Mariners inflict defeat on U's
Goals from Lenell John-Lewis and Scott Neilson saw Grimsby Town inflict Cambridge United’s first home league defeat of the season.
John-Lewis fired home in the first half, and though United levelled after the break through Luke Berry, their joy was short-lived as Neilson capitalised on a half-cleared free kick to shoot home the winner two minutes later.
Richard Money made one change, with the injured Ryan Bird missing out, and Luke Berry restored to the starting line-up after goalscoring cameo from the bench at Dartford on Saturday.
United started the half well, and James McKeown had to dash off his line to block as Liam Hughes looked set to pounce on a blocked shot from Tom Elliott.
But the visitors soon assumed control, snapping into tackles all over the pitch and harrying United out of possession on a number of occasions.
minute, when United failed to deal effectively with a left-wing corner. The ball was cleared out to Kerr, whose low cross was parried by Sullivan into the path of John-Lewis, who had a simple task of firing home from eight yards.thThey hit the front in the 17
Grimsbycould have extended their lead when the lively Jemal Fyfield escaped down the left, and whipped in a low ball which was met by Ross Hannah, whose shot came away off the upright. Then right on the stroke of half-time John-Lewis found space in the area to meet a floating free kick, but got his free header all wrong and nodded across goal when he should really have hit the target.
All United could muster in response were shots from distance from Berry and Hughes, and Paul Hurst’s men went into the break with a one-goal advantage.
Money will have wanted a swift response from his charges, and he got it ten minutes after the break. Richard Tait had time to measure a cross and Berry stole in to flick a header past McKeown.
However, the noisy visiting fans were on their feet two minutes later, as the United defence failed to deal with a free kick from the right, and Neilson was able to fire in a low shot that deflected into the net.
United tried to respond, and had one glorious chance to equalise when Berry played in substitute Matthew Barnes-Homer, who was denied by McKeown, before the defence blocked Berry’s follow-up.
Now the U’s must turn their attentions to the FA Trophy, and Saturday’s trip to Eastleigh.
MayIClaim Man of the Match: Luke Berry
CambridgeUnited: Sullivan, Tait, Taylor, Coulson, Miller, Berry, Champion (Barnes-Homer 73), Hughes (Gillies 58), Chambers (Arnold 62), Donaldson, Elliott. Subs not used: Roberts, Norris.
GrimsbyTown: McKeown, Bignot, Fyfield, McDonald (Thomas 79), Pearson, Kerr, Disley, Rodman, Neilson (Colbeck 65), John-Lewis (Tounkara 82), Hannah. Subs not used: Cook, McLaughlin.
Referee: Mr P.Bankes
Attendance: 3,027 (away 459)
FULL TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-2 GRIMSBY TOWN
21.27: Chance for the U's there, Berry scampering away and playing it in to Barnes-Homer, clear down the left channel. He draws the keeper, who makes a great save to block. Berry latches on to the follow up and he's crowded out too and Grimsby block it away for a corner, which Mckeown punches clear.
21.24: Cracking techinque from Berry to volley the ball goalwards from the edge of the box, but McKeown saves diving to his right.
21.15: Final change for United sees Barnes-Homer on in place of Champion.
21.10: Good save from McKeown, parrying away Elliott's back post header.
21.06: Both teams have made changes since the goal, Arnold replacing Chambers for the U's, and Colbeck on for goalscorer Neilson for Grimsby.
20.59: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-2 GRIMSBY TOWN. Grimsby back in front after just two minutes. Gillies concedes a free kick right on the edge of the box down by the byline and is booked. Rodman floats it in, under the bar, Sullivan parries it out and SCOTT NEILSON slots in a low shot with the aid of a deflection. 1-2.
20.57: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-1 GRIMSBY TOWN. United level, delicious cross from Richard Tait and LUKE BERRY races in to flick a trademark header past McKeown. All square.
20.47: Off we go for the second half, big 45 minutes coming up for the U's.
HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-1 GRIMSBY TOWN
20.32: That's half-time, United off-colour tonight, Grimsby look sharper all over the pitch and deserve their lead. Big improvement needed after the break.
20.28: Taylor with a good run down the left, dashing into the box and going over. Never going to get a penalty for that though.
20.18: YELLOW CARD. Donaldson shows his frustration at losing the ball to the busy Fyfield and leaves his foot in on the Grimsby left-back. That's a booking. Grimsby then get a couple of corners, the first awarded in highly dubious circumstances when the officials initially signalled a goal kick. Fortunately Sullivan claims the second at the far post.
20.13: Wow, wicked delivery from Fyfield and Hannah charges in but his powerful shot strikes the upright and bounces clear. The U's go down the other end and win a corner, but Berry's header from deep loops through to McKeown.
20.11: Hughes goes for goal from distance but his shot is well wide. United struggling to get a foothold on this match at the moment
20.05: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0-1 GRIMSBY TOWN. The visitors lead, and it's LENELL JOHN-LEWIS with the goal. United half clear a corner, but Kerr fires a low ball in, which goes through a sea of bodies and is parried out by Sullivan to John-Lewis, who has the simple task of firing home.
20.01: YELLOW CARD. Chambers fires over for the U's after controlling a long ball well on his thigh. Soon afterwards Neilson becomes the firs tman f
19.58: Champion sets Elliott away down the right, he tries to find Chambers with a low cross but McKeown dives to make a fairly routine stop. Grimsby neat on the ball, United seem content to let them have it in the middle third and try and spring away on a quick break.
19.53: McKeown called into action for the first time, as Elliott's blocked shot spins up and falls kindly for Liam Hughes, who tries to loft the ball over the keeper but sees his shot blocked by the body of the advancing stopper.
19.50: Tait does well to cut inside and float a cross in but Elliott loses out in the air to McDonald.
19.45: Kick off, Grimsby get us underway attacking the Newmarket Road End. Ash Chambers is up front for United alongside Tom Elliott in a 4-4-2, Hughes and Donaldson on the flanks.
Cambridge United: Sullivan, Tait, Taylor, Coulson, Miller, Berry, Champion, Hughes, Chambers, Donaldson, Elliott. Subs: Roberts, Norris, Arnold, Gillies, Barnes-Homer.
Grimsby Town: McKeown, Bignot, Fyfield, McDonald, Pearson, Kerr, Disley, Rodman, Neilson, John-Lewis, Hannah. Subs: Thomas, Colbeck, Cook, McLaughlin, Tounkara.
19.28: TEAM NEWS. One change for the U's, with Luke Berry coming back into the starting line-up at the expense of the injured Ryan Bird. Real pity that Bird can't play after notching a brace in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Dartford. Berry's place on the bench is taken by Matthew Barnes-Homer, who has recovered from illness.
One ex-U in the Grimsby team, in the form of winger Scott Neilson, who had a successful loan spell here in the 2009/10 season. New signing Oumare Tounkara, who joined from Stevenage this week, is among the substitutes.
19.20: Good evening everyone and welcome to the R Costings Abbey Stadium for tonight's match between Cambridge United and Grimsby Town. United will face a tough task if they are to maintain their 100 per cent home record, with the visitors Grimsby Town a formidable outfit.
