An away trip to London Bees ends in disappointment for the U’s, who were unable to bring three points home.
The U’s were back to league action this week, following a weekend off with no fixture. However, the team struggled to find their stride on their return.
Cambridge went into the fixture hoping to start with the same dominance they showed in their last outing against Chatham United. The U’s had raced into a 2-0 lead within the opening 30 minutes before the game was abruptly halted due to a serious injury to Brooke Cheal-Ferris.
However, it was London Bees who came out firing, carving out the stronger early opportunities as several of their attempts whistled narrowly past the post.
In the 18th minute, the first major chance of the match fell to the Bees. Millie Isherwood broke through on goal and slotted the ball into the net, but her effort was ruled out as the assistant’s flag was raised.
Just minutes later, the Bees found the back of the net again, and this time they made it count.
In the 22nd minute, Shamoy Campbell created space for herself just outside the box, turned neatly, and struck the ball hard into the left side of the net to give her side the lead.
1-0 down, the U’s struggled to assert themselves, with the Bees’ possession play dictating the tempo and keeping Cambridge on the back foot.
The home side almost doubled their lead moments later, with Lily Whitelock rattling the crossbar just minutes after the opener.
As half-time approached, Francesca Vigo carved out a strong chance to add another, but Cambridge goalkeeper Lauren Webb reacted well, gathering the ball safely to keep her side in the contest.
Although not creating chances of their own, Cambridge showed great heart in pressing players and preventing the game from slipping away from them.
However, the home side’s constant pressure eventually proved too much for Cambridge, leading to a second goal in the 29th minute.
Daisy Hind found herself through on the left wing and delivered a pinpoint cross into the path of Shamoy Campbell, who opened her body and guided the ball into the top right corner, doubling both her tally and her team’s lead.
The goal proved to be the last major chance before halftime, and the score remained 2-0 as the teams went in for the break.
The relentless momentum of London Bees continued after the break, and in the 48th minute, they extended their lead to 3-0.
Millie Isherwood raced onto a long ball over the top and, finding herself one-on-one with the keeper, calmly placed the ball past her.
Cambridge would answer instantly, as just two minutes later, they scored a goal of their own.
U’s captain Zoe Wood intercepted a back pass on the edge of the box and, shifting the ball onto her right foot, drilled a low, hard strike that evaded the dive of the Bees’ keeper to make the game 3-1.
The goal proved to be the lift Cambridge needed, as they began creating plenty of chances of their own.
In the 57th minute, a well-worked move saw Wood drive forward from her own half before playing in Jade Bell, who turned sharply and slipped Shannon Shaw into the box, but her effort went straight at the keeper.
The game was a very different match compared to the first half, with both teams now looking fired up for the contest.
Both teams created shooting opportunities, but none were threatening enough to trouble the keepers.
As the game approached its final moments, Cambridge came agonisingly close to finding a second goal.
In the 89th minute, a curling shot from Jade Bell headed for the top-right corner was palmed away by the keeper into the path of onrushing Cambridge attackers, who tried desperately to force the ball over the line but couldn’t quite convert.
The clearance from the chance fell to Bee’s attacker, Isherwood, who lifted a superb, lofted pass over the U’s back line for Shamoy Campbell to chase down the left wing. Campbell attempted to guide the ball into the far-right corner, only for the ball to cannon off the post. This would have completed her hat trick.
With two golden opportunities missed, the game ended 3-1.
The girls return to action on Sunday, 23rd November, travelling to face West Brom in the FA Cup.
Match report by Molly Sutherland.
London Bees: Ginn, Heil, Hind, Flynn, Isherwood (Larkin, 80’), Lanza, Burrows, Vigo (Durn, 57’), Wozniak, Campbell (Martins, 89’), Whitelock (Hoare, 65’)
Subs Not Used: Roberts, Davidson, Callison
Goal scorers: Campbell (22’, 29’), Isherwood (48’)
Cambridge United: Webb, Miles, Rouse, Jackson, Bell, Shaw (Farrow, 66’), Edgar (Stojko-Down, 66’), Jarvis (Cullum, 74’), Stephenson (Richards, 66’), Sutherland, Wood
Subs Not Used: Mitchell
Goal scorers: Wood (50’)
Attendance: TBC
