Cambridge United record another clean sheet during Sky Bet League One trip to Wycombe Wanderers
Cambridge United extended their Sky Bet League One-high clean sheet record this term to eight with this evening’s 0-0 draw at Wycombe Wanderers.
The U’s made the trip to Buckinghamshire having kept league-leading Portsmouth and Carlisle United at bay in their previous two outings – and that has now grown to three straight shut outs as Mark Bonner’s men moved up to 12th in the table with their point.
In a largely drab first half it was Cambridge that went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 38th minute. Danny Andrew swung in a free kick from just inside the Wycombe half which was met by Ryan Bennett’s towering header. Max Stryjek was beaten all ends up, but the Wanderers goalkeeper was rescued by a combination of his crossbar and the post as the ball somehow stayed out.
Earlier in the half Wycombe’s Brandon Hanlon nipped in on the blindside of U’s skipper Michael Morrison, only to lose his composure at the crucial moment, while in the 26th minute Dale Taylor blazed wildly over from the edge of the Cambridge box.
Adam May had Cambridge’s only other effort of note before the interval when his side-footed volley in the 35th minute was blocked inside a crowded box and up the other end Wycombe frontman Sam Vokes pulled his hamstring while shooting from a tight angle and subsequently his tame effort was comfortably collected by Jack Stevens.
United, who have now not scored a first-half goal since Paul Digby’s close-range effort at Fleetwood Town during the second game of the season, were quick out of the traps after the restart. In the 47th minute leading marksman Fejiri Okenabirhie had his first sight of goal after being picked out by Saikou Janneh’s left-wing cut-back, but he lashed his shot from inside the area well over the top.
They continued to enjoy much more possession in Wycombe territory, although carving out genuine opportunities proved tough going. James Brophy tried his luck in the 66th minute with an effort from distance and curled the ball just wide of the target.
Wycombe – without Vokes as their focal point – had struggled to generate any attacking momentum in the second half but they burst into life in the 75th minute when Gareth McCleary bore down on goal, only to see his low goalbound effort kept out by Stevens’ smart save.
Vokes’ replacement – David Wheeler – flashed a volley wide in Wycombe’s next attack, while United threatened through Okenabirhie’s teasing cross that just evaded substitute Sullay Kaikai on its way to drifting a yard wide of the far post.
Okenabirhie was also involved in Cambridge’s best opportunity of the entire night with four minutes remaining. It was his blocked shot that fell kindly for another United replacement in Jack Lankester, but his rising shot from 10 yards out was acrobatically kept out by Stryjek.
In the 90th minute Cambridge almost surrendered their clean sheet in the most bizarre circumstances. Andrew’s mis-judged his header back into his own half and in trying to rectify the situation, Liam Bennett – 40 yards out and facing his own goal – sliced his clearance up and over a back-pedalling Stevens, only to thankfully see the ball bounce over the crossbar.
Wycombe Wanderers: Stryjek, Pattenden, Keogh, Tafazolli, Leahy, McCleary, Potts, Phillips, Hanlan (De Barr 79’), Vokes (Wheeler 44’), Taylor (Sadlier 79’)
Cambridge United: Stevens, L Bennett, R Bennett, Morrison, Andrew, Digby, Thomas (Lankester 76’), May (Cousins 76’), Janneh (Kaikai 64’), Brophy (Gordon 87’), Okenabirhie
Attendance: 3,879 (384 Cambridge)
