Collins injury and Kitching red card take shine off away victory
A RED card and a bloody red nose were the only two pieces of news which stopped this from being a great away day.
Brad Collins suffered a broken nose in an aerial clash and had to be replaced by Jamie Searle, who made his league debut.
Collins was eventually able to walk off with the help of his teammates and medical staff after receiving lengthy treatment from paramedics.
Barnsley then shrugged off a potentially nervy final 22 minutes after Liam Kitching saw a different kind of red.
Devante Cole had bagged his third goal of the season in the first half, but Barnsley upped the ante after going a man light.
Robbie Cundy’s first for the club and James Norwood’s second in as many away games secured their second successive away league win in a performance which arguably matched the previous at Hillsborough.
It was the first time the two sides had met in 30 years and it certainly lived up to the wait for those Reds’ fans travelling down.
Boss Michael Duff made a solitary change from the side which conceded late on to draw with Port Vale on Tuesday night.
Stoke loanee Tom Edwards, a deadline day scoop, made his debut as Conor McCarthy dropped to the bench.
The hosts came closest to an early opener but Barnsley were let off with James Brophy hitting the post from barely six yards out.
Barnsley broke the deadlock in the 24th minute as predatory Cole cooly slotted home after being unleashed by Kitching.
But Cambridge somehow fluffed their lines with the goal at their mercy on the stroke of half time.
Barnsley scrambled the ball clear after Shilow Tracey and Harvey Knibbs both had clear-cut chances from point-blank range.
The home side pushed again in the second half with Liam O’Neil forcing Collins into a good stop as he tipped the midfielder’s longrange effort past the post.
Barnsley were under intense pressure from a string of Cambridge corners but breathed a sigh of relief as they went unscathed.
They were dealt a huge blow as Collins was stretchered off after extended treatment from paramedics as Kiwi Searle entered the fray.
Kitching was then sent off with just over 20 minutes to go for a second bookable offence after fouling Harvey Knibbs.
But any hopes of Cambridge rallying were dashed when defender Cundy, once a Cambridge loanee, doubled the visitor’s tally with 14 minutes left.
Cundy was on hand to head Norwood’s cross home to spark wild celebrations.
Substitute Norwood added gloss with a well-taken finish in the second minute of 14 in added time. It is also noteworthy that this is the second time Barnsley have suffered a setback in terms of players and had to replace Josh Benson early on in the match against Sheffield Wednesday and were unaffected.
Away trips are looking fruitful under Duff so far who seems to have the right formula on the road and is making away trips for the supporters memorable.
Cambridge: (4-2-3-1) Mitov; Williams, Okendina, Jones, Dunk; O’Neil (May, 74), Digby; Tracey (Janneh, 84), Knibbs (Lankester, 84), Brophy (Ironside, 73); Smith. Unused: Mannion, Okenabirhie, Rossi. Booked: Dunk, Smith.
Barnsley: (3-4-1-2) Collins (Searle, 59) 7; Edwards (Cadden, 70) 7, Cundy 8, Andersen 7, Williams 7; Kane 8, Wolfe 6, Kitching 5; Thomas (Norwood, 75) 7; Aitchison (Benson, 75) 7, Cole 7. Unused: Martin, McCarthy, Hondermarck. Goals: Cole, 24. Cundy, 76, Norwood 90+1. Booked: Thomas, Cole. Two yellows: Kitching.
Referee: Declan Bourne (Nottinghamshire). Attendance: 6,138.