Cambridge United vs Gateshead

Odubade wins it in stoppage time

Yemi Odubade's goal in injury time sent Gateshead into round three of the FA Trophy after a match dominated by Cambridge United. 

United hit the woodwork four times but couldn't break the deadlock, and were punished in stoppage time. A long ball over the top caught out Jonathan Hedge, and he was robbed by Odubade, who showed good composure to turn and roll the ball home from the edge of the box. 

Earlier Tom Shaw and Tom Elliott had the hit the post in quick succession. Rory McAuley then had a header turned onto the upright by Adam Bartlett, while in the second half Robbie Willmott rattled the cross-bar with a powerful shot from the edge of the box. But Odubade's late effort ended their hopes of a Wembley appearance. 

There was one change to the United starting line-up following Saturday's 3-0 league win over Gateshead. It saw Hedge return in goal after the end of Jed Steer's loan spell. Craig Ross and Andy Pugh came in on the bench, with Jonathon Thorpe dropping out of the squad.

The teams shared possession in an even first half, but it was United who looked by far the more likely scorers. A good last ditch tackle from Ben Clark halted Tom Elliott as he was about to pull the trigger, before the U's saw their hopes of taking the lead foiled by the woodwork. Intelligent play from Rossi Jarvis and Michael Gash led to the latter playing a sweet reverse pass into the feet of the onrushing Tom Shaw, and though he didn't catch his shot cleanly, it beat Adam Bartlett but rebounded off the foot of the post. Elliott latched onto the follow-up but his angled effort smacked against the same upright.

Just before half-time it took a fabulous save from Bartlett to deny Rory McAuley. The defender climbed highest to meet a Jarvis centre, but his header was pushed onto the post by the former Hereford goalkeeper.

Though Gateshead threatened sporadically in the second period, Hedge had little to do, with his defence coping well with a series of crosses into the six-yard box. At the other end Robbie Willmott should have done better after displaying brilliant control to pull down an Elliott cross. But with Bartlett in his sights the winger went for power and smashed his shot over the bar from eight yards.

Willmott went even closer when Hedge found him wide on the left with an accurate kick downfield. But after cutting in from the flank and beating a couple of defenders, Willmott's shot beat Bartlett but bounced away off the crossbar.

And with the game heading towards a draw, and a Tuesday night replay, Odubade struck to break United hearts. Hedge had already endured one anxious moment, a break down in communication with James Jennings which led to the defender putting the ball behind as his goalkeeper advanced. In the 90th minute he came out to collect a long ball over the top, but hesitated as the ball wouldn't run into his area. Odubade raced in, dispossessed the keeper, and kept his cool to turn and stroke the ball into the empty net.

The former Stevenage striker celebrated with the 11 travelling fans, leaving United to contemplate a return to league action on Tuesday, when they travel to Alfreton.

Man of the Match: Tom Elliott - Led the Gateshead defence a merry dance. 

Cambridge United: Hedge, Roberts, Jennings, McAuley, Coulson, Willmott, Dunk (Pugh 70), Jarvis, Shaw, Gash (Smith 73), Elliott. Subs not used: Ross, Haynes-Brown, Hudson.  

Gateshead: Bartlett, Magnay, Wilson, Boyle, Clark, Gillies, Donaldson, Turnbull, Chandler, Brown (Odubade 73), Hatch. Subs: Cummins, Bush, Nixon, Henderson. 

Attendance: 1,091 (away 11) 

FULL TIME: Cambridge United 0-1 Gateshead 

16.47: Indeed, Odubade's goal wins it for the visitors, United exit the FA Trophy despite dominating for 90 minutes. 

16.44: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-1 GATESHEAD. A sickener for United and particularly Jonathan Hedge, who hesitated as a long ball over the top dropped on the edge of the box. He failed to gather it properly and YEMI ODUBADE nipped in, stole the ball, and smashed it into the empty net. Gateshead on their way to round three by the looks of it. 

16.38: United hit the woodwork for a fourth time! Great clearance from Hedge drops on Willmott's foot, and he bamboozles a defender before arcing a shot over the keeper but against the face of the bar, unlucky. United keep the pressure up, Pugh crosses, Willmott pulls it back, but Bartlett saves again and Elliott can only stab the rebound into the side netting from an acute angle. 

16.35: Nice curling free kick floated in by Rossi Jarvis, McAuley and Smith throw themselves at it with a couple of defenders but can only nudge the ball on and behind for a goal kick. 

16.30: Half a chance for Heed following, Boyle wallops the ball into the six yard box but Kevin Roberts gets a firm connection on it to clear. Sam Smith comes on to replace Michael Gash for the last 12 minutes. 

16.25: Gateshead change, Odubade on for the ineffective Brown. He won't be feeling good this afternoon. 

16.22: First change for United, Andy Pugh replaces Harrison Dunk. Not Dunk's most productive afternoon, though he's been busy on the right and left. Pugh's first touch is a powerful shot from the edge of the box that's charged down. 

