MULLIN’S LATE SHOWSTOPPER
MARK Bonner reckons Cambridge’s lastgasp win over Walsall could be a huge moment in his side’s campaign.
The U’s looked set to go four home games without a goal until Paul Mullin’s terrific winner deep into added time which secured a precious win and handed Walsall their first away loss since Boxing Day.
“When you get to the end of the season, I remember saying January might have been a pivotal month for us, results like that could be too,” he said after the game.
“There were times today where we didn’t look like a good side in a game that was quite scruffy and really difficult to get going in, but it’s some strike. We lacked a bit of everything at times, but we found a way to win and we’re delighted with that.
“We haven’t really created anything of quality and we win it. That’s just the randomness of football sometimes. Over the course of the week we certainly deserve three points.”
On Mullin’s exploits, Bonner added: “He said himself, I think that’s his first shot for four weeks so he’s delighted to have found one. It’s a brilliant moment. It needed something, it wasn’t going to be through a flowing move, it was going to be someone pulling something out of the bag. His first touch is great and his connection’s really good. He’s found a really good bit of quality which we needed.”
Following a tame opening, Cambridge looked for a penalty after 21 minutes, as Kyle Knoyle brought down loanee Max Melbourne, but referee Ben Toner awarded a freekick just outside the box.
Moments later U’s keeper Callum Burton did well to tip over Emmanuel Osadebe’s acrobatic volley after Cameron Norman’s long throw fell to him.
The visitors had two other openings before half-time, but Hayden White and sub Tyreik Wright both fired off target from dangerous positions.
Eighteen minutes from time, Osadebe’s cross from the byline was diverted wide by Josh Gordon, leaving the game poised to end goalless before
Mullin’s terrific winner at the death.
The 26-year-old unleashed a superb effort into the top corner from outside the box to break the Saddlers’ hearts.
Walsall boss Brian Dutton described himself as “gutted, absolutely gutted” after the defeat. He said: “They gave me everything, I couldn’t be more proud of them in terms of the performance.
“They’ve come to a team who are second in the league, on their home patch, and put in a performance like that.
That is the level we need to reach to make things happen for us.
“That’s why all the top players are so fit because they’ve got to go right through the 94th, 95th minute. When you’re not able to do that you get punished and that’s what happened today.”