Match Preview | Cambridge United

24 December 2022

Shrewsbury Town travel to the Abbey Stadium this Monday to take on Cambridge United in the Sky Bet League One. The Boxing Day fixture will kick off at 3pm.

Shrewsbury’s last fixture, away at Peterborough United, was called off due to a frozen pitch. This was the same outcome for Cambridge’s last fixture. They were due to play Fleetwood Town away.

Before this, Shrewsbury’s last outing in the league earlier this month ended in a 3-2 win at home against Bolton Wanderers. Rob Street scored inside the opening two minutes for Salop before Dion Charles equalised to make it 1-1. In the second half, Bolton then took the lead in the 71st minute as Charles scored from the penalty spot. Christian Saydee then scored to make it 2-2 and the comeback was complete when Chey Dunkley scored in the 92nd minute to claim all three points for Steve Cotterill’s side.

Meanwhile, Cambridge’s last league outing finished 0-0 as they drew at home to Plymouth Argyle.

There have been a total of 35 meetings between Salop and the U’s, with Shrewsbury winning 11 of those, losing 14 and drawing 10. The sides last met in the previous Sky Bet League One campaign. The fixture at Abbey Stadium in March 2022 ended in a 0-0 draw. At Montgomery Waters Meadow, Salop won 4-1 in October 2021.

Name: Cambridge United Football Club

Stadium: Abbey Stadium

Founded: 1912; 110 years ago (as Abbey United)

Chairman: Shaun Grady

Manager: Mark Bonner

Record league win: 7-0 vs Morecambe, League Two, 19th April 2016.

Record league defeat: 0-7 vs Luton Town, League Two, 18th November 2017.

Highest League finish: 5th in the Second Division, 1991/1992 season.

One to watch: Sam Smith

Top scorer for the U’s last season, Sam Smith netted 21 times in all competitions. The 24-year-old striker is currently on five goals this season, with four of those coming in the league and one in the FA Cup. Smith, who was previously with Reading, has had loan spells at EFL clubs including: Oxford United, Shrewsbury Town, Cambridge United, Tranmere Rovers and Cheltenham Town. In July 2021, Smith joined Cambridge for a second time but this time on a permanent deal.

Match Reports

Match Report | Cambridge United 2-1 Shrewsbury Town

26 December 2022

Shrewsbury fell to a 2-1 defeat at Cambridge on Boxing Day.

After dominating for long spells, Town opened the scoring at the Abbey Stadium through a brilliant team goal that ended with Christian Saydee finding the bottom corner in the 64th minute.

However, goals from Shilow Tracey and Sam Smith saw the hosts turn the game around and claim all three points.

When naming his starting line-up, Steve Cotterill initially opted to keep faith with the team that secured victory over Bolton.

But the boss was forced into a late change with Tom Flanagan struggling with a bug – with a decision taken after the warm-up that he was too unwell to play.

Nevertheless, Town continued in a 3-4-1-2 formation with Rekeil Pyke coming in a right wing-back in a move that saw Taylor Moore replace Flanagan in the back three.

Up front, Rob Street and Christian Saydee continued their partnership with Tom Bayliss in the number 10 role.

Aiden O’Brien also returned to the match day squad following a spell on the side-lines through injury.

Cambridge United lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system with former Shrews player Smith leading the line.

In what was a stop-start opening 20 minutes, neither side had a clear-cut chance to pull ahead.

But Salop then came close to opening the scoring when Saydee played a delightful ball out to Jordan Shipley, who controlled it just inside the box.

The versatile left wing-back then hit a powerful shot that looked destined for the top corner. But keeper Will Mannion flung himself across goal to brilliantly tip the ball away.

In what was proving a keenly-contested game – the ball was spending a lot of time in midfield.

But Shrewsbury threatened again just past the half-hour mark when they countered quickly and won a corner.

Bayliss whipped in a dangerous cross which then sat up perfectly inside the six-yard box. But no Town player was on hand to turn it home.

Steve Cotterill’s side threatened again just before the break when Shipley got control of the ball and sent a low-driven cross.

That was met by Pyke, who hooked the ball toward goal, but his effort sailed just over the bar.

It was the home side who created the first chance following the re-start.

James Brophy sent a floating cross which Harvey Knibbs met but headed wide.

On the hour mark Town had another opportunity to take the lead with Pyke playing a smart ball which allowed Street to hit the byline.

The on-loan striker then sent a low-driven cross aiming for Bayliss however, a Cambridge defender got ahead of the Town number 20.

After dominating a large portion of the game, Shrewsbury finally found the breakthrough with an outstanding team goal in the 66^th minute.

Following some majestic build-up play, Pyke did brilliantly to send in a cross from the byline which Street was able to reach.

The young striker then played a first-time pass to Saydee, who found the bottom corner with a brilliant, powerful finish.

Within two minutes, the home side were level through Tracey, who cut in from the left-hand side. The Cambridge substitute then sent a magnificent curling ball into the top corner from the edge of the box.

The U’s got a second in the 77^th minute through Smith, who was played through on goal and fired home underneath the on-rushing Marko Marosi.

In the final 10 minutes, Bayliss cut the ball back to Street, whose shot from just inside the box was blocked by The U’s defence.

After coming on as a substitute in the 89^th minute, Ryan Bowman was sent off within the first couple of minutes after competing for a ball in the air.

Even though Shrewsbury kept applying the pressure in search of an equaliser, the away side couldn’t quite find the finishing touch and subsequently saw Cambridge secure a 2-1 victory.

Salop XI:

Marosi (GK), Leahy (C), Pennington, Moore, Winchester, Street (Bowman, 88), Bayliss, Dunkley, Saydee, Shipley, Pyke (Bloxham, 84)

Unused subs:

Burgoyne (GK), O’Brien, Barlow, Bailey

Cambridge United XI:

Mannion (GK), Williams, Digby (C), Jones (Taylor, 14), Brophy, Smith, Dunk (Tracey, 56), Lankester (Ironside, 56), Okedina, Knibbs (Simper, 78), Worman

Unused subs:

Holden (GK), Janneh, McConnell

Bookings:

Yellow: Street, Pennington, Tracey, Okedina, Williams

Red: Bowman