Match Report: Cambridge United (1-1) Charlton Athletic
15/04/2024
By Luke Watson | Anglia Ruskin University
Photo Credits: Luke Watson
Pre match insights:
-
Cambridge have scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches
-
Charlton Athletic haven't lost to Cambridge United in their last 5 meetings (3W, 2D)
-
Alfie May is the top scorer in the competition (23)
Starting lineups:
Cambridge United - Will Mannion, Liam Bennett, Danny Andrew, Paul Digby, Zeno Ibsen Rossi, Elias Kachunga, Gassan Ahadme, Jordan Cousins, James Gibbons, Macauley Bonne, Mamadou Jobe.
Charlton Athletic – Harry Insted, Terell Thomas, George Dobson, Michael Hector, Connor Wickham, Tyreece Campbell, Thierry Small, Macauley Gillesphey, Tyreeq Bakinson, Karoy Anderson, Conor Coventry.
Key moments:
-
8’ Stoppages for both Gibbons and Rossi early on.
-
A hefty midfield battle in the first 15 minutes of the game.
-
13’ Campbell’s shot blocked on the edge of the box.
-
16’ Hector’s header loops just over the bar from a free kick won by Conor Coventry.
-
19’ Charlton beginning to take control of the game.
-
20’ Smart save from Manion following Anderson’s shot.
-
23’ GOAL - Brilliant take on the chest from Connor Wickham and a tidy right footed finish into the bottom left corner sees Nathon Jones’s Charlton open the scoring.
-
29’ First major chance for U’s through Gibbons’ cross finding Bonnes head from a central position which finds Isted’s grasp.
-
32’ Yellow card for Conor Coventry.
-
35’ Yellow card for Bakinson.
-
40’ Small turns his man and follows with a shot which blazes over.
-
45+1’ Campbell’s low effort takes a deflection but Mannion is level to it.
-
45+2’ Coventry takes a right footed shot on the edge of the box which goes over the bar.
-
45+6’ First half ends after six minutes of added time.
-
47’ Low effort from Bakinson saved by Mannion resulting in a corner.
-
50’ GOAL – The ball drops to Bonne on the edge of the box, who then dispatches into the bottom left corner to grab a much-needed equaliser for the U’s.
-
54’ Left footed freekick from Andrew falls into Isted’s grasp.
-
57’ Corner ball for the U’s.
-
61’ Bonne heads a good effort towards goal, but it is calmly caught by Charlton's man between the sticks.
-
64’ Campbell’s shot blocked.
-
66’ Gibbons opts to pull it back across the box but with no prevail.
-
71’ Freekick taken by Andrew and headed over by Kachunga.
-
72’ Throw in taken by Jobe which can't quite beat Charlton's backline.
-
74’ Great tackle from Gibbons on the edge of the box to retain U’s possession and bring them up the pitch.
-
76’ Alfie May finds himself in behind who takes a first time shot which nestles into the right-hand post, a let off for the U’s.
-
79’ A loose pass back towards Mannion is well dealt with as he reads it with a strong clearance.
-
81’ Thomas takes a shot from 30 yards out which goes way over the bar.
-
82’ Gibbons’ shot blocked.
-
85’ Dobson’s shot blocked.
-
86’ Ramsay's effort takes a deflection which is pushed out by Mannion for a corner to Charlton.
-
89’ A great bit of defending from Ryan Bennett sees Charlton's chance fizzle out.
-
90’ Macauley Bonnes second half strike earned him MOTM for today's game.
-
90+1 May’s shot turned away by Mannion.
-
90+2 Ramsay's hooked cross is read and caught well by Mannion
-
90+3 Jobes’ long throw is headed out and the final whistle is blown.
-
Final Whistle – Cambridge United (1-1) Charlton Athletic.
Cambridge earned a hard-fought draw in their clash against Charlton to move one more point towards safety.
It was a disruptive first ten minutes of the game for both teams with the U’s James Gibbons and Zeno Ibsen Rossi both going down with injury, resulting in treatment being required.
In what was a real physical battle between the two teams, Charlton began to take more control of the game, with the first major chance coming on the 20’ minute mark through Karoy Anderson’s effort which forced a smart save from Will Mannion, and shortly after this came the opener of the afternoon.
Charlton took the lead in the 23’ minute through Connor Wickham who controlled the ball beautifully before dispatching past Will Mannion into the bottom left corner to mark his full debut.
Just before the half hour mark, Cambridge had their first major chance of the game with a looping cross from Gibbons finding the head of Macauley Bonne from a central position, but to no prevail as it fell in the hands of Charlton's Harry Isted.
Mannion's first half work was not done yet as he was forced to make an excellent save to deny Tyreece Campbell’s low shot which took a wicked deflection.
In what was a rather disjointed first half display from Cambridge, they had it all to do in the second half. They took little time to hit back as Bonne unleashed a powerful strike, on the turn, from the edge of the box after 50 minutes which fired the U’s level as he wheeled off in celebration against one of his former teams.
For the next ten minutes it was all Cambridge after their goal had provided them with much needed life, and Bonne headed a good effort towards goal, but it was calmly collected by Isted.
League One top goal scorer Alfie May was substituted on in the second half, and 77 minutes in saw Dobson play a through ball in where May was able to get in behind before seeing his shot come back off the far post.
A couple more half chances came as both teams were hunting for a winner, with a shot coming from Gibbons which was well blocked, followed by a similar chance for Charlton's Dobson who also saw his shot blocked.
In the dying minutes of the game, it only looked like Charlton who could get the winner, yet Cambridge’s men at the back stood up to this challenge. Substitute, Ryan Bennett showed great experience in defending Charlton's last couple of punches and in the dying moments of the game, Charlton's danger man May saw his shot turned away by Mannion, denying May at his near post.
After three additional minutes of added time, the final whistle blew and it was a valuable point for both teams chasing security of their League One status for next seasons campaign.