Cambridge United stretched their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League Two to four matches as they professionally dispatched Crawley Town 3-1 at the Cledara Abbey Stadium…
In control of proceedings from the get-go, the U’s struck first blood early in the afternoon courtesy of a poacher’s finish from Shayne Lavery, before a lively start to the second half saw Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu open his account and Kylian Kouassi fire home. Kabongo Tshimanga dished up a quick consolation, but the hosts remained great value for their fourth home win of the season.
In response to the stalemate at Tranmere Rovers a week earlier, Neil Harris tinkered with his XI as he named four changes. Zak Bradshaw, Shane McLoughlin, James Brophy and Lavery were all drafted in, whereas Dom Ball and Sullay Kaikai missed out through injury.
Played out at a wind-swept CB5, the conditions was the first thing both sides needed to contend with, as some mistimed passes made for a quiet start where time was needed to help find their feet.
Nonetheless, the first opportunity resulted in the opener on the 12th minute when Lavery bagged for the second home match in a row. McLoughlin’s inswinging corner from the left initially fell to the Crawley defence, but after failing to clear their lines United’s striker was first to react by pouncing into the net from yards out.
10 minutes later, Lavery was denied his brace after he was teed up by Kouassi’s purposeful pass following good hold-up play and pulled the trigger from an angle in the area, with a great stop from the feet of Jojo Wollacott keeping the score as it was.
Yet to find a real foothold in the game, Scott Lindsey’s side found it a physical test of resolve against a powerful U’s backline, with their first chance falling to Geraldo Bajrami 25 yards out on half hour as the ambitious shot whistled wide of Jake Eastwood’s left post.
Straight from a bit of pressure from the Red Devils at one end, Cambridge countered with pace as Lavery cut into the middle and played in Adam Mayor, but with the angle closing in rapidly he opted to shoot instead of squaring back, proving to be a simple claim for Wollacott.
Four minutes from the break, Harry McKirdy executed a lobbed ball which Gavan Holohan raced onto, but Eastwood was alert and did enough to prevent the strike. From here, the hosts professionally navigated their way through a tough first 45.
There was to be no changes at the break for United, whilst the visitors rolled the dice early by introducing a familiar face in winger Jack Roles.
Just four minutes into the second half, the U’s doubled their advantage to give them a real cushion in the clash as Brophy’s free-kick was not cleared, much to the delight of an unmarked Mpanzu who drilled a low shot home from the edge of the box before wheeling away to celebrate his first goal in amber.
With 56 minutes on the clock, the Cambridge faithful were celebrating again as Kouassi helped himself to his first League goal. Engineered by winning the ball in the middle of the park, Lavery drove into the final third and played to Brophy out wide. The number 7 twisted and turned before cutting back to Kouassi, who swept a first-time effort in to give real breathing space.
One-way traffic initially continued, with the U’s failing to rest as they poured forwards, but Crawley dished up a consolation on 65 as McKirdy latched onto a ball and lofted over Eastwood, with substitute Tshimanga applying the finishing touch to tap in.
With Lindsey’s side now needing to go for the jugular in order to find a route back, it created space for Harris’ men to roam, with James Gibbons embarking on an advancing run down the right before testing his luck from distance – rifling just over the crossbar.
Korey Smith was introduced to the field of play with 15 minutes remaining to protect the lead, whilst Ben Knight and Liam Bennett were also handed game time.
The clock continued to tick down, with the U’s certainly camped back more but to their credit were valiant in seeing out anything that fell their way in a feisty conclusion to help secure back-to-back triumphs at the Abbey and continue their ascendency up the table.
Up next, attention turns to the Vertu Trophy on Tuesday evening (7th October) at the Abbey as Luton Town make the journey in the first Southern Group H clash – be sure to back the boys.
Cambridge United: Eastwood, Gibbons, Morrison, Watts, Bradshaw, Brophy (Knight, 78’), McLoughlin, Mpanzu, Mayor (Bennett, 79’), Lavery (Smith, 73’), Kouassi
Subs Not Used: Hughes, Purrington, Kachunga, Jobe
Goalscorers: Lavery (12’), Mpanzu (49’), Kouassi (56’)
Bookings: Bennett, Eastwood
Crawley Town: Wollacott, Barker, Conroy, Flint, Pereira, Holohan, Bajrami, Forster (Roles, 46’), Scott (Brown, 74’), McKirdy, Dixon (Tshimanga, 54’)
Subs Not Used: Malone, Anderson, Flower
Goalscorers: Tshimanga (65’)
Bookings: Holohan, Barker, Scott, Brown, Roles
Referee: Michael Barlow
Attendance: 6607 (435 away fans)
