Cambridge United succumbed to a fifth successive defeat in Sky Bet League One as Bristol Rovers came away from the Cledara Abbey Stadium with a slender 0-1 success…
A close-range header from Luke Thomas mid-way through the first half was enough to separate the sides on an afternoon of small margins for the U’s, who concluded with 10 men after Michael Morrison was dismissed late on.
Despite a quick turnaround from the defeat to in-form Reading three days earlier, Garry Monk opted with a similar XI as he made just the one change to his defence, with Zeno Ibsen Rossi coming in for Jubril Okedina. Elsewhere, Emmanuel Longelo returned to the matchday squad and was part of the seven-man bench.
Deciding to attack the match from the get-go, Inigo Calderon’s side tested Jack Stevens within the opening minute when Thomas wriggled inside the area and teed up Jamie Lindsay in the area, who drilled a low attempt at goal. Shortly after, Chris Martin fired a free-kick from under 25 yards well over the crossbar.
With the U’s first set piece came their first opportunity to cause danger on the 8th minute. After Josh Stokes was brought down on the counter by Grant Ward, who saw yellow, James Brophy played a quick free-kick to Danny Andrew, who floated to a racing Ibsen Rossi at the back post. The centre-back recycled it across goal but nobody was there to rise highest.
Ten minutes later, a teasing delivery from Andrew was whipped into the six-yard box and towards Morrison, who powered a header towards the near post where Josh Griffiths was on hand to dive and paw behind for another corner.
The hosts were enjoying the possession in the early stages, playing it around the back cautiously but once they’d entered the final third, they were yet to find a way to unlock the Pirates’ defence.
Deadlock was broken on 25 when Scott Sinclair beat his man down the left and chipped a cross in the direction of Thomas at the back stick, who planted a header into the corner from close-range.
In response, United started to accumulate some half-chances - Liam Bennett picked out Nlundulu with a pinpoint cross on 33, but the striker’s header was deflected out.
Play was paused from here owing to a change of officials as referee Sam Muhall was replaced by his assistant Stuart Butler – as a result, a tannoy announcement was made asking for a qualified individual to deputise for the fourth official.
On the cusp of the additional eight minutes, Stokes was presented with two quickfire opportunities to draw level. First, he was picked out following a mazy Nlundulu dribble down the wing, but his 20-yard attempt bobbled inches over the crossbar, and then he concluded a series of quick passes with a delicate curler that wasn’t overly far from creeping in.
The U’s asked questions immediately from the restart by firing an attempt on target. Nlundulu held it up and switched play to Brophy, who hit it into the mixer which was flicked back into the path of Jordan Cousins from distance, where the midfielder struck it into the ground and it bounced towards Griffiths.
On the 54th minute - and not long after he picked out a low effort into the six-yard box which just required someone to be there to poke in - Stokes looked to create some magic by silkily beating a couple of men in the box and pulling the trigger despite being under pressure, which crashed against the side netting.
Pouring more forwards, Cambridge were now starting to create one-way traffic. A loose header in the middle of the park on the hour was cleaned up by Cousins, who played in Bennett down the right. The full-back slipped in Kachunga who at an angle raced into the box, but applied too much power on the shot as it sailed over.
This signalled a double change for Monk’s side, who introduced Ryan Loft and Longelo to the field of play.
On 68, substitute Isaac Hutchinson placed the ball in the back of the net with a neat finish in a tight angle, but after deliberation with the linesman it was ruled out as offside to ensure the advantage remained at just the one goal.
Although they were accumulating heavy possession in the final third, it was just not falling United’s way during the dying embers. On the 84th minute, Brandon Njoku was released out wide and supplied a delivery, but again nobody was looming to get a toe on it.
A cutback two minutes later fell to the path of Njoku in excellent shooting range. The substitute did just that, but an important deflection made it an easy claim for Griffiths.
The U’s should have levelled matters on the stroke of 90 when Stokes did everything right by dancing into the area, but with the goalkeeper closing in he looked for the corner but nestled it just past the post.
Late drama in the box resulted in Morrison receiving a second yellow card of the afternoon after an altercation with James Wilson, with the hosts unable to claw a way back into the game.
Up next, it’s the first of back-to-back treks up north next Saturday (11th January) as the U’s pit their wits against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
Cambridge United: Stevens, Ibsen Rossi (Njoku, 80’), Morrison, Andrew, Bennett, Cousins, Smith, Brophy (Longelo, 64’), Stokes, Kachunga (Richards, 88’), Nlundulu (Loft, 64’)
Subs Not Used: Reyes, Watts, Barton
Goalscorers:
Bookings: Smith, Morrison (RED), Stokes
Bristol Rovers: Griffiths, Moore, Taylor, Wilson, Sousa, Lindsay (Senior, 90+4’), Ward, Thomas (O’Donkor, 57’), Sinclair (Forde, 74’), Sotiriou (Hutchinson, 57’), Martin
Subs Not Used: Hall, McCormick, Bilongo
Goalscorers: Thomas (25’)
Bookings: Ward, Sotiriou, Wilson, Hutchinson
Referee: Sam Muhall
Attendance: 6467 (318 away fans)