Clinical Cambridge take full advantage of Brakes’ generosity

Three defensive howlers condemned Brakes to their second successive 3-2 defeat at the hands of their promotion rivals on Saturday.

And, despite a frenetic conclusion which saw Brakes score twice and have a header cleared off the line, this was a missed opportunity for the home side, who played out the last 40 minutes against ten men.

Looking to a close an eight-point gap on their third-placed visitors, Brakes found themselves 2-0 down within the first 13 minutes.

Scott Lycett may have been on the front cover of the matchday programme, but it is unlikely he will be keeping it as a souvenir following the two uncharacteristic errors which led to the opening goals.

First, he dived in at Joey Abbs, who produced a neat turn before shooting across Tony Breeden and into the far corner. Then he sold Breeden short with a backpass which was seized upon by the impressive David Kolodynski, the former Rugby Town striker slotting home from a narrow angle.

Having taken a two-goal lead, the visitors were content to sit back and soak up Brakes’ pressure, with Liam Nicell producing a couple of timely interventons to prevent Alex Taylor pulling a goal back.

Guy Sanders believed he had opened Brakes’ account when heading home from a corner, but the referee had signalled for Cambridge to make a substitution.

Little had been seen of Cambridge as an attacking force following their opening salvo, but their next venture into the Brakes half led to them extending their lead. Nicell’s long-range shot was straight at Breeden, but the Brakes stopper was unable to cling on and Kolodynski drove home the rebound from close range.

The home side needed some inspiration and they were provided it in the 52nd minute when Cambridge captain Robbie Nightingale was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Cambridge immediately withdrew Kolodynski as they looked to shore up the midfield, leaving Abbs as the lone frontman.

From the resulting free-kick, Zac Barrett produced a fine save from Luke Corbett, with James Rowe’s follow-up cleared off the line.

Rowe dragged a shot wide after being released by Richard Batchelor before Lycett and Marcus Jackson made way for Husband and Sheldon.

Husband curled home a free-kick in the 78th minute to reduce the arrears and Holleran made his final switch with Blyth coming on for Batchelor.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff from Cambridge now, with Sheldon, Corbett and Blyth all getting shots away.

A mistake from Barrett then allowed Leamington to get within a goal of their visitors, Corbett bravely heading home Taylor’s cross after the keeper had gone walkabout in his box.

With Holleran urging his troops forward for one final push, Stephan Morley saw a spectacular 25-yard effort tipped around the post before Liam Daly’s header was cleared off the line with Barrett well beaten.

Brakes: Tony Breeden, Scott Lycett (James Husband, 63), Stephan Morley, Lee Downes, Guy Sanders, Liam Daly, Marcus Jackson (Jamie Sheldon, 66), James Rowe, Alex Taylor, Luke Corbett, Richard Batchelor (Jacob Blyth, 80). Subs not used: Michael Tuohy, Arthur Byrne.

Cambridge City: Zac Barrett, Liam Nicell, James Krause (Tony Burke, 71), Jordan Lambert, Lee Chaffey (Neil Midgley, 22), John Kennedy, Craig Hughes, Robbie Nightingale, Craig Hammond, David Kolodynski (Adrian Cambridge, 51), Joey Abbs. Sub not used: Ben Sawyer.