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Match Reports

Match Report : 02/11/2013

2 November 2013

Match Reports

Match Report : 02/11/2013

2 November 2013

The U's have drawn 2-2 at Rotherham, as they grabbed an equaliser in dramatic circumstances at the New York Stadium.

Marcus Bean got the opener but two first half Rotherham goals saw them go into the break 2-1 down.

The second half was all but over and the four added minutes were almost up when Elliot Lee headed home to get a point. 

Having experienced the heartbreak of conceding the equaliser against Walsall recently, the U's and their fans could feel elated this time around.

Boss Joe Dunne unsurprisingly selected the same eleven that had defeated Peterborough seven days previously. 

Tom Eastman returned from injury to take a place on the U's bench, alongside new signing Dominic Vose.

The wind was blowing around the New York Stadium as the game kicked off, with the U’s looking to build on the win against Posh.

It was the home team that had the first shot though, as Luke Garbutt’s square pass was misplaced and Agard drilled a shot high over the bar.

On six minutes, the U’s first foray into the Rotherham half ended with Garbutt curling a dangerous ball into the box, which Skarz put cheaply behind for a corner.

That corner led to the U’s taking the lead, as Marcus Bean stooped to head home off the far post from Garbutt’s pinpoint set piece.

Less than a minute later, the hosts were level, as Cian Bolger was deceived by a left wing cross, allowing Tubbs to control well and sidefoot past Walker from close range.

The goal boosted the home side and they controlled matters, though failed to really test Walker in the U’s goal.

That changed on twenty minutes, as a long throw caused problems for the U’s, who failed to clear, and Agard scored into the bottom corner with his low shot.

For a side that have only won twice at home, Rotherham were knocking the ball around confidently but that led to the U’s next effort at goal.

Bean put in a strong sliding tackle, after seeing the hosts put together twenty odd passes, and that sent the ball into Elliot Lee’s path.

Lee found fellow loanee Jeffrey Monakana, who took a touch forward before striking his shot over the bar.

On the half hour, Walker had to save well down at his post from a Bradley header, before the same player shot over as the resultant corner was headed down for him.

The two sides then traded chances, with Brian Wilson’s long range effort and Tubbs’ overhead kick clearing the opposition bars.

Those were the last efforts of the first half and the teams went in for the break with the Millers deservedly leading 2-1.

Dunne would have been asking for more solidity at the back and more belief going forward as he spoke to his team before they came out for the second half.

A quiet start to the second period saw Luke Garbutt booked and five minutes in, Dunne bought on Macauley Bonne for Monakana.

The U’s had a good chance to equalise but Garbutt screwed his shot wide after being found by Bonne’s cut back.

Just before the hour mark, Andy Bond was introduced, with Eastmond going off for the U’s.

The home side seemed content with their one goal advantage and weren’t risking too much as they comfortably stayed ahead.

Both sides had half chances as the game moved into the final ten minutes, with Alex Gilbey’s shot was palmed away and Tubbs effort went into the side netting.

Sammie Szmodics came on for Bean with eight minutes remaining, as the U’s looked for a late goal to salvage a point.

Bond volleyed wide in the first minute of injury time and that looked like it would be the U’s last chance.

It wasn’t though. Bonne launched a long throw into the box and Rotherham could only put it out for a corner.

Sam Walker made his way forward but it was another U’s loanee, Elliot Lee, who came up trumps.

The corner was half cleared but headers by Bolger and Okuonghae kept the attack alive and Lee was on the spot.

His header dropped down off the crossbar and the assistant rightly spotted that the ball was over the line.

It showed the character that Dunne has instilled in the U’s and although the overall performance was not up to scratch, it was a hard fought draw.

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