Cambridge United steamrolled into the automatic promotion places in Sky Bet League Two as they comprehensively dispatched Notts County 4-0 at a sold-out Cledara Abbey Stadium…
Setting the tone from the very first minute when Dominic Ball headed home, a rip-roaring first half an hour saw the U’s race into a three-goal lead when Shayne Lavery and James Gibbons pounced. The complexity of the game threatened to change prior to the break when Jake Eastwood received a red card, but another Gibbons goal early in the second half knocked the stuffing out of the Magpies and ramped up the momentum on a big day in the promotion race.
After being consigned to a share of the spoils late in the afternoon at Cheltenham Town five days earlier, Neil Harris named just the one change to his side as Lavery came in to lead the line for his first start since the reverse fixture in October.
Following on from an Easter schedule which was agonisingly close to tallying all six points instead of being forced into two, the U’s entered the crunch clash in 4th but the opportunity was there to leapfrog the visitors in the table and reclaim a place in the automatics. In order to do that, they would need to terminate a winless run which was at three games and utilise their form on home soil - where they were unbeaten in 16 league matches.
Martin Paterson’s men had been streaky of late - with six wins and five defeats from their last 11 – and they would prove to be on the receiving end of an electric United start who took the lead after just one minute.
Front-footed from the outset, Kell Watts’ delivery back into the mixer was latched at by Lavery, who was denied at point blank range by James Belshaw – fortunately for the U’s it fell straight to a lurking Ball from a matter of yards out who headed in a euphoric opener.
CB5 was electric as one-way traffic continued in blistering fashion. The advantage was almost doubled on the 3rd minute when liquid one-touch football from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Sullay Kaikai down the left allowed them to advance to Lavery, who weaved into the box and pulled the trigger which required an important block.
The intricate passages of play was a joy to watch, with the Magpies unable to find a foothold due to the U’s relentlessness to sweep up and control proceedings in and out of possession.
Although the division’s second top goalscorers started to reclaim more of the ball, United were accumulating throw-ins and corners to keep them occupied in the final third.
Set-piece prowess would come into fruition for Harris’ side as they found the elusive second on the 27th minute. Adam Mayor’s long throw caused pinball in the six-yard box, and with County unable to clear their lines Lavery was there to pounce and bundle home.
Now with the cushion of a two-goal advantage – something they were desperate to obtain after the recent 1-1 draws – the U’s were able to add further exuberance to their game as the lively Lavery was presented with another opportunity a few minute later when he cut inside to beat his man and pick out a low right-footed shot towards the corner where Belshaw did well to stop.
On the half hour mark, pandemonium was sparked once more as the hosts roared to their third of the afternoon. After Mpanzu won a free-kick by the centre of the pitch, Kaikai whipped in a floating delivery to Gibbons, who beat the trap, took a delicate touch and rifled a venomous shot into the roof of the net.
Just as United looked set to see out the half with assurance, drama ensued as they were reduced to ten men. A back pass from Mayor was accidentally handled by Eastwood outside of his box, meaning the red card was shown and Ben Hughes was drafted on between the sticks as Ben Knight made way.
Six minutes of additional time was indicated, where the U’s needed to dig in deep as Hughes came out to claim some catches and Lee Ndlovu headed against the crossbar, but importantly lines were cleared and they made it to the break unscathed.
Naturally, Notts County needed to throw the kitchen sink at the second period and brought on Jayden Luker and Matthew Dennis, but it was at the other end where the action was as United settled any nerves with a fourth in front of the Newmarket Road End on 54.
Flexing their set-piece prowess, Mayor’s corner from the right evaded everyone in the six-yard box and fell kindly to Gibbons at the back post, whose excellent diving header secured his double and gave his side real breathing space.
By the hour mark, the visitors had used up all of their five substitutions, whilst the Head Coach brought on Louis Appere for Lavery as the side in amber continued to get men behind the ball and remain defensively well-drilled.
On the 72nd minute, Beck-Ray Besongbap Enoru wriggled into the penalty area and lashed a strike against the side netting, but this was the closest Paterson’s side could come as they were unable to deal with the intensity of the hosts that had continued from the first whistle.
As the afternoon reached its closing stages, a couple more changes were made as Kaikai and Mayor received standing ovations for their performances as they were replaced by Ben Purrington and Korey Smith.
Four minutes before injury time, Keanan Bennetts’ cross from the left flank was met by the head of Ndlovu, but the alert Hughes did well to protect his clean sheet by tipping onto the post.
With comfort and real professionalism, the U’s saw out the encounter from here to ensure they returned to winning ways with a real statement victory to leapfrog their opponents and put them in the driving seat for promotion with four games left to go.
Up next, United travel to table-topping Bromley on Thursday evening (16 April) for a crunch clash in front of the Sky Sports cameras at Hayes Lane.
Cambridge United: Eastwood (Hughes, 41’), Gibbons, Jobe, Watts, Bennett, Ball, Mpanzu, Mayor (Smith, 82’), Knight, Kaikai (Purrington, 82’), Lavery (Appere, 63’)
Subs Not Used: Morrison, Brophy, Nevitt
Goalscorers: Ball (01’), Lavery (27’), Gibbons (32’, 55’)
Bookings: Eastwood (RED)
Notts County: Belshaw, Macari (Luker, 46’), Ness, Bedeau (Browne, 57’), Kouhyar (Enoru, 57’), Norburn (Hall, 64’), Palmer, Bennetts, Iorpenda, Grant (Dennis, 46’), Ndlovu
Subs Not Used: Griffiths, Jones
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Bedeau, Enoru
Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Attendance: 7,983 (1,036 away fans)
