Red-hot Maris puts U’s on the fast track

A GEORGE Maris goal after 34 seconds set Cambridge on their way to a comfortable win over struggling Crewe.

The crowd at the Abbey Stadium had barely taken their seats when Jevani Brown’s through ball found Maris, who scored with a first-time shot into the corner.

David Amoo bagged his first in U’s colours to make it 2-0 in the 27th minute and though Chris Dagnall pulled one back three minutes later, Amoo turned provider in the second half, crossing for Uche Ikpeazu to head in a third.

A late red card for Jabo Ibehre, who kicked out at Perry Ng, was the only negative point of the afternoon for Cambridge, who have taken seven points from nine over the Christmas period.

Manager Shaun Derry said: “We wanted to come out of the blocks really quickly and having watched Crewe, we felt we could break their defensive lines in two or three passes.

“It was George who finished it off but the move that led to the goal was everything we wanted to see.

“The second goal was equally impressive, with a great finish from Dave Amoo.

“I’m so pleased for him because he’s had a stop-start season but he’s got a lot of quality. We need him fit and available to us, and showing that quality from Monday to Saturday.”

Amoo was a powerful presence on the right wing for the U's and after Maris' early goal, it was no surprise when he netted the second, taking advantage of Zoumana Bakayogo’s miskick to open his Cambridge account with a powerful low shot.

The hosts could have been out of sight by the time Dagnall latched on to Callum Ainley’s through ball to make it 2-1 and the Crewe striker could have levelled in the second half but for a fantastic last-ditch block by Leon Legge.

Ikpeazu’s flicked header wrapped up the points in the 68th minute before Ibehre’s late dismissal. Crewe manager David Artell said: “If we keep shooting ourselves in the foot like that, we’re going to be in trouble.

“They should have been out of sight in the first 25 minutes but somehow, we got back into it and then, in the second half, we let them kill the game.

“We were in the ascendency but we kept giving away silly free kicks. They haven’t had to work hard for their goals.

“If you give any opponent a two-goal start, you’re not going to win football matches.”