Mellon has Davies to thank for stalemate

BOTH bosses were in agreement that Cambridge and Tranmere each deserved the point they took from their clash.

The meeting at the Abbey Stadium ended in a goalless draw, with visiting goalkeeper Scott Davies most responsible for keeping the U’s at bay.

He produced an early double save to keep out David Amoo’s shot and Jabo Ibehre’s rebound and later denied Ibehre again, before a stop from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy’s close-range header.

Home boss Colin Calderwood said: “A draw was probably a fair result. I don’t think we deserved to win. I thought we were short of a level, but it was as much because the opposition made it really difficult. I think they’re a more than decent team.”

Speaking of the saves Davies made, Calderwood added: “You could come out and paint the picture that they’re the moments that make us the dominant team but we weren’t. It was a good competition today, a good level of opposition, and I think we were probably that to them.

“I’m annoyed at myself being slightly downbeat, but I cannot fault their effort during the week.”

Tranmere’s Micky Mellon agreed that the sides cancelled each other out, while praising his goalkeeper.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game. Both teams were going at it from minute one and you’d have to say, being honest, that none of the teams deserved to lose the game.

“All credit to both sets of players, I thought they had a right good go. It was just going to be a mistake or a bit of magic that was going to open up defences.”

Amoo had the first chance, but his effort from the edge of the box was parried after 15 minutes, with Davies saving well to deny Ibehre’s rebound. At the other end, James Norwood latched on to a long ball out of defence, but his progress was stopped by a terrific block by U’s defender George Taft.

In the final 10 minutes of the first half Davies twice kept Cambridge out, saving from Ibehre, before keeping out Hepburn-Murphy’s point-blank header.

The second half was more cagey, with a Gary Deegan shot for Cambridge well over the only real opening as they remained seven points above the drop zone.