LUKE ‘WORLDIE’ FLOORS BOTH!
MARK Bonner admitted his Cambridge side were simply too exhausted to celebrate their last-gasp win at Port Vale.
The league leaders took the points with a fantastic longrange strike by Liam O’Neil five minutes from time. And Bonner said they had really been made to work for their victory.
“It was some goal wasn’t it?” he said. “Liam’s hit that so well, he’s exhausted himself with his celebrations, but it was great to see. I love winning games like that. It’s a brilliant way to do it.
“It’s another clean sheet for us, which was good to see. My goodness, it was a tough game though, really tough.
“The boys are shot to bits in there. The impact from the bench was great, the boys who came on, Joe Ironside and O’Neil, made a big difference for us.
“I’m going to say it, I think we deserved it in the end. You’d like to think the changing room was bouncing, but there’s not enough energy left in there for them to bounce right now. It’s quiet, but we’re all satisfied.”
A first half of few chances saw Cambridge keeper Callum Burton called into action early on, standing his ground to block Kurtis Guthrie’s finish.
At the other end, their best chance of the half saw Luke Hannant tee up Wes Hoolahan for a shot from distance, but Vale shot-stopper Scott Brown was equal to his effort.
In the second half, Cambridge’s leading scorer Paul Mullin couldn’t get enough power in his backheel or get a vital touch on Hannant’s teasing ball across goal.
O’Neil had gone close to breaking the deadlock with his first touch after coming on, seeing his close-range header saved by Brown.
But, with the game looking destined to end goalless, O’Neil let fly from 30 yards and crashed the ball into a top corner to give the U’s victory.
While Cambridge – whose late arrival due to an accident on the M6 caused the kick-off to be delayed by 15 minutes – headed for home in good spirits, Darrell Clarke is still searching for his first win after three games as Vale boss.
And, while he felt his team deserved some reward against the table-topping U’s, he warned his side that they are far from safe in the league.
“It was a quality goal to win the game wasn’t it? A worldie finish after we matched them in a pretty even game, that was a real suckerpunch,” he said. “The lads have given me everything, but we lost to the league leaders, which shows they’ve got that extra bit of quality on the day.
“We’re looking over our shoulder, I knew we were in a dogfight, but we’ve got more than enough to climb the table. The effort and commitment from the lads in my three games here has been very, very good. Our fitness levels aren’t great so that’s something we’ve got to work on. Other than that, our performance warranted a point.”
ROSS Embleton was sacked by Leyton Orient following their home defeat to Tranmere Rovers, which means they are now without a win in seven matches.
Goals from Paul Lewis, Kaiyne Woolery and Kieron Morris condemned Embleton to his final defeat in charge of the O’s, with Jamie Turley netting a consolation moments after coming on.
But with just four wins from their last 15 matches, Orient chairman Nigel Travis felt he was left with no choice but to part company with his manager.
“This was an extremely difficult decision for us to make, and one which we have done with heavy hearts,” he said.
“Nobody can underestimate, nor should ever forget, the influence and impact Ross has had on the rebirth of our club.
“He was an integral part of our National League success and he stood up to lead the team following the tragic loss of Justin Edinburgh, and again put himself forward when we were later in need of a head coach.
“The board felt that with the investment made in the squad and the current situation in football that we should be looking to push on at an accelerated rate and unfortunately in recent weeks that has not happened.”
The deadlock was broken after 24 minutes when Orient failed to deal with a cross sent in by Jay Spearing and Lewis stabbed in from close range.
The hosts failed to have a shot on target before the break and their plight got worse 11 minutes after half-time when Rovers doubled their advantage.
James Vaughan robbed defender Adam Thompson and slipped a pass to Woolery, who raced clear before planting the ball low into the corner.
And seven minutes later, halftime substitute Morris was left unmarked and stooped low to head a Warren Feeney corner into the net.
Orient reduced the deficit after 68 minutes when substitute Turley netted with his first touch, heading in a free kick from James Brophy.
But the visitors comfortably held out to secure their seventh win in 11 games.
Tranmere boss Keith Hill refused to get over-excited despite his side’s win.
“I’m pleased with our results and pleased with what we are trying to do,” Hill said.
“We showed courage again, it’s a great scoreline against difficult opposition. It was a good game, an interesting game.
“From the possession point of view, I thought that Leyton Orient were probably the best side we have played, especially in the first-half. But we went in one-nil up at half-time and they haven‘t had a shot on target.
“We nullified what the opposition were trying to do, the lads showed good game management.”
Vigouroux 5, Akinola 6, Thompson 6 (Kyprianou 57, 6), Happe 6, Brophy 7, Freeman 6 (Clay 60, 6), Cisse 6 (Abrahams 60, 6), McAnuff 7, Wilkinson 7, Johnson 6, Kemp 6 (Turley 67, 8). Subs not used: Sargeant, Dayton, Widdowson.
TRANMERE: Davies 6, O’Connor 7, Ray 7, Clarke 7, MacDonald 6, Lewis 8, Spearing 7, Feeney 7, Woolery 8 (Ridehalgh 75, 6), Vaughan 7 (Nugent 84,
6), Lloyd 6 (Morris 46, 7). Subs not used: Murphy, Blackett-Taylor, Kirby, Crawford.