Mark Bonner delighted by Cambridge late show at Crewe

Posted Sunday, October 03, 2021 by PA

Mark Bonner was delighted with Cambridge’s late smash-and-grab raid at Crewe – although thee U’s boss was left to speculate whether his side might have won the game after a strong second-half showing.

The visitors fought back through a Will Jaaskelainen own goal and a dramatic equaliser from Adam May in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Crewe had coasted into a two-goal lead before the half-hour mark with Oli Finney and Scott Robertson on target, but Dave Artell’s side faded badly after the break.

“In the second half we chased the game properly and created bucket loads of chances some of which we should have done better with. But we were happy with the late goal, although it is tinged with the feeling we might have been able to take more from the game,” said Bonner.

“On the balance of play we deserved something from the game. Being able to bring those subs off the bench (Sam Smith, Wes Hoolahan and Shilow Tracey) gave us a real platform, but we had some good momentum by then.”

Finney marked his return to Crewe’s side by blasting the Railwaymen ahead in the 10th minute. The midfielder was one of two changes Artell had made; the other, veteran striker Chris Porter, provided the assist with a deft knockdown.

Finney then set up Crewe’s second, neatly shielding the ball at the near post and laying off for Celtic loanee Robertson to finish with a low drive.

Cambridge were let down by their finishing with May glancing the post when clear on goal in the first half and Joe Ironside heading over from close range after the interval.

But they were back in the game with 11 minutes left when Smith slid in at the far post to poke Jack Iredale’s cross against the post, with the rebound creeping over the line off Jaaskelainen.

The visitors wasted another good chance with Tracey blasting over before May took Hoolahan’s pass and drove into the corner of the net for the leveller.

Bonner added: “The character is never in doubt with this team. We scored the most goals in the last 10 minutes of any club (in League Two) last season so we have got that in us.

“We didn’t defend well enough against Chris Porter, we weren’t aggressive enough and everything we needed to do defensively we didn’t do. We hadn’t done well enough in the first half against a very fluid team, but we managed to get ourselves back into the game.”

Crewe boss Artell said: “You can’t knock the players’ effort. It was a good first half, but a terrible second.

“Cambridge deserved a point not because what they did, but what we didn’t do and I’m not being disrespectful. Some of our decision making again was poor, but we’ll keep going and we’ve got to get them to be better.

“Oli Finney has [come in and] scored one and set one up. That is why you have a squad and that is a real positive that the goals are being shared around.

“But we will need to pick the players up and go again.”