Battle Of The Two U's

Date: 26/12/2023

Match: Oxford United vs Cambridge United

Competition: SkyBet League One

Price: £26.

Boxing Day. A traditional day in the football calander where fans flood to grounds all over the country. 

This year was an unusual one; as Cambridge was playing away. Majority of my time in going to watch United ( 20 years) they have been at home.  A trip to play-off contenders Oxford it was.

Roads was rather good for the majority of the trip across country. Arriving about 75 to kick off.

The Kassam stadium is notorious for only having 3 stands; and is rather ugly to look at. 

 Once in the ground you are greeted with this concourse. 

Food of choice for today was this chicken curry pie. It was nice and warm and didn't taste too bad.

 It was while eating that the team news came in and the worrying news that we had no fit recognised striker in the squad.

The match started off as a bit of tight afair, with the only chance of note was Cambridge defender Okedina heading over from a corner. Cambridge took the lead when Jordan Cousins bundled the ball home from a corner on 30 minutes.

This seem to be the spark the game needed to come alive. Cambridge had a few opportunities to extend the lead; the best a James Brophy some how heading wide from close range. Oxford had a couple of chances themselves; Cambridge keeper Jack Stephens making a good couple of saves. 

Half time score of 1-0 Cambridge was a fair one. Though you could tell they was missing a striker.

Half time 'entertainment' involved a cross bar challenge.

Oxford equalised 9 minutes into the 2nd when a blistering run by Tyler Goodrham cut insider and fired a shoot in the bottom corner from just outside the area. For much of the rest of the game was an Oxford onslaught on the Cambridge goal. Then in the 95th minute there was heartbreak. From an Oxford free kick Jack Stephens could only parry the shot infront fo him and Oxford defender Ciaron Brown was quickest to react to score and win the match 2-1 for Oxford. 

Defeat was a harsh one on United; a draw was probably a fair result on the balance of play. However the lack a recognised striker for a at least a couple of games is a big concern.

Attendance: 10,407

Man of the match: Tyler Goodrham

Harris' Cambridge Debut

Date: 9th December 2023

Match: Charlton Athletic vs Cambridge United

Competition: SkyBet League One

Price: £24

Today is an exciting day. Not only is it one of the best away days in the calendar; but it is also the 1st match in charge for new Cambridge manager Neil Harris.

Journey started with a bacon roll and hot chocolate before getting the train down to King's Cross. There I meet up with one my Cambridge united friends.

A little journey on tube, we had a pint on the Bermondsey beer mile. The cider I had was rather nice. After the pint we decided to head over to the Valley.

Refreshments of choice this day was a chicken & mushroom pie and a diet coke.

 View of the stands moments before kick off. Less than half full - they come a long way since their days in the dizzy heights of the Premier League.

The 1st half was all Cambridge. The only thing missing was a goal. The 1,373 travelling fans where in good voice.

After half time Charlton, who presumably had a bollocking where more attacking. They took lead on 52 through the leagues top scorer; when a cross deflected in to his path and fired past Stephens. 9 minutes later they managed to double their lead. A cross came in from Corey Blackett-Taylor and Chem Campbell ran in powered a header into the of the net.

In recent weeks under Bonner that would have been that. However the refreshing thing in Neil Harris 1st game is that they didn't stop trying at any point and the felling was if they could get one back, anything was possible.

On 87 with time running down, Cambridge pulled one back. A George Thomas corner was meet with a powerful header from striker Gassan Ahadme. Hopes of nicking something was boosted when there was 8 minutes of added time went up on the board. In the 96th minute Cambridge was awarded a dubious penalty when Jack Lankaster was fouled right on the edge of the box. Ahadme who took a truly awful penalty last weekend, step up to take it. This time he managed to convert; It wasn't the most convincing penalty in the world, but I doubt he actually cared. The final score of 2-2 was the least that Cambridge deserved.

All in all Neil Harris left a good 1st impression.  Team was happy to have the ball and was always looking for the ball up the pitch. Hopefully there will more of this going forward. 

Attendance: 13,373

Man of the match: Gassan Ahadme