MATCH REPORT | CAMBRIDGE UNITED 3 LEYTON ORIENT 0
Cambridge United put Leyton Orient to the sword in glorious sunshine at the Cambs Glass Stadium, taking the spoils 3-0 in Sky Bet League Two.
Goals from Luke Berry, Liam O’Neil and George Maris gave United a comfortable three points and moved Shaun Derry’s men up to ninth.
The U’s lined up with one change as Uche Ikpeazu returned to the starting 11, in place of Barry Corr who dropped out through injury.
United took control from the outset against a very young Orient outfit, although it was not until the half hour mark that Luke Berry opened the scores, with his third goal in two games and 20th of the season. The midfielder was perfectly placed to head home Harrison Dunk’s delivery to the far post.
Will Norris was forced into a fine full stretch save five minutes later, with the keeper pushing Rowan Liburd’s header wide to keep United’s lead intact.
That advantage was doubled on 41 minutes by Liam O’Neil who glanced in his first for the Club from a whipped George Maris set piece.
United set an early impetus in the second half with Harrison Dunk striking the woodwork moments before Maris poked home a third after wrestling possession away from the Orient defence inside the 18 yard box.
With the result secured Derry introduced Medy Elito, Adam McGurk and Paul Lewis to proceedings as the U’s continued to string together positive passages of play.
Elito came closest when Newton found the former Newport County man inside the O’s area, where he attempted a diving header but just couldn’t get the required connection as the effort bobbled off target.
However, the U’s saw the result through to move to within two points of the League Two play-offs.
Cambridge United: Norris, Halliday, Legge, Taylor, Carroll, Maris (McGurk, 67 mins), O’Neil, Newton (Lewis, 82 mins), Dunk, Berry, Ikpeazu (Elito, 62 mins)
Leyton Orient: Sargeant, Kelly, Collins, Liburd (Abrahams, 60 mins), Semedo, Moncur, Pollock, Koroma (Adeboybjo, 60 mins), Alzate, Clark, Happe (Ochieng, 76 mins)
Attendance: 4,681 (641)
Vindis Man of the Match: George Maris