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Leyton Orient 2-0 Cambridge United match report: Goals from Ollie O’Neill and James Donley condemn Garry Monk’s side to another League One defeat Brisbane Road




A poor calendar year for Cambridge United concluded away at Leyton Orient this afternoon.

The U’s started 2024 on 1 January with a 2-0 defeat against the O’s and it was same scoreline today at Brisbane Road, rubber stamping what was a 25th League One loss over the past 12 months.

And what will be of even greater concern for head coach Garry Monk is the fact that the gap to safety has grown to five points plus goal difference ahead of back-to-back home games against Reading on New Year’s Day and Bristol Rovers at the weekend.

Cambridge United head coach Garry Monk. Picture: Ben Phillips
Cambridge United head coach Garry Monk. Picture: Ben Phillips

A largely uneventful first half in north east London was a tale of two gilt-edged chances – Orient took theirs, United unfortunately did not.

The game was just six minutes old when Cambridge’s bright start should have been rewarded with the game’s opening goal. Danny Andrew’s inswinging corner from the right broke kindly for Dan Nlundulu six yards from goal, but he fired straight at Orient shot stopper Josh Keeley.

In contrast, Orient’s Ollie O’Neill showed the required composure when a similar opportunity fell to him in the 32nd minute. The lively Dan Agyei eased past challenges from Andrew and Sullay Kaikai and when his cut back from the right byline was not cleared by Jubril Okedina, O’Neill was on hand to turn in his second goal of the campaign.

To rub further salt into the United wound, within four minutes they suffered yet another injury setback when Kaikai limped off with what appeared to be an ankle complaint.

The sides went on to carve out one more similar opening apiece in the space of 60 seconds early in the second half. From Cambridge’s perspective, Elias Kachunga lifted his effort from James Brophy’s low cross straight into the hands of Keeley before Orient raced up the other end via the speedy Agyei. His pull back was inch perfect for Jamie Donley, but the Tottenham Hotspur loanee fired over from 10 yards out.

Ageyi was a thorn in the United side all afternoon and it was the winger that went close to doubling Orient’s advantage in the 64th minute when he glided in from the right flank and saw his left-footed shot deflect just wide from Andrew’s block. And from the resultant corner, Cambridge goalkeeper Jack Stevens – making just his second league start of the season – showed good reflexes to claw out O’Neill’s looping shot.

However, Orient’s pressure eventually told in the 70th minute. With Cambridge captain Michael Morrison winded after making an earlier block, Charlie Kelman drove at the stricken centre-back inside the box before his low cross was converted by an unmarked Donley at the back post.

Orient had looked relatively comfortable with just a one-goal lead – and with the hosts having kept clean sheets in six of their last seven outings, the second goal ended any lingering doubts with regards to the outcome.

For Cambridge, a much improved 2025 is required if their four-season stay in League One is to extend into a fifth campaign.

Leyton Orient: Keeley, Beckles, Simpson, Currie, Galbraith, Ball (Pratley 59’), Brown, Agyei, Donley, O’Neill (Perkins 84’), Kelman (Sweeney 85’)

Cambridge United: Stevens, Okedina, Morrison, Andrew (Njoku 78’), Bennett, Smith, Cousins (Richards 85’), Stokes, Kachunga, Kaikai (Brophy 36’), Nlundulu (Loft 78’)



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