City blown away by in form Redbridge

Cambridge City played their penultimate home game of the season, as they welcomed Redbridge to the FWD-IP Community stadium. The Lilywhites were coming off the back of an away win against Takeley on Easter Monday, both goals in the 2-1 win coming from Freddie Hockey.

Redbridge were coming into the game on a 4 match unbeaten streak, the Motormen, who have the 4^th best away record in the league, drew 2-2 against Newmarket Town last time out. The 5^th highest scorers had netted 14 goals in their unbeaten run.

These two last played on the 13^th September, with Redbridge winning 3-0, thanks to goals from Ayodeji Olukoga, Solomon Ogunwomoju and Malachi Napa. The attendance for that match was a small 90.

In a match that the visitors mostly dominated, Redbridge were always going to get the first chance. Charles Brown-Bampoe found himself free on the edge of City's box and his effort only just cleared the crossbar.

After Pedro Carvalho's cross had to be cleared by Jayden Randell, the Motormen found the breakthrough. Louie Remi's cross initially missed him teammates in the 18-yard area, only for Jack Chawner to pick up the loose ball and rifle a shot past James Philp and into the top right corner to give Redbridge the lead.

City looked to hit back from a corner just 5 minutes later. The corner eventually led to a Redbridge counterattack. Carvalho, on the right, delivered a cross for Remi to take a shot, Remi's effort was deflected back to Carvalho and Philp did exceptionally well to dive across almost the whole goal to deny the Redbridge forward from doubling the lead.

Redbridge continued to come forward, a long ball up from Chawner allowed Carvalho in. Philp came in to keep the score at 1-0, even saving from Remi's follow-up.

A minute later saw Remi breakaway on the right-hand side, then the winger fed in Ayodeji Olukoga, who's cross found Brown-Bampoe, which allowed the midfielder to head home and double Redbridge's lead.

After 30 minutes, Shaun Mavididi, just after receiving a pass from Randell, was clapped in the face by Kai Thomas-Fraser's rogue hand. The Redbridge midfielder was cautioned and was gifted a yellow card by referee Matthew Rowling.

Codey Cosgrave took a free-kick with 3 minutes left of the 1^st  half, Jake Anderson, who hadn't had to do much in the visitor's goal, managed to punch away the danger without any trouble. A throw came soon afterwards and Aaron Williams-Bushell was also seemingly caught in the face. The referee gave, instead, Williams-Bushell a yellow card for his troubles. Redbridge got to half time with the 2-0 cushion.

It took a little bit for the 2^nd half to warm up. Freddie Hockey won a corner after 56 minutes. Jaiden Babalola headed the corner back in after the first cross was defended and Anderson had to react quickly to stop Karl Kayembe from heading into his own net after the  wind caught the defender's clearance.

3 minutes later Hockey got clear and his ball into the 6-yard area narrowly missed Iffy Allen, who was oncoming to try to poke into the net, and the ball rolled to safety.

After a hour had been played, Redbridge continued to push in their efforts to put the game to bed. Carvalho latched onto the pass from Chawner, Olukoga then received the ball shortly afterwards and sent a shot climbing over the crossbar.

Babalola was then fouled by Chawner 25 yards from goal. Alfie Mason took the free-kick and, as an idea to catch out the visiting goalkeeper, shot straight at the near post. Anderson didn't fall for the trick and claimed the shot comfortably.

With 72 minutes gone City had a couple of good chances to reduce the deficit. Not long after Hockey seemed to be fouled before taking his shot, Matthew Rowling didn't awarded the City man the foul, a long ball from Mason found George Smith. Smith managed to win the ball from intense pressure, and his resulting shot was kept out by Anderson, as was Babalola's follow-up shot.

Four minutes later Hockey played in Smith, the ball then came back to Hockey and the cross came through to Mason, who volleyed wide from a promising angle.

Phillip Mendy was the next player to take a shot at goal, just curling wide after some neat build-up play. Then a City free-kick, which Kojo Apenteng took, clipped the defensive wall and out for a corner. Anderson playing well in-between the sticks to punch away the cross.

With 5 minutes left, Babalola laid Mendy through, Babalola won in back after a mistake in the Redbridge backline, however, Mendy's next shot rolled harmlessly into Anderson's hands.

With 3 minutes to go, a City throw came in and Charley Barker had a shot cleared off the line by Anderson, then Njie came in to bundle home and give City a goal in the tie and their 50^th league goal this term.

City then dominated the play from here until the end of the match. Mendy took a throw, and when the ball came back to Mendy, the winger sent in a cross which eventually landed at the feet of Mason, but the long range effort flew high and wide.

With time running out City were awarded a free-kick. Mason lobbed the ball into the box, from his own half, and it flew over an landed on the roof of the net.

There was just enough time for Darren Esuka to break away on his own and beat Njie, then poke his effort just wide of the upright.

The full-time whistle came soon after and Redbridge walked away with all 3 points. City's 5 match unbeaten run came to an end with the Redbridge defeat meaning that the Motormen have beaten the Lilywhites on both occasions in the league this campaign. City have one more match to play at home this season, home to newly relegated Downham Town next Saturday.