Ely City registered a 91st minute winner to come from behind and defeat Cambridge United’s development side 2-1 in the Cambs Invitational Cup Final at the Abbey Stadium.
The U’s struck the woodwork inside ten minutes through Matt Foy, in what progressed into a feisty and competitive opening to the fixture.
As the half moved towards the midway point, United began to find joy down the left through Tom Knowles and Jordan Norville-Williams, who’s combined pace was causing Ely problems.
However, the visitors to the Abbey held firm and whilst the U’s were never really threatened at the back during the first half, the game remained goalless going into the break.
The U’s returned to be in the ascendency after the break and Foy was again on the end of a great opportunity when turning Ely’s defence inside and then out after receiving a pass from Leon Davies, but the striker was unable to produce the finish.
It was Tom Knowles though who put Mark Bonner’s side into a second half lead, when the pacey forward was placed perfectly to drive home an opener from 20 yards out.
Ely soon had their first opportunity to test United keeper Finley Iron when Deakan Napier’s strike deflected into the path of Sam Goode, who could only direct his effort across the face of goal and away for a goal kick.
The visitors did equalise though through their second substitute Sam Reed., who was at the far post to direct in an Ely free kick which had been headed back across the U’s six yard box.
Matt Foy made a telling contribution defensively as the game approached the closing stages, when heading away an Ely effort off the line that seemed destined for the United net.
However, the U’s were defeated in stoppage time with Sam Reed scoring his second of the game from eight yards out to clinch the silverware.
Cambridge United Development: Iron, Davies, Darling, Shaw (Goode), Norville-Williams, Mutswungama, Squire, Neal (Bennett), Knowles, Worman, Foy
Ely City: Reynolds, Jeffrey, Alsop, Walter, Williams, Reed, Brown (Goode), Seymour, Napier, Theobald (Sewell), Thurlbourne (Reed)