Morecambe 1-2 Cambridge United
Sky Bet League One
The Mazuma Stadium
Saturday 24 September 2022
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Attendance: 3,917 (307 away)
After taking the lead on 12 minutes through Jensen Weir, Jack Lankester equalised 20 minutes later before the U's completed their comeback three minutes from time through Harvey Knibbs.
Kieran Phillips enjoyed a lively start and found himself in space to run in to down the right, but his cross was comfortably collected by Dimitar Mitov in the visitors’ goal.
Cambridge grew into the game and carved out a flurry of corners, four to be exact, with Ripley catching the latter, before launching a deadly Morecambe counterattack.
Former United man Weir found himself with the ball at his feet and charging down on goal before unleashing a powerful strike inside the near post to fire the Shrimps ahead on 12 minutes.
Mark Bonner’s men looked to respond, with two big chances inside a minute, when a Paul Digby cross found Sam Smith in the box on 20 minutes, but his tame effort was held by Ripley.
Seconds later and it was Smith again who fired a stronger effort at goal from close range, but Ripley did well once more.
The U’s perseverance paid off on 32 minutes when the ball fell to Lankester inside the Morecambe box, who calmly slotted into the bottom right corner to equalise.
From there, both sides were able to threaten, with Cole Stockton forcing Mitov into a save whereas, three minutes before the break, George Williams rose highest to meet a corner at the back post, but his effort lacked direction and went wide.
Half-time: Morecambe 1-1 Cambridge United.
Four minutes into the second half and it was nearly the perfect start for Morecambe as Phillips picked up possession to the right of the visitors’ box, but he could only drag his effort wide.
The Shrimps came close again on 52 minutes when Donald Love managed to pick out Phillips with an excellent cross from the right, but his header went wide.
Cambridge’s first chance of the second half came via George Williams two minutes later, but Ripley did well to deny his low, powerful strike.
The visitors came close shortly after as Smith did well to lob the ball over Ripley and pick up possession once more, but after doing all the hard work, his resulting shot nestled the side-netting.
As the game became more open, with both side’s testing each other’s defensive resolve, it was Adam May’s turn to try his luck, but a deflection took the sting out of his strike as the ball sailed behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Nine minutes from time and Liam Gibson came close with his driven effort from the edge of the penalty area, but the ball sailed narrowly over.
Despite a number of strong Morecambe chances, it was the visitors who managed to find the target three minutes from time as substitution Harvey Knibbs slammed home from close range.
Full-time: Morecambe 1-2 Cambridge United.
Morecambe: Ripley, Love (C), Gibson, Rawson, Delaney, Taylor (Fane, 73’), Stockton (Gnahoua, 73’), Weir, Bedeau (Connolly, 73’), Shaw (O’Connor, 85’), Phillips (Obika, 82’).
Subs not used: Smith, Cooney
Goals: Weir 12’.
Bookings: Weir 37’.
Red cards: None.
Cambridge United: Mitov, Williams, Digby, Jones, Brophy (Tracey, 66’), Ironside(Okenabirhie, 86’), Smith, Dunk, Lankester (Knibbs, 74’) Ibsen Rossi, May.
Subs not used: Mannion, Taylor, O’Neil, Okedina
Goals: Lankester 32’, Knibbs 87’.
Bookings: None.
Red cards: None.