Heartbreak at the death meant that Cambridge United were denied a first clean sheet of the season and an important point towards their Sky Bet League One tally as Rotherham United secured a 0-1 success at the Cledara Abbey Stadium thanks to Sam Nombe’s winner moments from time…
Looking for an instant reaction from the defeat Lincoln City inflicted three days earlier, Garry Monk opted to name the solitary change to his wing-back system as Liam Bennett replaced Emmanuel Longelo who, alongside Sullay Kaikai, were left out of the squad owing to illness.
An authoritative start saw the U’s play with energy and really take the game to the Millers. With two minutes on the clock, the energetic Dan Nlundulu turned and cracked a shot which forced a corner, where Bennett’s inswinger was on target but caught by Cameron Dawson.
Down at the other end, Danny Andrew was on hand to put behind Cohen Bramall’s teasing delivery towards the six-yard box two minutes later. It was an indication of the no-nonsense approach they had been eager to implement.
Bar that one moment, the hosts were confident. Excellent in the turn and in possession with his back to goal, Nlundulu jinked past his man and cut back to James Gibbons inside the box – whose strike took a wicked deflection and bobbled out of play.
Nlundulu registered another attempt on target on the 20th minute from the edge of the area, which ultimately was meat and drink for Dawson but enough to test the 29-year-old.
Despite heading into the encounter winless in four, Rotherham remained a threat with set pieces thanks to their defensive prowess. A dangerous inswinging delivery from the creative Joe Powell from the right glanced off the head of Bennett, which tipped his far post. Play was recycled, which resulted in Shaun McWilliams heading wide.
United’s application for the first half an hour was a significant improvement from the weekend - all that was missing was converting a chance. On the speculative side, Korey Smith tested his luck from 25 yards out, but it forced Dawson to paw over the bar.
On 33, Reece James picked out former Sheffield Wednesday man Mallik Wilks from close distance, who powered a header wide of the alert Vicente Reyes and his woodwork.
The first period drifted out from here, but Monk’s side continued in the same front-footed approach after the break. Within a matter of minutes, the battling Bennett evaded a tackle and scampered down the right, before supplying a low cross to striker Nlundulu who grazed the side netting.
Jonson Clarke-Harris, a serial goalscorer at this level, was handed his first sniff at goal on the 52nd minute. Meeting Joe Rafferty’s cross, the forward aimed a header at the bottom corner and provided Reyes with his first test of the evening, which he passed with flying colours by diving to his left.
Somehow, the U’s weren’t able to draw first blood on the hour mark when a golden opportunity fell their way. Bennett’s cross fell to Cameron Humphreys, who in turn diverted a scuffed clearance towards his own net. Nlundulu raced to it and pulled the trigger with venom, but remarkably Dawson got his body to it which flew to safety.
As the clock continued to tick, the match became somewhat flat. Whilst the U’s were assuring defensively, which in itself was a step in the right direction, they were still waiting for that moment to pounce against the Millers.
On the 80th minute, attackers Elias Kachunga and Ryan Loft were introduced to the fold, but it was at the other end where the killer blow was dealt.
In stoppage time, a deep delivery out of nowhere was poached at by a looming Nombe, who turned the ball home to secure a last-gasp victory and leave the hosts shellshocked.
Up next, the mammoth journey down to Devon awaits the U’s on Saturday (5th October) as they do battle with Exeter City at St James Park.
Cambridge United: Reyes, Okedina, Morrison, Andrew, Bennett, Smith, Digby, Gibbons, Brophy, Njoku (Kachunga, 78’), Nlundulu (Loft, 79’)
Subs Not Used: Stevens, Ibsen Rossi, Cousins, O’Riordan
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Digby, Brophy, Nlundulu
Rotherham United: Dawson, Rafferty, Humphreys, McCart, James, Hungbo (Nombe, 80’), McWilliams (Tiehi, 80’), Powell, Bramall, Wilks (Holmes, 86’), Clarke-Harris (Hugill, 86’)
Subs Not Used: Phillips, MacDonald, Jules
Goalscorers: Nombe (90+1’)
Bookings:
Referee: Darren Drysdale
Attendance: 5085 (344 away fans)