MATCH REPORT | LEYTON ORIENT 1 CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1

A late leveller from Leyton Orient’s Ollie Palmer meant the U’s end 2016 with a 1-1 draw at the Matchroom Stadium.

Buoyed by a terrific travelling Amber Army, with 1,391 fans making the trip, Harrison Dunk gave the U’s a first half lead which was cruelly snatched away in the 94th minute by the hosts.

Shaun Derry named an unchanged side for the second consecutive fixture following the Boxing Day win over Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium.

Luke Berry fired in an early warning for the hosts, when the midfielder cut in off the left wing and curled a superb cross into the Orient area which Ikpeazu was fractions away from tapping home and almost squeezed in at the far post.

Nicky Hunt whistled a shot past Will Norris’ left post from 25 yards on 18 minutes and that was quickly followed by the O’s first real sighting at goal when Sandro Semedo went through one on one with the U’s keeper palming away to keep the game scoreless.

Shaun Derry’s men soon punished the hosts, after Berry harried the O’s defence inside the 18 yard box before Dunk finished on his right foot from close range to give United a first half lead.

The winger had an early opportunity after the break too, following good interlinking play between Mingoia, Berry and Ikpeazu which opened up an opportunity for Dunk, but he pulled his effort well wide from a difficult angle.

Ikpeazu looked to have doubled the lead shortly after the hour mark when he redirected Dunk’s shot into the net but the offside flag was swiftly raised against the big striker.

Berry had a great opportunity blocked inside the O’s area before substitute Max Clark forced Cisak into a good low stop with an excellently struck half volley.

United continue to bombard their opponents and Dunk should have doubled his tally for the game when he headed over from an excellent position as the match approached the final quarter.

However, the U’s were left to rue their missed opportunities when substitute Ollie Palmer notched the levelling goal with Orient’s only real chance in front of goal in the second half during the 94th minute of the clash.

Despite the goal, the U’s remain in the top seven at the turn of the year having taken 16 points from a possible 18 in their last six matches.

Cambridge United: Norris, Halliday, Legge, Roberts, Taylor, Mingoia, Dunne, Newton (Clark, 61 mins), Berry, Dunk (Williamson, 85 mins), Ikpeazu

Leyton Orient: Cisak, Parkes, Collins, McCallum, Massey, Atangana, Hunt, Mezague (Erichot, 32 mins), Semedo (Koroma, 66 mins), Judd, Dalby (Palmer, 52 mins)

Attendance: 5,896 (1,391 away)