibley, Wilks, Green (Nombe, 74’)
Subs Not Used: Dawson, Bramall, Kelly, Hugill, Holmes
Goalscorers: Wilks (52’), Odoffin (68’)
Bookings: Sibley
Cambridge United: Stevens, Okedina (Gibbons, 46’), Morrison, Watts (Hoddle, 89’), Bennett (Osong, 84’), Cousins, Brophy (Digby, 67’), Andrew, Stokes (Ballard, 67’), Kachunga, Loft (Barton, 84’)
Subs Not Used: Chadwick
Goalscorers: Loft (48’)
Bookings: Kachunga, Gibbons
Referee: Ross Joyce
Attendance: 8162 (260 away fans)