City chalk up impressive win over play off hopefuls

Cambridge City were looking to end their 7-match win less run on Saturday, with Waltham Abbey the visitors to the FWD-IP Community Stadium. City were on also on a run of four matches without a home win, with relegation candidates Takeley the last team that the Liilywhites beat at home.

Waltham Abbey were sitting in 3^rd and were on a run of four matches without defeat, of which the last three were wins, most recently a 2-0 win at home to Grays Athletic.

City will have good memories when these two met at the start of November. City's 2-1 win was the start of a winning run that lasted 7 games, and also ended Waltham Abbey's perfect start at home.

Fresh from their draw away at Heybridge Swifts last weekend, it was the Lilywhites who started quick. A free-kick allowed Jayden Randell to test Bradley Robinson early on, the Abbotts goalkeeper stopping the City captain from scoring.

Immediately after Randell's header, Aaron Eyoma latched onto teammate Edwin Mensah's through-ball, James Philp making sure that both goalkeepers got off to a fast start.

Within 10 minutes came another chance. Philip Mendy did well to manoeuvre himself smartly into a shooting position, Nathaniel Orafu came to clear the danger for the first corner of the game. Alex Warman's free header then just cleared the bar.

George Smith then got a bit lucky when Robinson misskicked a clearance after significant pressure, Smith lobbing his effort just wide.

City had the better chances in the latter part of the 1st half. After Jesse Akubuine gave away a soft corner, the forthcoming cross was claimed comfortably by Robinson. A Mendy throw soon after was flicked on by Randell to allow Ali Njie to attempt an overhead kick which went just wide of the target.

Five minutes after City's period of dominance, Ellis Brown had a chance to give his side the lead, but he headed over the bar after a promising cross.

With 37 minutes gone, after Hockey tried, and failed, a shot on his own, Abbey came on the break. Eyoma received the ball on the far side and sent in a cross which Brown got to, then returned the pass to Eyoma, who hit the bar with a thunderbolt, leaving Philp in relief.

A chance for Abbey 3 minutes later could have, maybe even should have, given them the lead. Khale Da Costa received a pass on his own in the 18-yard area, Mendy then fouled the Abbey man and referee Josh Burns had no choice but to point to the spot. Brown stepped up to take the penalty, but Philp won the battle of wits after he dived to his right to keep out the poorly taken penalty.

Right on half-time, Abbey had another chance that the visitors probably should have taken. Eyoma sent Da Costa through unmarked for the second time in 5 minutes, though this time Da Costa decided to square to a teammate and the cross just squeaked past the far post when a shot at the near post was possibly a better option.

The 2^nd half continued in the same vein as the 1^st. Charley Barker forcing Robinson into a smart save after a decent cross.

A City throw was sent in and then cleared initially, which ended with Njie sending a shot wide after spinning into position.

Robinson was in action again after 56 minutes. Barker first took a shot which went wide after latching onto a throw. It eventually got out to Hockey, who forced the save after finding Aaron Williams-Bushell's cross after the defender beat the offside trap.

After Robinson comfortably claimed Sam Coombes' corner kick, City had their own free-kick, the cross was flicked on by Randell and then was subsequently thumped home by Hockey to give City the lead.

Warman and Thompson worked well to send in Hockey, Abbey then broke down the other end after Hockey's attempt was blocked, Eyoma's effort was kept out by Philp.

City then came up again for a 2^nd goal opportunity. Thompson linked up with Hockey, Robinson again came to the visitors' rescue with a smart save, with the rebound being hacked away for a corner. The cross came out to Coombes, who tried his luck from range and, although the shot bobbled into the penalty area, the ball eventually sat up nicely for Hockey to try an overhead kick, which saw Robinson produce yet another stunning save.

With Abbey looking for an equaliser at the other end, City were always going to look for the break, and that's what happened with 2 minutes left on the clock. Jack Thompson sought out Warman to try an effort, which was blocked on it's path to goal.

Mendy was then caught sleeping on the right-hand side which allowed Benjamin Baker to storm down the wing and into a crossing position, which ended up in an Abbey corner. The cross came in along the ground and Philp claimed to keep the clean sheet intact.

After Quevin Castro tried to lob the visiting goalkeeper, the shot just clearing the cross bar, City held out to grab all 3 points and finally claim their first league win of 2026. City's win was their 2^nd against Waltham Abbey, an oddity considering City have only won 3 matches against the top 5 teams in 9 games.

City will travel to Tilbury next weekend, hoping to do the double over the Dockers, having won the match at home, 3-0.