Berry's header sinks Shakers
Luke Berry’s header five minutes from time earned Cambridge United a 2-1 win over Bury and sent the U’s into round two of the FA Cup, where they will meet League One Sheffield United.
Berry’s late goal sunk the Shakers, who had looked the more likely scorers at times in the second period. Berry put the U’s in front after a neat one-two with Harrison Dunk, but the visitors were level within 60 seconds as Shaun Harrad headed home at the near post.
But Berry’s 85th minute intervention set up a clash with the Blades, which will be televised live on BT Sport on Sunday.
United’s starting line-up had a more familiar look than that which beat Salisbury City on Saturday, Richard Money making nine changes and reverting to the team that beat Woking 2-0.
Neither keeper was seriously tested in a first half short on goal-mouth incident. Liam Hughes and Kwesi Appiah fired high over the bar from good positions, while at the other end Ian Miller had to clear a header from Danny Hylton off the line.
The game opened up after the break, and the R Costings Abbey Stadium erupted when Berry opened the scoring. United worked the ball in from the right well with Appiah finding Dunk, who played a swift one-two with Berry before showing good presence of mind to slip the ball across to the midfielder. Berry’s finish was unerring, high into the net past Brian Jensen.
But Harrad headed home a delicious cross from Andy Procter to make it all square 60 seconds later, and the goal pepped up the visitors. Hylton hit the bar with a header, while the dangerous Craig Jones nodded wide at the back post after arriving unmarked.
And with the game heading for extra, Berry dashed in to meet a Richard Tait corner and spark wild celebrations. The U’s can look forward to Sunday’s match, with prize of a third round tie against one of the Premier League big-boys at stake.
May I Claim Man of the Match: Richard Tait
Cambridge United: Maxwell, Tait, Taylor, Coulson, Miller, Hughes, Dunk, Champion, Berry, Appiah, Cunnington. Subs not used: Roberts, Bonner, Norris, Austin, Sam-Yorke, Spillane, Arnold.
Bury: Jensen Hinds (Mayor 88), Jones, Cameron, Howell, Soares (Holden 89), Sedgwick, Procter, Edjenguele, Hylton, Harrad. Subs not used: Forrester, Holden, Mayor, Reindorf, Navas, Lainton, Walker.
Referee: Mr Gary Sutton
Attendance: 3,342 (away 105)
21.33: Four minutes to be added, come on United!
21.30: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2-1 BURY. The R Costings Abbey stadium erupts as LUKE BERRY makes it 2-1, racing into the six-yard box to power a header past the hesitant Jensen.
21.25: YELLOW CARD. Cunnington tries to lead United on a rare break-away but gets dragged back by Procter, another yellow card. United need some relief as Bury are looking threatening at present.
21.18: United's goal leading a charmed life at the moment. From a left-wing cross Hylton hammers in a powerful header but sees it hit the bar. Maxwell gets a hand to the rebound, but can only palm back in to the six-yard box and somehow the U's clear.
21.14: Another cross from the Bury right causes United problems, but Craig Jones unmarked can only head wide. Bit of a let-off that.
21.06: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-1 BURY. The Shakers level within a minute, Procter digs out a superb cross from down by the right touchline and SHAUN HARRAD ghosts in to flick a header high into the net past the helpless Maxwell. All square again.
21.04: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-0 BURY. United break the deadlock through Luke Berry. Lovely goal too, as they work the ball in from the right, Appiah's cross deflects clear to Dunk, who plays a neat one-two with Berry before rolling the ball back into his team-mate's pass, and Bez does the rest with an emphatic finish.
21.01: Berry penalised for a foul on Soares, free kick to Bury in a good position. Drifted in by Procter but headed clear.
20.56: YELLOW CARD. Soares gets involved in some unnecessary pushing and shoving with Tait and Champion, and is carded. The winger then rather ill-advisedly pushed Berry in the back seconds later and gets a stern talking to from the ref.
20.53: Good persistance from Appiah wins the U's a corner on their left. In it comes but flicks off Appiah and can be easily cleared.
20.49: Back underway, with the U's attacking the NRE this half.
HALF TIME: Cambridge United 0-0 Bury
20.30: Two minutes added time. Maxwell races out to gather a right wing cross, but can't get there, and Miller has to clear a header goalwards from away near the line.
20.26: Cunnington again fouled by Hinds, this time the United free kick is right on the edge of the box, left of centre. Hughes is standing over this, Greg Taylor there too. Hughes takes, it's powerful but flicks off the end of the wall and away for a corner, which Jensen just about deals with.
20.23: YELLOW CARD. Cunnington bulldozes his way between three Bury men, but is eventually tugged down by Hinds. That's a free kick and a fairly obvious booking. United free kick into the box, but Coulson's header lacks the power to trouble Jensen.
20.08: United building some pressure, mild confusion in the Bury box after a weak Jensen punch. But the visitors get away with it, the U's can't get a header on target and Berry's goalbound header is grabbed by the Shakers stopper.
20.06: Clear chance for Kwesi Appiah there, as Liam Hughes lofted pass catches out the Bury defence. Appiah's perfect first touch takes him clear, but as he sprints into the box he can only blast high over the bar.
20.03: Sedgwick with a decent ball in for Bury but the leaping Hylton can only flick a header well over the bar. Neither keeper made a save of note yet.
19.55: Berry is fouled out on the right, and the U's have a free kick. Tait's floated delivery is a good one, but a U's man can't get a head on it. Tait will get another chance though, as he is blocked off for another free kick in a similar position. This time Coulson is free at the back post, nods across but Cunnington can't connect.
19.53: Bury with their first corner now, a cross blocked behind by Coulson. Sedgwick will take but United clear the danger eventually, a couple of headers before Bury loft it back in and Maxwell claims.
19.48: Great chance for United to open the scoring through Liam Hughes, who meets a Berry flick on from Dunk's corner near the penalty spot but can only blaze a shot over.
19.45: Kick off, Bury get us underway attacking the NRE, which is in good voice.
Cambridge United: Maxwell, Tait, Taylor, Coulson, Miller, Hughes, Dunk, Champion, Berry, Appiah, Cunnington. Subs: Roberts, Bonner, Norris, Austin, Sam-Yorke, Spillane, Arnold.
Bury: Jensen Hinds, Jones, Cameron, Howell, Soares, Sedgwick, Procter, Edjenguele, Hylton, Harrad. Subs: Forrester, Holden, Mayor, Reindorf, Navas, Lainton, Walker.
19.30: TEAM NEWS. Unsurprisingly, United make nine changes, returning to the side that beat Woking after a much-changed XI saw off Salisbury in the FA Trophy on Saturday. None of United's new loan signings, who joined the club after the original tie, are eligible tonight.
Bury have some familiar faces in the team, with the likes of Danny Hylton, Dean Howell and Shaun Harrad having all seen action in the Skrill Premier in recent seasons.