Corr and Berry goals ensure U’s secure three points in final game of 2015
Cambridge United rounded off 2015 with a 2-1 home win against Barnet FC, with Berry and Corr securing the points during two second half minutes.
United were facing a 1-0 deficit when Barnet target man John Akinde gave the visitors the lead on the hour mark, but Berry’s header and Corr’s strike across goal turned the tie.
Manager Shaun Derry stuck with the side that completed the game at Dagenham & Redbridge two days earlier, with Ryan Donaldson and Greg Taylor dropping out of the side through injury.
Leon Legge had an early headed attempt at goal flicked on to the cross bar by Gavin Hoyte, before the Bees sprung an attack of their own at the other end, which ended with Andy Yiadom drilling a powerful shot from an excellent shooting position straight into the welcoming palms of Sam Beasant.
Former Hull City and Peterborough United striker Aaron McClean bounced a long range strike off the U’s cross bar midway through the first half, which certainly had the Amber Army holding their breath.
However, goal mouth action up to the half time break proved to be few and far between, with United forced to produce a physical display to match their London opponents.
The best opportunity of the first 45 minutes fell moments before referee David Webb blew his whistle to indicate the half time break, with a long throw into the U’s box falling at the feet of Andy Yiadom three yards from goal which the winger poked wide.
When the sides re-emerged the visitors did begin to build pressure on the U’s defensively with Leon Legge forced into some outstanding defending to keep the scores goalless.
However, the Bees did break the deadlock on the hour mark when a long ball from Gavin Hoyte spilt the U’s and put John Akinde clean through to register his 11th goal of the season.
The big striker had the opportunity to double the advance eight minutes later, when he was again on the end of a long ball up field and in one-on-one shooting position against the U’s keeper, however was unable to find the target with his chipped effort.
It proved to be a major turning point, as Luke Berry and Barry Corr flipped the score line in United’s favour in two extraordinary minutes. Firstly, Berry was on the end of a sublime cross by Harrison Dunk to equalise, before Barry Corr darted into the Barnet 18 yard box a minute later and drove a shot back across goal to spark celebrations around the ground.
Ben Williamson and Ryan Ledson both had chances to extend the lead, the Gillingham loanee’s effort in particular forcing a great one-on-one save from Barnet keeper Ian Lawlor.
It was the U’s who dominated much of the latter stages of the game, as they looked to seal the win with Simpson within fractions of doing so with a drilled effort on goal. However, it remained 2-1 and United extended their unbeaten run to six League games.
Cambridge United: Beasant, Omozusi, Roberts, Legge, Dunk, Berry, Ledson, Newton (Demetriou, 63 mins), Williamson, Simpson, Corr
Barnet: Lawlor, Hoyte (Lisbie, 77 mins), Johnson, Dembele, N’Gala, Yiadom, Weston, Akinde, Togwell (Muggleton, 74 mins), Champion, McClean (Gash, 54 mins)
Attendance: 6,003 (549 away)