Cambridge United 1-3 Reading: Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith haunt former club in League One clash at the Abbey Stadium
Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith came back to haunt Cambridge United at the Cledara Abbey Stadium this afternoon.
After what has been a less than impressive festive period for the U’s, this was a much better performance. They created more than enough good opportunities to have taken something from the encounter, but it ended up being a lesson in what happens when you do not make the most of your domination.
There was not even 60 seconds on the clock when Cambridge signalled their first-half attacking intent. Korey Smith broke free down the left and squared a pass for the advancing Josh Stokes, who drifted into the box and saw his chipped effort well smothered by Reading goalkeeper Joel Pereira.
Smith and Dan Nlundulu both went on to fire straight at the Portuguese shot stopper from the edge of the box, while in the 13th minute Stokes – comfortably United’s best player during the opening 45 minutes – took a tumble inside a crowded penalty box. Referee Jacob Miles and one of his assistants looked at each other, but neither deemed the offence worthy of a spot kick – much to the disgust of Stokes and his team-mates.
Stokes looked to put that frustration behind him in the 28th minute with a low strike from 18 yards out that was destined for the left hand bottom corner until Pereira got down just in time to keep the scoreline level.
And Stokes was again involved two minutes later when his floated free kick from the left flank was met by the head of Jubril Okedina, but the United defender could not keep his effort down.
At this point the hosts had mustered up nine shots at goal, four of which landed on target. In contrast, none of Reading’s three attempts had called United goalkeeper Jack Stevens – making back-to-back league starts for the first time this season – into action.
And yet, it was Stevens that was picking the ball out of his net in the 40th minute. A low cross from Louie Holzman was not cleared and ex-U Knibbs was on hand to stab the ball home in front of the Newmarket Road End. As is often the way in this day and age, Knibbs opted not to celebrate against a club for whom he made more than 150 appearances before his departure to Berkshire in 2023.
It was the definition of a sucker punch, yet to United’s credit they raced straight up the other end and went agonisingly close to an instant equaliser when Stokes’ left-footed effort from inside the area cannoned against the outside of the post. It summed up the half from a Cambridge perspective and meant that they had nothing to show for arguably their best 45 minutes of the season.
But rather than feel sorry for themselves, United came out for the second half with the same positive mindset and they were finally rewarded in the 48th minute. Nlundulu’s driven effort from the right hand side of the box was deflected off the crossbar and out for a corner, from which Danny Andrew’s inswinging delivery was headed on by Jordan Cousins for Elias Kachunga to tap in at the back post.
However, parity lasted for only four minutes. In a rare spell of possession, Reading shifted the ball smartly and Okedina did well initially to head clear Smith’s volley. But the ball broke kindly for Charlie Savage 16 yards out and while his shot was flying way off target, Knibbs was again the right man in the right place to divert the ball in.
Just as they had done after the first goal, United responded well to the setback. A number of low crosses from either flank caused alarm within the Reading ranks, but frustratingly nobody in a Cambridge shirt was on hand to apply the finishing touch.
One player that would have potentially converted those opportunities is Smith, who like Knibbs, swapped Cambridge for Reading 18 months ago. And it was the ex-Manchester United trainee that deflated the Abbey seven minutes from time with the third goal – and what a goal it was. He got goal-side of Liam Bennett to meet Lewis Wing’s raking pass forward and from just outside of the box he unleashed a dipping half volley that left Stevens flailing at thin air.
It condemned Cambridge to a 14th defeat of the season and while the gap to safety remains five points, they have dropped to second from bottom ahead of the weekend’s crunch game against fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers.
Cambridge United: Stevens, Bennett, Okedina, Morrison, Andrews, Smith (Barton 79’), Cousins, Brophy (Richards 85’), Stokes, Kachunga (Loft 73’), Nlundulu
Reading: Pereira, Garcia, Dean, Bindon, Holzman, Wing, Savage (Wareham 88’), Knibbs, Camara (Kanu 60’), Campbell, Smith (Rushesha 88’)
Attendance: 6,878 (1,025 Reading). Referee: Jacob Miles