Cambridge 0-4 Huddersfield Town match report: Callum Marshall scores twice to condemn Garry Monk’s side to hefty home League One defeat

It is the season for handing out presents and Cambridge United were certainly in a gift-giving mood during this evening’s 4-0 defeat at home to Huddersfield Town.

Make no mistake about it, the visiting Terriers were the superior of the two sides and were well worthy of the three points that they hope will boost their chances of an immediate return to the Championship come the end of the season.

But there is no doubt that U’s head coach Garry Monk will be more than a little irked by the manner in which his side conceded goals – particularly during the first half when they shipped three from routine crosses into the box.

Huddersfield fired their first warning shot of the night in the ninth minute when Ben Wiles strode forward from midfield and into the box, where after being forced slightly wide by United captain Michael Morrison, he stung Vicente Reyes’ palms with a rising left-footed shot.

However, Michael Duff’s men only had to wait two more minutes to break the deadlock. Tom Lees rose unopposed to meet Wiles’ inswinging corner from the left and while Reyes did well to make the save, David Kasumu pounced to turn the ball in from close range.

If that was far too simple from a defensive point of view, so was Huddersfield’s second goal of the night in the 32nd minute. Callum Marshall was afforded the time and space to whip in a cross from the left flank for his unmarked fellow Northern Ireland international Brodie Spencer to glance home with ease.

The away side’s third goal – scored with 38 minutes on the clock – also came from a delivery into the box. Danny Ward’s cross from right flank was met by Wiles’ header that deflected against the crossbar and with the Cambridge defence hesitant, Marshall was on hand to force the ball home ahead of Reyes.

All that United could muster of note in an attacking sense during the first half was a Jordan Cousins shot from the edge of the box that was routine work for Jacob Chapman in the Huddersfield goal. And yet, inside the opening 60 seconds of the restart they carved out a decent opening when Dan Nlundulu found strike partner Shayne Lavery 18 yards from goal, but his effort dribbled wide of the target.

Elias Kachunga had an opportunity from a similar position a minute shy of the hour mark, but like Lavery he also failed to hit the target with a shot that ended up forcing those watching in the Newmarket Road End to take cover.

But while Cambridge were undoubtedly enjoying more of the possession, there was a feeling that Huddersfield were very much playing with the handbrake on and as soon as they released it a fourth goal was just around the corner. Marshall was the scorer, firing through the legs of Reyes in the 72nd minute after the Chilean had repelled Josh Koroma’s initial curling effort.

The in-form forward could – and perhaps should – have completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later after his well-timed run was matched by Herbie Kane’s lofted pass, but he dragged his left footed shot on the bounce wide of Reyes’ far post.

The remainder of the contest was a non-event and now United’s attention turns to tomorrow afternoon when they will be hoping that the gap to safety does not grow larger than four points as their fellow strugglers take to the pitch.

Cambridge United: Reyes, Okedina, Morrison, Watts, Andrew, Bennett (Kaikai 46’), Cousins, Brophy, Kachunga (Stokes 63’), Lavery (Barton 75’), Nlundulu (Njoku 83’)

Huddersfield Town: Chapman, Spencer, Helik, Lees, Turton, Wiles, Koroma (Falls 90’), Kane, Kasumu, Marshall, Ward (Ladapo 61’)

Referee: Ollie Yates. Attendance: 6,949 (1,015 Huddersfield)