A record attendance saw U’s fall short with a defeat in the highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash against Queens Park Rangers.
A record 1,074 spectators attended the Cledara Abbey Stadium as the U’s were back in league action following last week’s FA Cup win against Atletico London. United had won four of their first five league games to start the season, but were unable to build on their recent sucesses.
Going into the game, Sean Greygoose made four changes to last week’s winning XI with Shults, Jackson, Wood and Jarvis called upon.
The game started as an even contest, with the visitors arguably having the better of the chances. In the 5th minute, the first opportunity of the game fell for QPR’s number 9, Grace Stanley, who was slipped through on goal and ripped a shot just over the bar.
As QPR pressed aggressively for the opening goal, Cambridge United centre-back Brooke Cheal-Ferris played a vital role in making several crucial interceptions early in the match.
However, the visitors could only be held off for so long, as the stalemate was broken in the 16th minute. Annie Dzyadyk hitting a long-range effort low and hard from outside the box, which just evaded the hands of the diving U’s keeper Sophie Shults.
After an early setback, the U’s wasted no time in mounting a response as captain Zoe Woods lofted a pinpoint pass into the path of Mollie Coupar. However, the QPR keeper was quick off her line to smother the ball and deny her a shooting opportunity.
With the U’s beginning to gather some momentum, their persistence was finally rewarded with an equaliser in the 22nd minute. Sammy Edgar picked up the ball deep outside the box and, noticing the high line of the QPR back-line and delivered a threatening, looping pass over the top of the defence. Shannon Shaw timed her run to perfection and rose to meet it, guiding a fine header into the back of the net.
An early substitution followed in the 28th minute, with Becca Stephenson replacing the injured Coupar. Back on level terms, Cambridge pushed for a second goal, as a long-range effort from Alysha Stojko-Down flew just over the bar.
The U’s best chance to take the lead came just before half-time, when striker Jade Bell beat her marker down the flank and cut the ball back to Becca Stephenson. She delivered a pinpoint cross onto the head of Shannon Shaw, who came within inches of doubling her tally in identical fashion to her first.
Sammy Edgar was booked for a late challenge in the 40th minute, as the two sides went in level at 1-1.
QPR came out strongest after the restart, piling on the pressure with a series of chances as they pushed for a second goal.
In the 52nd minute, the visitors came close to taking the lead as captain Emily Hill ghosted into space to meet a teasing cross, but her header flashed narrowly wide.
Under heavy pressure, Cambridge were forced to make a series of crucial blocks and well-timed tackles and did an impressive job at keeping the score 1-1.
However, their resistance was broken in the 65th minute. Keeper Sophie Shults rushed out to clear a through ball, but her clearance landed at the feet of Emily Hill, who calmly lobbed the ball into the net from just inside her own half.
An almost immediate response from the U’s followed, as Rebecca Stephenson unleashed a superb strike from outside the box that rattled the crossbar, narrowly missing the top-right corner.
The game had become an end-to-end contest with both teams having their share of chances, but it was the visitors who ultimately found the breakthrough for a third goal in the 74th minute.
Confusion at the back between Sammy Edgar and Sophie Shults left the ball loose in the box, allowing Jessica Leach to seize the opportunity and slot it into an empty net.
Late in the match, Cambridge United carved out one last chance as Stojko-Down threaded a clever through ball to Jade Bell, whose effort was blocked at the last moment by a sliding defender.
The final whistle soon followed, sealing a 3–1 loss for Cambridge United.
Next up for the U’s is another home fixture, this time at St Neots Town against London Bees on Sunday 19 October (2pm).
Match report by Molly Sutherland.
Cambridge United: Shults, Tomlinson, Cheal- Ferris (Rouse, 75’) Jackson, Stojko-Down, Coupar (Stephenson, 26’), Bell, Shaw (Farrow, 63’), Edgar (Cullum, 82’), Jarvis (Miles, 70’), Wood
Subs Not Used: Webb, Hjaltun- Rayner
Goal scorers: Shaw (22)
Bookings: Edgar (42’)
Queens Park Rangers: Clarke, Searle, Lewin, Wellesley- Davies, Gotch, Hill, Ali (Owen, 90+1’), Mehmet (Blodgett, 80’), Stanley (Leach, 45+1’), Dzyadyk (Doyle, 82’), Orchard (Adebowale- Arimoro, 60’)
Subs Not Used: Brooks
Goal scorers: Dzyadyk (16’), Hill (67’), Leach (76’)
Attendance: 1,074
