Cambridge United registered their third clean sheet of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two season as they played out a conservative stalemate against Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park…
It had been a mighty effort at Craven Cottage in midweek as the U’s succumbed to a slender 1-0 defeat to Fulham. As a result, Neil Harris opted to freshen up his squad by naming eight changes, with Jake Eastwood, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Adam Mayor retaining their places.
Backed by another strong away following behind the goal on an overcast afternoon on the Wirral, the Head Coach was after a front-footed start to exploit the hosts, who came into it off the back of a four-match winless run in the league.
However, with quarter of an hour gone the U’s still required more time to get their game going, with no goalkeeper tested between the sticks. On the 16th minute, Sullay Kaikai looked to make something happen down the right with an enticing ball across the six-yard box, but nobody was there to get an all-important touch.
United would soon start to accumulate the opportunities, but they were half chances at that as Kell Watts progressed the ball forwards and ambitiously pulled the trigger from 30 yards, causing no trouble for 44-year-old glovesman Joe Murphy.
A few minutes later, Mayor’s delivery into the mixer was headed away but recycled by Dom Ball, who teed up an unmarked Ben Purrington on the outskirts of the penalty area who slashed a half-volley wide of the mark.
The encounter deteriorated from here, with Andy Crosby’s side looking isolated in the final third and equally frustrated with the way possession was frequently squandered.
Although it was yet to click for the U’s, they were superior in terms of chance creations. On 37, they conjured their best moment from a set-piece situation when Kaikai’s corner was battled at by Watts to allow Ball to flick a well-placed header from yards out, but Murphy showed good agility to deny.
What Cambridge hoped to retain going into the second half was their defensive organisation and solidity, but going forwards they were eager to add a bit more creativity to cancel out a stop-start affair.
An early change felt a necessity as Shayne Lavery came on 10 minutes after the break to partner Kouassi up top. Shortly after the Rovers picked out their first shot of the day when Richie Smallwood struck a low effort wide of Eastwood’s left post, there was a penalty scare when Sol Solomon went down in the box, but referee Adam Herczeg waved away the claims.
United’s front two combined on the 69th minute to almost open the scoring when Kouassi scampered down the left and skipped into the area – his intended shot deflected to Lavery, who on the turn struck a fierce shot that was forced behind for a corner.
Just one moment of quality probably would have been enough to secure the points, with Cambridge remaining the likeliest of the two. A flurry of corners on 80 – where they again looked threatening – resulted in James Brophy drilling just wide of the mark from 20 yards out.
Four minutes later, the ball fell invitingly to full-back Patrick Brough on the edge of the area, who connected really well with a thunderous shot which continued to rise over the woodwork.
As the game reached its dying embers, the outfits looked to shut up shop and protect their point and United’s first goalless draw of the campaign.
Up next, the U’s return to CB5 next Saturday (4th October) to take on Scott Lindsay’s Crawley Town – be sure to back the boys.
Tranmere Rovers: Murphy, Smith, Turnbull, Brough, Norman, Smallwood, Kenneh, Joseph (Solomon, 46’), Whitaker (Davison, 65’), Patrick, Ironside (Jennings, 80’)
Subs Not Used: Barrett, Blacker, Harris
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Ironside
Cambridge United: Eastwood, Gibbons, Morrison, Watts, Purrington, Ball, Mpanzu, Kaikai (Brophy, 71’), Kachunga (Lavery, 56’), Mayor, Kouassi
Subs Not Used: Hughes, Bennett, Knight, McLoughlin, Jobe
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Mayor, Ball
Referee: Adam Herczeg
