Cambridge United made a welcome return to winning ways in Sky Bet League Two as they dramatically came from behind to seal a 2-1 triumph against Fleetwood Town at the Cledara Abbey Stadium…
Following a closely-fought hour of football, the match soon burst into life as Jordan Davies opened the scoring for the Cod Army with a drilled effort into the corner. Nonetheless, the U’s showcased a never-say-die attitude to turn the game on its head in the space of three minutes as Adam Mayor and Shayne Lavery fired home to seal the points.
After being forced to settle for a point late in the afternoon at Grimsby Town last time out, Neil Harris opted with the solitary change to his XI as an enforced swap saw Kylian Kouassi come in for Louis Appere – set for approximately three to four weeks on the sidelines owing to a hamstring injury. Elsewhere, Elias Kachunga returned to the matchday squad following a recent omission.
In the opening stages, the U’s were getting in behind really well in what was a fast-paced start with a real desire to take the game to their opponents.
An enticing move on the 10th minute saw Kell Watts – the only outfield player to start every game so far this season – carry into the final third and combine with the lively Mayor. Teeing up an open Dom Ball, the midfielder cut past his man to allow the space to shoot, finding its way to Sullay Kaikai on the left of the area whose strike was blocked by a Fleetwood man.
From here, play was recycled, with James Brophy picking out a teasing cross towards the back post where Kouassi flicked his header wide of Jay Lynch’s left stick.
With 16 minutes on the clock, some fluid passes in the air from Brophy and Kaikai made for silky combination, with Kouassi joining in by holding off a man and teeing up the latter for a venomous volley, which was crucially blocked by Harrison Neal.
The Cod Army’s first sniff at goal arrived on 24 as Ryan Graydon played in J. Davies, who did well to wriggle into space to help pull the trigger inside the area. Fortunately, it looked destined to drill wide of the mark, but James Gibbons took no chances by clearing.
Experienced talisman James Norwood was up next to test his luck, but from a tight angle on the right-hand side of the box he lashed into the side netting.
All in all, it had been at the other end of the pitch where the majority of the chances fell. On the half hour mark, Kaikai’s pinpoint free-kick was met by the head of Ball from just outside the six-yard box, but it was directed wide.
Moments later, the number four once again went excruciatingly close to opening the scoring as Watts headed back into the mixer to allow Ball to divert a header against the crossbar.
Just as two minutes of stoppage time was presented, Kouassi got the better of his man and suddenly was away, but perhaps got his shot away a bit too early as his clean strike from distance was matched by Lynch, who assuringly got down low to paw away.
Despite shading the first half, it had been a low-key affair, with United perhaps disappointed not to be ahead.
The hosts were presented with a wake-up call on 54 when Ethan Ennis embarked on a marauding run down the left wing, with J. Davies then helping switch the play to Norwood to his right, who closed in on goal and smashed his strike against the base of the post.
Fans of both persuasions had the sense that this game was very much there for the taking. Cambridge were first to roll the dice on the hour as Lavery came on to help lead the line in what appeared to be a change of formation.
However, Fleetwood struck first blood straight from here on the counter as they capitalised on a misplaced pass to counter, with J. Davies drilling an effort into the bottom corner from distance.
In response, United rolled up their sleeves and dished up an instant equaliser on 65 as the ball fell to Mayor on the edge of the area, who hit a sweet half-volley with his left foot past a helpless Lynch to fire up CB5.
Determined not to rest on their laurels, Cambridge capitalised whilst their tails were up, sparking delirium by the Newmarket Road End as they completed a rapid turnaround two minutes later. Kaikai’s corner caused pinball in the danger zone, but Lavery showed instinct to lash home from yards out.
Pete Wild’s team were understandably stunned, and in quick succession had made up to four substitutions to try and find a way back into the game, but it was the hosts enjoying the momentum.
On 78, Lavery continued his impressive cameo by jinking past two men with good feet and cracking a fierce shot, but it was matched well by the gloves of Lynch.
With the clash reaching its dying embers, the Head Coach was demanding that his side did the basics right, but everything just seemed to open up as Jake Eastwood was forced into a fine low stop at one end of the pitch, with Lynch then denying Kouassi at the other and Kaikai being prevented by a block after being teed up by an advancing Ben Purrington.
What Cambridge needed was further assurance, so with five minutes to go Shane McLoughlin and Mamadou Jobe came on to help tidy things up and win the individual duels. The visitors looked to throw the kitchen sink, but United were resilient to block anything that fell their way to ensure a rendition of coconuts.
Up next, it’s the highly-anticipated trip to Craven Cottage on Tuesday night (23rd September) as the U’s - buoyed by over 5,000 travelling fans - take on Premier League outfit Fulham in the Third Round of the Carabao Cup.
Cambridge United: Eastwood, Gibbons, Morrison, Watts, Purrington, Ball, Mpanzu, Brophy (Lavery, 60’), Kaikai (Kachunga, 90+1’), Mayor (McLoughlin, 85’), Kouassi (Jobe, 86’)
Subs Not Used: Hughes, Bennett, Knight
Goalscorers: Mayor (65’), Lavery (67’)
Bookings: Ball
Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Mullarkey, Bolton, Medley (W. Davies, 73’), Potter, Bonds (Evans, 73’), Neal (Helm, 66’), Graydon, J. Davies, Ennis (McCann, 77’), Norwood (Hume, 73’)
Subs Not Used: Harrington, Holgate
Goalscorers: J. Davies (61’)
Bookings:
Referee: Lee Swabey
Attendance: 5069 (98 away fans)
