Fine display earns excellent point for the U's
A fine display from Cambridge United earned the U’s an excellent Sky Bet League Two point at the Abbey Stadium against promotion chasers Oxford United following a goalless draw.The U’s made just one change to the side that had faced Bristol Rovers on Good Friday, with loanee Max Clark given his first start in place of Zeli Ismail.
Shaun Derry’s men were quick out the blocks and enjoyed a series of chances on goal with Luke Berry squandering a pair of headed chances inside the first ten minutes, whilst Jimmy Spencer also tested Benjamin Buchel early on in the Oxford goal.
As the game wore on, Oxford clawed themselves a foothold in the game and the match was evenly contested between both teams for the remainder of the first half.
Spencer came close to breaking the deadlock on half an hour when Berry fed the striker the ball 25 yards out, which he curled towards the far post, only to see it drift inches wide.
Moments later it was Luke Berry who saw another United chance go begging, as he poked Ben Williamson’s fine delivery over Buchel’s target. Despite a solid 45 minutes of football from the U’s, the score remained goalless at the break.
The visitors returned for the second half with a far higher intensity in their play and caused the United early difficulties.
However, the U’s stuck in the game well and had another opportunity to open the scores when an excellent pass inside from Ben Williamson found Spencer in space 18 yards out, but the striker cleared the goal with his right footed attempt.
Powerful running from Berry just after the hour mark opened up room for a shot, but the midfielder’s left footed effort trickled into the arms of Buchel.
Both teams will have felt they had strong penalty appeals turned down with the clock ticking, when Sam Long looked to have hauled Berry to the ground before Legge seemed to have fouled Hylton at the other end of the field in a frantic minute of play.
An open last five minutes saw both sides push for a winner but the score line remained unblemished following an entertaining fixture.
Cambridge United: Norris, Furlong, Legge, Coulson, Haynes, Berry, Clark (Simpson, 75 mins), Dunne, Dunk, Williamson (Ismail, 72 mins), Spencer
Oxford United: Buchel, Skarz, Roofe, Mullins (Long, 19 mins), Wright, Sercombe, MacDonald, Ruffels, Maguire (Waring, 76 mins), Bowery (Hylton, 64 mins), Dunkley
Attendance: 6, 108 (1,328)
Vindis Man of the Match: Leon Legge