Reading 3-0 Cambridge United: Gap to League One safety grows to five points after Lewis Wing double helps to sink U’s at the Select Car Leasing Stadium
The gap to League One safety has swollen to five points for Cambridge United after tonight’s 3-0 defeat at Reading.
With the Royals boasting a return of 18 points from a possible 21 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium so far this term, it always appeared a tough assignment on paper for a U’s side that have the second worst away record in the division.
And so it was little surprise to see the encounter go with the form book, although it did take Reading longer than they would have liked to break the resistance of their visitors.
Cambridge struggled to enjoy much attacking cohesion throughout the entire contest, yet it was they that had the first meaningful effort inside the opening 60 seconds. Jordan Cousins’ effort from distance was blocked and dropped to the feet of James Brophy, who forced the ball goalwards with his weaker right foot. It was collected by Korey Smith, but despite having time and space 10 yards from goal, he shot well over the crossbar.
From that moment onwards it was largely one-way traffic as the hosting Royals chalked up 68 per cent possession during the opening 45 minutes.
In the 13th minute Sam Smith showed a good turn of pace to latch on to Lewis Wing’s pass and gain a couple of yards on United captain Michael Morrison. However, the angle was always narrowing on the former Cambridge frontman and he eventually fired straight at Vicente Reyes.
Sixty seconds later United’s Chilean goalkeeper was rooted to the spot when Jeriel Dorsett met Chem Campbell’s right-wing cross with a powerful header, but thankfully for the visitors the ball cannoned to safety off the frame of the goal.
Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Campbell then tried his own luck in the 17th minute after he was allowed the freedom to drift inside from the right and unleash a curling left footed effort that Reyes did well to collect at the first time of asking.
Reading created their best chance of the half in the 32nd minute – and it started with a rare Cambridge foray into opposition territory. James Brophy eventually lost possession on the edge of the home side’s box and they sprung forward with purpose as Ben Elliott’s slide rule pass sent Smith clean through with Reyes. But having opened up his body to work the ball on to his favoured left foot, Reyes read the striker’s intention and made a relatively routine stop.
Going into the break, the feeling was that if Reading continued to dominate in a similar vein during the second half then a goal would eventually come – and as it was it took them just four minutes after the restart to break the deadlock.
Skipper Wing was sharper to latch on to Cousins’ clearance than United forward Dan Nlundulu and with the momentum in his favour, the Reading midfielder unleashed a low effort from 20 yards out that flew between Morrison and Zeno Ibsen Rossi and inside Reyes’ far post.
The Cambridge response was spearheaded by right-back Liam Bennett, who in the 53rd minute strung the palms of Reading goalkeeper Joel Pereira with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box, while five minutes later it was his teasing cross that was just out of the reach of Shayne Lavery.
But just when it appeared that United were working to gain a much-needed foothold on proceedings, Reading doubled their advantage on the hour mark. The lively Campbell and Elliott combined neatly to pick out Mamadi Camara inside the box and after shifting the ball past a sliding Bennett, the Guinea-Bissau international slammed in his first ever Football League goal from close range.
The goal of the night came just three minutes later courtesy of Wing, who surpassed his effort that had started the ball rolling for Reading earlier in the half. Yet more link up play involving Campbell and Elliott saw the ball worked to Wing and from 25 yards out he unleashed a shot that started off target and curled back inside the top corner.
The only positive for Cambridge after that was the fact that Reading’s intensity dropped several notches after the third goal. They still dominated, but it was more about game management rather than a full blooded determination to extend their lead as Garry Monk’s men got away without further damage.
Reading: Pereira, Craig, Mbengue (Dean 85’), Bindon, Dorsett, Elliott, Wing, Savage (Knibbs 56’), Campbell (Osho 90’), Smith, Camara (Wareham 90’)
Cambridge United: Reyes, Ibsen Rossi, Morrison, Andrew, Bennett, Brophy (Watts 69’), Smith, Cousins, Kachunga (Kaunda 83’), Nlundulu (Loft 69’), Lavery (Njoku 62’)
