Stevenage 0-2 Cambridge United: Garry Monk’s side make it back-to-back League One wins thanks to goals from Korey Smith and Sullay Kaikai

They have only gone and done it again! Fresh from winning their first game in 201 days on Saturday, Cambridge United followed it up this evening with a 2-0 victory at Stevenage.

The home side had won four of their five League One encounters on their own patch going into the contest, but they were second best against a U’s side that refused to have their net breached for successive outings.

The visitors carved out their first chance of the night in the sixth minute when Liam Bennett’s low cross squirmed through to the back post for James Brophy, who saw his goalbound effort blocked by a brave sliding challenge from Stevenage defender Carl Piergianni.

As was the case at the weekend against Wigan, United stuck with more of a direct approach to the one that they had deployed earlier in the campaign and looked to play once they had worked their way into Stevenage territory.

And once again it served them well with the opening goal in the 31st minute. Liam Bennett swung a free kick from wide on the right deep into the Stevenage box and when the clearance fell to Korey Smith on the edge of the box, he steadied himself before finding the bottom corner of Murphy Cooper’s net via a deflection. The midfielder’s effort on Saturday went down as an own goal but there was taking this one away from him – and he showed his delight by sprinting the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the travelling fans.

Smith went close again in first-half stoppage time with an attempt from a similar distance. Again the shot took a deflection, but this time Cooper in the Stevenage goal managed to turn the ball behind for a corner.

As for Stevenage, they struggled to carve out any clear cut chances of note. Jordan Roberts’ dipping half volley from 25 yards out on the stroke of half-time that U’s goalkeeper Vicente Reyes collected at the second attempt was as good as it got for the home side.

In contrast to the win over Wigan when United looked intent on extending their lead during the second half, on this occasion they posed less of an attacking threat after the restart.

Instead it was more about game management, staying disciplined within their defensive shape and shifting from side to side as Stevenage attempted a plethora diagonal long balls from the left boot of Dan Butler.

And despite coming under large amounts of pressure, in the main United kept the home side at arm’s length. Their best chance came just after the hour mark when Butler’s long throw eventually found its way to Roberts but he skewed his effort wide of the target.

Then, with the referee’s watch moments away from ticking into stoppage time, nerves made way for elation. A counter-attack started by Brophy released substitute Emmanuel Longelo and he crossed for Sullay Kaikai to slot in from close range. It sparked scenes of wild celebrations in front of the almost 1,000 United fans that had made the trip.

Winless Burton Albion, who sit bottom of the table and are three points adrift of the revitalised U’s, are up next at the Cledara Abbey Stadium on Saturday.

Stevenage: Cooper, Smith (Freeman 72’), Piergianni, Freestone, Butler, Phillips (List 82’), Thompson (White 46’), Roberts, Kemp (King 46’), Young (Pressley 46’), Reid

Cambridge United: Reyes, Gibbons, Morrison, Okedina, Bennett, Brophy, Smith (Longelo 89’), Digby, Kachunga (Andrew 67’), Njoku (Kaikai 67’), Nlundulu (Cousins 89’)

Attendance: 4,574 (976 Cambridge fans)