Huddersfield Town 1-2 Cambridge United match report: Sullay Kaikai scores stoppage-time winner to keep slender League One survival hopes alive

Cambridge United are refusing to go down without a fight following this afternoon’s 2-1 victory at Huddersfield Town.

Had results gone against them, the U’s could have been relegated from League One today.

But as it is they live to fight another day after substitute Sullay Kaikai fired in a stoppage-time winner at the John Smith’s Stadium to move Cambridge to within five points of safety with three fixtures remaining.

During what was an instantly forgettable first half, Cambridge failed to work Lee Nicholls in the Huddersfield goal as all four of their attempts were blocked.

Their best opening came in the 27th minute when James Gibbons made the most of the space that he was afforded down the left flank before picking out Elias Kachunga inside the box. However, the former Huddersfield forward took a touch as opposed to shooting first time and that allowed two home defenders to thwart the danger.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, were also far from inspiring in an attacking sense, although they did at least call Jack Stevens into action on a couple of occasions.

It was a similar story during the opening part of the second half as two sides badly lacking in quality and confidence in the final third struggled to carve out chances of note.

But that changed in the 69th minute with the game’s opening goal – and it was a moment that had not been in-keeping with what had gone before. While the defending from Huddersfield left plenty to be desired, the finish from James Brophy was perfection. Having collected a poor clearance 20 yards from goal near the angle of the right hand side of the penalty box, the midfielder sent a curling left-footed effort beyond the reach of Nicholls and into the top corner.

Huddersfield almost responded immediately when Jonathan Hogg’s lofted pass got Ruben Rooksen in on the blindside of Danny Andrew, but with Stevens advancing off his line, the wing-back could only prod his effort wide.

After that the home side dominated the possession but it appeared that Cambridge had weathered the storm until the final minute of the 90 when Josh Koroma scored from a corner to level up the scoreline.

Yet rather than accept their fate, Neil Harris’ charges rallied and they were rewarded in the second minute of time added on. Brophy was the creator on this occasion, sending in a low cross that was swept home by Kaikai in front of a delirious travelling faithful.

Cambridge will go again on Monday when they host Leyton Orient at the Cledara Abbey Stadium.

Huddersfield: Nicholls, Kasumu (Sorensen 77’), Balker (Miller 33’), Pearson, Ruffels, Wiles, Hogg (Taylor 76’), Marshall (Koroma 56’), Evans, Rooksen, Charles

Cambridge: Stevens, Gibbons, Morrison, Watts, Bennett (Andrew 62’), Brophy, Stevenson, Digby, Stokes, Kachunga (Kaikai 62’), Ballard (Loft 83’)