Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: mild
Goals:
United: Challinor 90'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Robbie Willmott (Chris Holroyd 72'), Jon Challinor, Paul Carden (c), Felino Jardim (Ben Farrell 72'); Mark Beesley, Lee McEvilly.
Subs not used: Chris Jones, Danny Crow, Steven Drench.

Booked: Hatswell foul 25', Challinor foul 73'

Lewes:
Dean Ruddy, Anthony Barness, Danny Cullip (c), Christopher Breach; Aswad Thomas, Joseph Keehan, Steven Elliott, Kerry Mayo (Oliver Rowland 42'), Stefan Cox (Seb Wallace-Tayler 72'); Sam Gargan, Scott Taylor (Chamal Fenelon 82').
Sub not used: Thomas Graves.

Booked: Cox foul 30', Gargan foul 35'

Jon Challinor's first goal for Cambridge United sealed another late, late home win for the U's against resilient Lewes.

Gary Brabin made three changes to the side that drew 0-0 at York on Saturday, recalling Mark Beesley, Felino Jardim and Robbie Willmott in place of Danny Crow, Mark Convery and Chris Holroyd.

Lewes manager Kevin Keehan made three changes, calling up Steven Elliott and Stefan Cox for Oliver Rowland and the injured Michael Standing, but the third change was only confirmed after the team sheets were submitted, as goalkeeper Rikki Banks suffered back problems and was replaced by Dean Ruddy.

Lewes started in a 3-5-2 formation while, with Willmott and Jardim restored to the side, United started in a 4-4-2 formation and were lively from the off, with the greatest threat coming down the wings through pacy pair Willmott and Jardim.

Dutchman Jardim cut in to have a low shot saved by Ruddy inside the first minute and two minutes later Willmott showed he could do the same but his shot struck Thomas, and Jon Challinor drove the rebound over the bar from 30 yards.

United's high-tempo start continued when Ruddy had to tip Beesley's shot over in the fifth minute and the resulting short corner was worked to Wayne Hatswell whose powerful drive was punched behind. This time the flagkick was played to the near post and eventually fell for Hatswell again, whose snap shot flew wide from 20 yards.

United's pressure continued with another corner two minutes later and Ruddy also rose well to claim a Jardim cross, but the visitors looked increasingly lively on the counterattack and having weathered the opening storm they began to put a few moves together.

On 13 a promising United move was thwarted when Jardim picked out Beesley's run but the striker was unable to take the ball in his stride and it ran through to the goalkeeper, and three minutes later Challinor advanced to lift a cross into the area but Ruddy was equal to it.

The match was open but also fiercely competitive and United's Jardim and Lewes' Cox both went close from free kicks. United also had two good chances midway through the half when first Lee McEvilly was brought down by Cullip and his free kick was punched clear, then Dan Gleeson had the crowd on their feet when he made a marauding run down the right and cut inside before unleashing a stunning left foot drive just over the bar.

The first booking followed on 25 when Hatswell ended a Lewes counterattack by hauling down Scott Taylor at the cost of a yellow card, but both physios were called into action more than once as the hard challenges flew in.

Jardim produced a fine run and cross on the half hour but there was no one in a U's shirt in the middle and Jardim hit the ground and stayed down for treatment following Cox's late challenge, then referee John Farries drew protests when he stopped play with Beesley in possession, but he had spotted Paul Carden being clattered and staying prone after clearing the ball forward. Greg Reid trotted on again to attend to the United captain while Sam Gargan was booked for the foul.

United resumed brightly and put together some slick passing moves without really threatening the goal, although Willmott and Jardim kept the Rooks' defence on their toes by swapping wings, but as Lewes grew in confidence there seemed to be a few jitters among the home players and fans.

Brighton loanee Kerry Mayo was clearly struggling with a knee injury and he was replaced by Oliver Rowland three minutes before half-time, and the visitors finished strongly with a corner headed away by McEvilly and some promising possession before before the half-time whistle was greeted with a few boos from the home fans.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A half that started encouragingly for United ended in frustration as they failed to capitalise on their early good tempo. The visitors have grown in confidence and looked dangerous on the break."

Second half:
United resumed by attacking in their preferred direction towards the Newmarket Road End and Lee McEvilly, who had been quiet in the first half, started by menacing the Lewes defence into conceding a corner, which arrived with Hatswell and was half-cleared to McEvilly, but the striker was flagged offside.

