Cambridge United are outclassed by Wycombe Wanderers at the Abbey in League One

Cambridge United were outclassed by Wycombe Wanderers in a 4-1 defeat at the Abbey Stadium in Sky Bet League One.

Sam Vokes struck once in each half and Josh Scowen and Gareth McCleary were also on target as the Chairboys strengthened their promotion push, with Harvey Knibbs pulling a goal back for the U's.

It was a first half where United found themselves under the cosh, and leading a bit of a charmed life as Wycombe hit the frame of the goal on three separate occasions.

The first opening of the game fell to United right-back George Williams, who flashed a shot across goal and wide in the fourth minute.

However, that was pretty much as good as it got.

Wycombe's only goal of the half came in the seventh minute. Keeper Dimi Mitov missed a deep cross to the back post which Paul Digby headed out to the edge of the area, only as far as Anis Mehmeti.

His thumping shot hit Mitov's right upright, but bounced down to Vokes to tap into an empty net.

Minutes later, Daryl Horgan hit a shot from the edge of the area which Mitov kept out with a flying, full-stretch save.

The physicality of the visitors was giving United very little chance to get any type of momentum or possession.

Lewis Wing had a dipping effort from 25 yards which hit the bar for Wycombe in the 28th minute.

Vokes had another chance in the 37th minute, but the shot on the turn from close range went wide.

The post was in play again in the 43rd minute when a curling chance from Mehmeti hit the upright and bounced clear, so United could count themselves lucky to be going into the break just one goal down.

There were early warning signs at the start of the second half when an unmarked Vokes got the ball eight yards out in a central position but somehow Williams got back to make a brilliant block.

It did not take long before Wycombe had got their second though.

Joe Jacobson was given time on the left to delivery a teasing cross which caught the United defence static, and Vokes was able to prod home unopposed.

Two minutes later, it was 3-0 as Scowen curled home from the edge of the box.

Vokes should have had his hat-trick in the 59th minute on the counter-attack but Mitov got just enough on the header from McCleary's cross to turn it onto the bar.

In an attempt to pep things up, Mark Bonner made a triple substitution, bringing on Sam Smith, James Brophy and Harvey Knibbs, and it was the last of those that went close in the 70th minute, bursting onto a ball at the edge of the box only to fire wide.

United were having much more of the ball, and proving a force going forward, and pulled a goal back in the 79th minute.

Knibbs latched onto a pass in the area and slotted a shot past advancing keeper David Stockdale.

But Wycombe wrapped up their win in the 89th minute, with McCleary unleashing a shot from a central position at the edge of the box into the back of the net.

It was a convincing performance from the visitors, who caught United a little bit cold on the night.

Cambridge United: Mitov, Williams, Okedina, Jones, Iredale, Digby, May, Dunk, Worman, Lankester, Ironside.

Substitutes: Knibbs (Worman, 61), Smith (Lankester, 61), Brophy (Iredale, 61). Not used: Tolaj, Simper, Sherring, Mannion.

Wycombe: Stockdale, Jacobson, Tafazoilli, Vokes, McCleary, Horgan, Mehmeti, McCarthy, Scowen, Forino.

Substitutes: Wheeler (Horgan, 71), Obita (Jacobson, 76), Akinfenwa (Vokes, 79). Not used: Grimmer, Young, Hanlan, Dickinson.

Referee: Will Finney.

Attendance: 4,751 (away 454).