U’s fall to narrow defeat against Dons at the Abbey…
Following defeats against Chatham Town and Stevenage, Ethan Scott’s side were eager to get back to winning ways with the visit of MK Dons in the first of our two Cledara Abbey Stadium games.
One change from last week's trip to Chatham, as Isabel Beeson replaced Abbie Jackson in the heart of the U's defence.
Slow starts hampered the U's last two games against Chatham and Stevenage and there was no chance of that happening against MK Dons as an electric start saw Radbourne's goal tested with early efforts from Bell, Coupar and Cook all coming close.
The U's were given a golden opportunity to open the scoring in the 16th minute as Bell was brought down by the onrushing Radbourne and a penalty awawrded.
Vice Captain Hope Strauss stepped up to the spot, but unfortunately, Radbourne who was in fine form denied the defender, diving low to her right to deny the U's the opener.
The penalty miss didn't deter the U's, with Jeffery stinging the palms of Radbourne, before Bell also forced the Dons stopper into a superb reflex save from close range.
However, despite the U's best efforts and against the run of play, it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 35th minute.
A long ball over the top of the defence found Taborda, who broke free of the U's defence before slotting calmly past Webb into the bottom corner.
A gut punch for the U's as the team headed into the break 1-0 down.
Following the break, the U's picked up where they left off as Bell put an effort narrowly wide after breaking through the Dons defence, before Gambell saw an effort head over the bar from a corner.
Ethan Scott sent on reinforcements to try and level the scores as Norman, Tomlinson, Shaw and Hacker all came onto the pitch to help force a breakthrough, but the U's frustrations continued...
The best chances of the second half came in the 88th minute as Jeffery's cross from the left narrowly evaded onrushing U's players before the ball was returned into the box from the right, falling to Bell's feet, only for her to see her effort miss the target.
Norman tried her best from a narrow angle after being fed through by Bell in the 90th minute, but the scoreline would remain the same.
A narrow defeat despite a superb performance from the U's, up next is a trip to Luton Town next Sunday in the final game of the FA WNL Cup Group Stage.
Next home game: Dartford Town (18th October) - Purchase tickets here
Cambridge United: Webb ©, Jeffery, Beeson, Cook (Tomlinson 63’), Miles, Coupar, Bell, Jarvis (Hacker, 85'), Gambell (Norman 63’), Bennet (Shaw 78’), Strauss
Subs Not Used: Dixon, Jackson, Edgar
MK Dons: Radbourne, Webster (De Villiers, 66'), Day, Evans ©, Ridley, Carnevale (Omenazu, 46'), Lemon, Taborda, Leighton (Richards, 36'), Simmons (Nagle, 88'), Wade
Subs Not Used: Sarll, Taylor, Tilbury
Goalscorers: Taborda (37’)