16.17: United should be in front through Robbie Willmott. Shaw spreads play to Elliott, whose first time cross is controlled brilliantly by Willmott, but with Bartlett at his mercy he goes for power and blazes his shot over the bar. Still 0-0. 

16.14: YELLOW CARD. That'll be a booking for Boyle, who blocks off Willmott on half-way, today's attendance 1,019 (away 11). 

16.10: Dangerous delivery from Gillies drops into the six yard box, and Josh Coulson has to hoof it over his own bar. Corner is taken quickly, but Michael Gash shows admirable composure to control, turn and clear from inside his own box. 

16.05: At the other end Donaldson is the beneficiary of a dubious looking decision as he goes down under challenge from Dunk. In goes the free kick from wide, but the ref has spotted some pushing and that'll be a free kick. 

16.03: United have started the second half on the front foot, Elliott shooting wide, and Jarvis having an effort charged down. Gateshead on the attack now though, and McAuley puts the ball behind, it'll be a corner. In it comes, but Gash heads clear and United can break with Willmott, who appears to get the better of his man, but as he advances into the box is crowded out by that defender. United want a penalty but the referee isn't interested. 

15.57: The second half gets underway. 

HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-0 GATESHEAD 

15.44: Last chance for Gateshead before half-time, as Willmott is penalised for a foul on Gillies wide on the Heed right. Free kick is swung in, it reaches Turnbull, who fortunately can't make a clean connection and Hedge is able to gather. That's half-time, and having hit the woodwork on three occasions United will feel they should be in front by now, despite having not yet hit the heights of last week's performance. 

15.40: U's free kick into the box, it falls to Josh Coulson, who hooks the ball back in, and that looked like handball by a defender! United appeal but the referee only indicates a corner. Over it comes, the first effort is headed away to the taker, Jarvis. He lofts the ball back into the box, McAuley climbs and heads goalwards but sees Bartlett make a tremendous reaction save, parrying the ball onto the post and away to safety. 

15.37: Not much happening near either goal mouth, very scrappy. United look good when they can get the ball into the feet of Gash and Elliott, and work the overlap down the right with Dunk and Roberts, but at the moment the ball is pinging back and forth between the teams like a hot potato. 

15.25: Coulson through the back of Hatch, that'll be a Gateshead free kick 25 yards from goal. Gillies lines it up, but slams his shot into the wall and it bounces clear. 

15.15: Gateshead's turn to threaten, the busy Gillies finding Donaldson, who lays it back for Boyle, and his curling shot flies wide of the far post. Whether Hedge knew that was going wide is open to debate. 

15.10: So close for United, who hit the post twice in a minute. Intelligent play from Jarvis and Gash sees the striker lay the ball into the path of Tom Shaw, who pokes a shot past Bartlett but sees it rebound off the base of the post. Elliott follows in and smashes a shot against the upright from a narrow angle. Unlucky. 

15.08: Brown tries to make some space in the box, twisting and turning, but his low shot is easily grabbed by Hedge, who sets United off on the counter and Tom Elliott is fouled, free kick 35 yards out. Taken quickly to Dunk but his cross is charged down. 

15.03: First chance of the game sees Robbie Willmott nip in to win the ball and set Elliott off down the left-channel. He powers into the box with Clark on his shoulder (not literally), and the Heed skipper does just enough to get back and block the U's top scorer's shot. Clark seems to have injured himself in the tackle, but is soon back in the action after treatment. 

14.57: Underway early here at the R Costings Abbey Stadium, United attacking the South Stand in which 14 Gateshead fans are huddled. 

Cambridge United: Hedge, Roberts, Jennings, McAuley, Coulson, Willmott, Dunk (Pugh 70), Jarvis, Shaw, Gash (Smith 73), Elliott. Subs: Ross, Haynes-Brown, Hudson, Smith, Pugh. 

Gateshead: Bartlett, Magnay, Wilson, Boyle, Clark, Gillies, Donaldson, Turnbull, Chandler, Brown (Odubade 73), Hatch. Subs: Odubade, Cummins, Bush, Nixon, Henderson. 

14.25: TEAM NEWS. One change for the U's, and it's an expected one, with Jonathan Hedge returning to the starting XI at the expense of Jed Steer, who has returned to Norwich City. On the bench, Craig Ross and Andy Pugh are back, with Jonathon Thorpe dropping out of the squad. 

Gateshead make three changes, Wilson, Turnbull and Brown replacing Curtis, Bullock, and Cummins. Looks like a 4-4-2 for the visitors. 

14.00: Hello and welcome to the R Costings Abbey Stadium for this afternoon's FA Trophy tie between Cambridge United and Gateshead. A place in the third round is at stake, and United will be looking to repeat last Saturday's 3-0 thrashing of the Heed in the Blue Square Bet Premier. However, the visitors have a new manager, Anth Smith, in place today and the players will no doubt be out to impress the gaffer.