Cambridge United sealed a return to Sky Bet League One at the very first attempt as they remained valiant throughout a goalless draw against Crewe Alexandra at the Mornflake Stadium to conclude an enthralling campaign in 3rd position…
Although the U’s were unable to convert their best opportunity of the afternoon when Ben Knight was denied from the spot 30 minutes in, Neil Harris’ men were resolute - like they had been all season - to clinch a 20th clean sheet, ultimately proving to be enough to seal an automatic promotion spot on a memorable day in the history of the club, who can now look forward to third tier football once again.
The Head Coach’s 46th and final team selection saw him name an unchanged XI from the side that comprehensively dispatched Barrow a week earlier.
And so, following an action-packed nine months of football, it all came down to the final weekend of the season to determine the U’s fate. In a battle with Salford City and Notts County for third place, the visitors looked to hold onto the spot they had been so consistent to keep – they’d lost just three matches since late October and suffered one defeat from six – three points would be enough to seal it. Winless in six on the road, it was the perfect time to put that run to an end against a Crewe side sitting in 10th following a testing couple of months, where they had lost four from their previous five.
Buoyed by over 2,300 ardent travelling fans, United seized the first chance of the afternoon three minutes in when they capitalised on an error in the middle of the park. After advancing the play to Louis Appere in the area, the striker held it up and teed back to Knight on the right-hand side of the box, who executed an ambitious shot which curled just wide of the post.
Applying the pressure at a frequent pace, Adam Mayor’s free-kick was punched away by goalkeeper Ian Lawlor and on a plate for Sullay Kaikai, who met a half-volley with precision and pace but was denied by an important block.
It was evident a nervy 90 minutes would await, with the encounter likely to ebb and flow. The Railwaymen found their feet from here, accumulating the possession and forcing Cambridge to dig deep defensively – despite this they were up for the fight and getting stuck into their individual battles.
On the 23rd minute, the U’s were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot when Kaikai was challenged from behind following a cleared throw. Knight stepped up and went for placement towards the corner, but Lawlor guessed the right way to paw it away for a corner.
Cambridge’s response would be crucial. Importantly, they poured forwards again and posed threat through corners when Kaikai’s delivery found Kell Watts at the back post, whose header was lashed at by Appere from yards out, but a lack of power meant it could be hacked away off the line.
As the first half ticked on, Lee Bell’s outfit gained more of a foothold, albeit without testing Jake Eastwood between the sticks, as the U’s continued to get numbers back to keep the hosts at bay.
Jack Powell’s corner on the 41st minute was latched at by targetman Josh March near the front post, who did well to sneak past his man and arrow a header which lashed against the side netting.
The aforementioned striker perhaps should have broken the deadlock seconds later when an excellent header from Mickey Demetriou evaded the U’s backline and floated to March inside the six-yard box, but an alert Eastwood did incredibly well to get down low and smother with his feet.
It proved to be the last action of a testing opening 45, with Harris’ side being stretched on the break and relieved to have made the whistle, where they would use the break to regroup and recapture some energy.
Opting for an attacking switch ahead of the second period, the Head Coach introduced Elliott Nevitt to the fray – who replaced Appere.
With the match very much still in the balance, a physical affair continued, but industrious play from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu saw him advance into the box, allowing Nevitt to have a crack, but with bodies back Crewe were able to block and clear their lines.
As the hour mark approached, the ball was yet to tick for the visitors in the final third, who instead needed to focus on preserving their clean sheet and doing the basics right to see out the frequent waves of attacks from the Railwaymen.
On the 65th minute, Cambridge’s alertness was tested when March wheeled away down the left and squared towards a looming Tommi O’Reilly from close range, but a last-ditch clearance from Dom Ball forced a corner and denied a strike.
Powell was next up to test his luck with a speculative free-kick from 25 yards out on 72, it was hit around the wall and towards the corner but ultimately wide of the mark.
With the battle reaching its latter stages, United remained firm but were eager to progress the ball to the final third and secure their passage on their own terms, despite results continuing to fall in their favour.
The tension was mounting at Gresty Road, with a lot of weight on the shoulders of the men in amber and black, who were seeing the ball in the right areas but yet to create that killer pass.
With both sides nullified, a stalemate looked evident, but that was until four minutes into injury time when Watts’ cleared header fell to Ball who thumped a venomous shot which was valiantly blocked, before Nevitt’s looping header dipped but was claimed by Lawlor.
Unable to snatch a last-gasp winner, the Cambridge faithful now needed to switch their attention to the dying embers of the Salford clash at Crawley Town. Counting down the seconds, the inevitable would soon be confirmed – a short but sweet stay in League Two had come to an end. Cue the almighty celebrations, it was United’s day as they wrote another significant chapter in the Club’s history. Third tier football would be coming back to CB5.
Crewe Alexandra: Lawlor, Billington, Dancey (Pond, 78’), Demetriou, Hutchinson (Finney, 81’), Powell, Thomas (Moore, 62’), O’Reilly (Tracey, 81’), March, Holicek, Tezgel (Thibaut, 82’)
Subs Not Used: Booth, Croker
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Dancey
Cambridge United: Eastwood, Bennett, Jobe, Watts, Gibbons, Ball, Mpanzu, Kaikai (Brophy, 72’), Knight, Mayor, Appere (Nevitt, 46’)
Subs Not Used: Hughes, Purrington, Morrison, Smith, Kachunga
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Kaikai, Gibbons, Mpanzu
Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 7,335 (2,323 away fans)