Willmott and Jardim both tested the Lewes defence with dangerous crosses from wide, but the resilient visitors had a golden opportunity to take the lead on 54 when Keehan released Scott Taylor on goal, Danny Potter standing up well to make a crucial save from the experienced striker.

Seconds later Jardim broke away down the right and although he was being forced wide he still got a shot away that Ruddy did well to push wide, and Willmott's corner was headed inches over by Gleeson.

Another Willmott corner led to a spell of possession by United, and on 59 McEvilly latched onto a long ball, holding off Breach to get behind the defence and create the opening, but agonisingly he fired inches wide of the far post. Two minutes later he flicked the ball on for Beesley but the ring-rusty striker was unable to control it on his thigh and it ran wide.

Willmott was upended in full stride by Rowland on 63 and McEvilly lined up the free kick 25 yards out on the left, lifting it over the wall but also over the bar and wide, and midway through the half he tried his luck from 20 yards out on the right but pulled it wide of the near post.

United were probing in vain to find a way through the cautious visitors, who were already wasting time, and there was an opening on 68 when a United corner was headed on by McEvilly and pushed away by the keeper, but Beesley mishit the bouncing ball.

A double substitution followed in the 72nd minute with Chris Holroyd coming on for Willmott and Ben Farrell for Jardim, United switching to 4-3-3, while Lewes brought on Seb Wallis-Tayler for Cox.

A booking followed almost immediately when Challinor was booked for challenging back against Barness, and the home fans began to express their frustration more loudly as the visitors dug in and were clearly looking to kill time and preserve a point.

After all of United's possession and pressure, Lewes went close with ten minutes remaining when a loose ball fell to Fargan six yards out and Potter had to kick the ball past his own post for a corner.

Lewes made their final change on 82 when Scott Taylor was replaced by Chamal Fenelon, and within seconds McEvilly brought the ball down on the left and fired wide from 20 yards with Beesley racing through in support.

The alert Beesley almost profited from a careless ball back to Ruddy on 84, darting in to chase the ball down, but the assured keeper cleared the danger and he was called upon again when a throw-in was met with a Challinor shot on the turn, which was blocked to Holroyd, but the young striker's shot ran through to the keeper.

United were cranking up the pressure and Paul Carden's 87th minute corner was brought down by McEvilly and ran for Holroyd whose overhead kick was blocked, the ball bounced around the area with United players throwing boots and bodies at it, and although the ball was played to Beesley nipping in at far post he could only squeeze the ball across the goal and wide under pressure.

As the match reached a breathless climax a Lewes corner was cleared, Carden made a trademark thunderous challenge on Fenelon to stop a Lewes breakaway, Beesley had a 90th minute shot strike hit Holroyd in the crowded area and hacked away, but the Lewes defence was finally breached in the first minute of stoppage time.

The goal followed another spell of concerted pressure with U's men almost queuing up to shoot, the ball falling for McEvilly whose header appeared to hit a defender's hand, but even as appeals were starting for handball the ball fell neatly for Jon Challinor who smashed home his first U's goal from four yards.

It was the second home game in which United snatched the points in stoppage time, and the relieved reactions on and off the pitch saw Gary Brabin bound onto the pitch to celebrate with his players a win that United deserved on the balance of play.

Ref: Mr. John Farries

Att: 3,194 (away 29)

Match Summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"There was stoppage time drama at the Trade Recruitment Stadium for the second match running as the U's snatched a late, late victory. After 94th minute disappointment for Grays it was 91st minute heartbreak for Lewes as Jon Challinor summoned up a jubilant end to a frustrating evening. United started well with Mark Beesley and Wayne Hatswell thwarted by smart saves, but Lewes grew in confidence as the match went on and even posed a threat or two of their own on the break. The U's looked increasingly desperate as time ran out but the visitors had let in five goals in the dying moments of matches this season, and five became six thanks to Challinor's late intervention "

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Jon Challinor - hard-working in midfield and popped up with the all-important goal . Honourable mentions to the whole back five, who were outstanding as they accomplished another clean sheet."

Ref: Mr Farries - we've seen worse this season. He tried to play advantage and didn't always comply with Lewes' wishes to stop the game at every opportunity, although it was still a stop-start occasion. 6/10."

Now talk about the match with fellow U's on our lively message board!

AT081007