TEN MAN U’S FALL TO WYCOMBE DEFEAT
Ten man Cambridge united fall to a 1-0 defeat against Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park, with a controversial second half sending off for Chris Dunn turning the momentum of the game.
Despite Sam Beasant’s penalty save shortly before the hour mark, a wonder strike from Michael Harriman on 70 minutes was enough for the Chairboys to secure the three points.
Richard Money named an unchanged side for the first time in the 2015/16 season, with Rory Gaffney once again earning a place on the bench having made his debut four days earlier against Stevenage. The U’s boss also opted to give Barry Corr another game to recover from a thigh injury.
The game started at a frantic pace with both teams displaying their counter attacking abilities in the opening five minutes, with Harrison Dunk notably getting the U’s on the front foot.
Leon Legge smashed into an early tackle on Aaron Amadi-Holloway which referee Stuart Attwell deemed to be unfair and gave then home side the first shot at goal, but captain Joe Jacobson wrapped his shot well over Chris Dunn’s goal.
The U’s responded with a pair of attacks, first Liam Hughes rose highest to head a corner ball wide of the mark before Harrison Dunk drove a low strike into the arms of Matt Ingram. An entertaining start to the clash continued as Wycombe came close moments later and perhaps would have registered the first goal, were it not for a superb clearance by Legge that denied Holloway the chance to score.
The U’s continued to compete evenly with the Chairboys though the midway point in the half, although the home side did have glorious opportunity in the 18th minute when Holloway teed up Luke O’Nien in the 18-yard box, that the 20-year old was only able to blaze over the cross bar.
Richard Money’s men continued to frustrate the hosts with resolute and organised defence, whilst Robbie Simpson, Conor Newton and Luke Berry offered options when counter attacking.
Garry Thompson fired over again for Wycombe from a dangerous cross in from the left by Michael Harriman, before the Wanderers right back lashed a fierce shot at Chris Dunn five minutes from the break which the U’s number one saved well low to his left and both sides went down the tunnel at half time level on the scoreboard.
United enjoyed their best chance of the match less than a minute into the second half when Mickey Demetriou whipped a cross to the back post, and Robbie Simpson acrobatically met the ball with his head, but his shot on goal slid fractions wide of the far post.
Controversy was just around the corner for United when Gozie Ugwu went through one on one with U’s keeper Chris Dunn, who despite seemingly saving the attempt was adjudged to have brought down the striker unfairly and shown a red card by Stuart Attwell.
Up stepped Sam Beasant for Richard Money’s side though, who for the second time this season was hand to save the U’s from the penalty spot when he read Garry Thompson’s strike perfectly and smother the ball to his right.
However playing with an extra man the Chairboys began to turn up the pressure on the U’s, and hit the bar twice in as many minutes through Harriman and Marcus Bean.
Despite defensive resistance from the U’s, Wycombe broke the deadlock on 70 minutes when the U’s headed clear a free kick from Jacobson into the path of Harriman who rifled an unstoppable shot first time into the top left corner past Beasant from the edge of the area.
Much like four days earlier at the Abbey Stadium against Stevenage, Cambridge showed real fight to try and grind a result from the fixture, but with a man light they were unable to unlock the Wanderers defence.
The U’s had a strong penalty claim for hand ball waved away, when Ryan Donaldson bounced a shot off the turf and Sido Jombati looked to have handled in the area, but the referee did not concur and the home side were able to play out the final minutes of the match unscathed.
Cambridge United: Dunn (Red Card, 53 mins), Omozusi (Taylor, 65 mins), Legge, Roberts, Taft (Beasant, 55 mins), Demetriou, Berry, Dunk, Newton (Donaldson, 65 mins), L.Hughes, Simpson
Wycombe Wanderers: Ingram, Harriman (Bloomfield, 81 mins), Jacobson, Jombati, Pierre, Bean, McGinn, O’Nien, Amadi-Holloway (Rowe, 90 mins), Ugwu, Thompson