Cambridge United 0-1 Peterborough United match report: Tayo Edun scores Cambridgeshire derby winner to send U’s closer towards League One relegation

Cambridge United’s days as a League One club appear to be increasingly numbered following today’s 1-0 defeat at home to rivals Peterborough United.

The U’s went into the Cambridgeshire derby at the Cledara Abbey Stadium 10 points adrift of both their neighbours and the safety line.

And in a bid to generate a victorious performance from his players, during the week head coach Neil Harris had spoken of the need to put aside what has been a torrid campaign and adopt a ‘one-game mentality’ for the must-win contest.

But while there was plenty of spirit and endeavour to the display, as has been the case for most of the season, the necessary quality to pick up all three points was lacking.

In a largely unspectacular first half it was Cambridge that had the clearest opening just before the break when James Brophy pounced on a loose ball inside the box and found Josh Stokes, but from eight yards out he prodded an effort straight at Peterborough goalkeeper Jed Steer.

Fresh from scoring his first goal for Cambridge during the midweek defeat at Blackpool, Dom Ballard had two good openings shortly after the restart. However, he hesitated over the first opportunity and that allowed Steer to make the stop, while moments later the Southampton loanee fired over from a narrow angle.

Visiting Posh had struggled to work Cambridge goalkeeper Nathan Bishop for much of the contest, but that changed with the game’s defining moment in the 71st minute. Kell Watts was adjudged to have fouled Cian Hayes 20 yards out and Tayo Edun sent the resultant free-kick over the four-man Cambridge wall and beyond the reach of a full-stretch Bishop.

In response Elias Kachunga dragged his low shot wide of the near post, while fellow substitutes Dan Nlundulu and Liam Bennett both went close with headed efforts.

Deep into stoppage time Cambridge carved out one last chance when some neat interplay saw Sullay Kaikai square a pass across the face of goal for Nlundulu, but the striker was unable to make a clean connection and Steer managed to gather the ball.

In the final seconds Peterborough goalscorer Edun was handed a second yellow card for a late challenge on Bennett, but there was no time remaining for Cambridge to make anything of their numerical advantage.

The defeat saw Cambridge’s gap to safety grow to 12 points – a number that could rise following the conclusion of this afternoon’s 3pm kick-offs.

Cambridge United: Bishop, Gibbons (Bennett 77’), Morrison, Watts, Malone, Digby, Cousins, Brophy (Kaikai 69’), Stokes, Ballard (Nlundulu 77’), Loft (Kachunga 69’)

Peterborough United: Steer, Edun, Hughes, Wallin, Dornelly, Collins, Kyprianou, Odoh (Johnston 90’), Mothersille (Fernandez 90), Poku (Hayes 66’), Ihionvien (Jones 66’)