Cambridge United 0-1 Bristol Rovers: Luke Thomas scores only goal to leave U’s eight points from League One safety
Cambridge United’s League One survival hopes took a massive hit this afternoon as they lost 1-0 at home to fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers.
With visiting Rovers – the division’s worst-performing side in terms of points gained over the last six games – five points above second-from-bottom United in the table, it had all the hallmarks of a must-win encounter for the home side.
And yet a goal midway through the firsdt half from the away side’s Luke Thomas condemned Garry Monk’s men to a fifth straight defeat – and even more worryingly the gap to safety has grown to eight points heading into daunting away trips to Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers over the next two weekends.
The key moment of the whole encounter came in the 26th minute. The experienced Scott Sinclair dropped a shoulder and got the better of Liam Bennett down the left flank, from where he stood up a cross to the back post for Thomas to head home. United goalkeeper Jack Stevens looked to have got himself behind the effort, but he could not prevent the ball from crossing the line.
That was one of just two efforts that Rovers could muster on target during the opening 45 minutes – and United had similar struggles at the other end of the pitch.
As was the case against Reading on Wednesday, most of their attacks involved Josh Stokes, who looked lively in the attacking midfield role. He had one shot from the edge of the area that deflected over the crossbar and from a similar position he curled an effort just off target.
Stokes was also Cambridge’s central figure during the opening exchanges of the second half. In the 54th minute his dangerous low cross flashed across Rovers’ six-yard box and then 60 seconds later the Bristol City loanee fired into the side netting after he had shown good strength to hold off a challenge.
Stokes was also waiting for a cut back in the 62nd minute but despite the angle being against him, Elias Kachunga went for goal and only succeeded in forcing those watching from inside the Newmarket Road End to take cover.
Rovers had offered next to nothing as an attacking force since the restart, yet with just a shade more than 20 minutes left to play they thought that their lead had been doubled. Substitute Isaac Hutchinson fired into the bottom corner after collecting Chris Martin’s knock down and he sped off to celebrate with the travelling faithful, only for his route to be halted by the assistant’s flag for offside.
With time running out much of the contest was played in Rovers’ half. United – largely down the right through Stokes and Liam Bennett – probed for an opening and they created two big ones in quick succession. With three minutes remaining the former AFC Sudbury duo combined to pick out Brandon Njoku inside the box, but from around eight yards out a deflection took the sting out of his shot and Josh Griffiths gathered easily.
And then the golden chance came about as the fixture ticked into the 90th minute. Stokes broke through a couple of challenges and found himself bearing down on goal, but with Griffiths coming off his line the playmaker prodded a shot well wide.
To rub further salt into the United wound they had skipper Michael Morrison dismissed in stoppage time for a second yellow card. The centre-back was given his marching orders after a scuffle inside the Rovers box, which also saw Martin booked.
Cambridge United: Stevens, Bennett, Morrison, Rossi (Njoku 81’), Andrew, Cousins, Smith, Brophy (Longelo 65’), Stokes, Kachunga (Richards 89’), Nlundulu (Loft 65’)
Bristol Rovers: Griffiths, Sousa, Wilson, Taylor, Moore, Ward, Lindsay (Senior 90’), Thomas (O’Donkor 58’), Sotiriou (Hutchinson 58’), Sinclair (Forde 75’), Martin
Attendance: 6,467
