May day as U’s go top
RELIEVED Cambridge United boss Mark Bonner hopes his side’s roller coaster run-in does not derail their title bid.
The table-topping U’s left it late to leapfrog Cheltenham.
Super-sub Adam May stole all three points deep in stoppage time at a blustery Brunton Park.
Prolific marksman Paul Mullin made history for the most league goals in a season for Cambridge with his 25th, breaking David Crown’s longstanding 35-year record, before Lewis Alessandra levelled with his first goal since January.
“We don’t make it easy for ourselves,” said Bonner.
“I did say it was going to be a roller coaster and I’m sure there’s plenty more of that to come.
“We’re really delighted to win and to win it so late.
“If you go on points per game, they’ve got the best home record in the league and you can see why.
“It’s a really tough place to come.
“We were brilliant in the first half, we needed to score and we scored a good goal. Some of the football we played was outstanding.
“It was important we had the legs on the bench to bring on.
“I’m pleased for Adam as well because it’s not the cleanest of finishes, but it’s one of them where it needs to be a bit scruffy.”
U’s stopper Callum Burton produced a good stop to keep out Omari Patrick in first-half stoppage time.
And goal-machine Mullin took full advantage when he fired the visitors in front just before the break.
Gime Toure was denied an equaliser by onrushing Burton.
Alessandra set up a grandstand finish after Rod McDonald’s strike was blocked with 12 minutes left. And May, who had been on the pitch mere minutes, stole all three points when he completed a fine counterattack in stoppage time.
Carlisle’s promotion capitulation continued and their drastic dip in form has seen just one win in 13.
And deflated boss Chris Beech groaned: “It’s a horrible run but we are not going to lose sight of what we’re trying to achieve.
“We won’t accept losing, that’s not the case here, but we have to look at the reasons why things are as they are.
“I fully understand that nobody wants to hear about that when we’re not winning games.
“We’re working extremely hard.”
CARLISLE UNITED: Farman 6, Tanner 6, Hayden 7, McDonald 7, Anderton 6, Riley 7, Guy 6, Furman 5 (Toure 45, 5), Mellish 5 (Alessandra 70, 5), Patrick 7, Zanzala 7 (Scott 89).
Unused subs: Norman, Charters, Armer, Scott, Walker.
CAMBRIDGE UNITED: Burton 7, Knoyle 7, Iredale, 7, Digby 6, Taylor 6, O’Neil 7 (Hannant, 63, 6), Mullin 7 (Tracey 64, 6), Hoolahan 9 (Dunk 90), Okedina 7, Ironside 7, Boateng 8 (May 85). Unused subs: Drysdale, Alese, Knibbs.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Wes Hoolahan. Dictated the game in the first 45 minutes and was calm to set up the late winner.
REFEREE: Tom Nield 6.