City fall to last minute winner

Cambridge City got their 2025-26 Isthmian League campaign underway against newly relegated Lowestoft Town on Saturday. The Lilywhites were hoping to add to their FA Cup win a week earlier against Kirkley & Pakefield, whereas Lowestoft Town were appearing in their first competitive match of the season after receiving a bye into the FA Cup Preliminary Round.

It was another attendance over 500 who watched the game, 533 to be exact, and Matthew Rowling was the man in the middle to get things moving.

The first few minutes passed with no real opportunities for either side, City started sharply with Lowestoft coming into the game later. Aaron Bullent saw Dylan Ruffles at the far post, the captain then sent a cross-cum-shot onto the roof of the net.

City looked to dominate afterwards, Solomon Ofori and Samrai Gebrai linked up well to force a corner. Jack Thompson took it and Gebrai wasn't quick enough to react as the ball ricocheted of his face and out for a goal kick.

Ofori was terrorising the Blues' defence, and he was at it again, after Gebrai rolled him through again, Ofori had his chance for the lead but drilled his shot agonisingly wide of the near post.

But it was Lowestoft who countered 2 minutes later with the opening goal of the match. A long ball was punted forward and Alex Warman cleared the ball straight into the Blues' Mitchell Belmar's path, the winger picked out Bullent at the far post to slot in the opening goal.

City tried immediately to find an equaliser, Gebrai linked onto an Alfie Mason throw, but fired wide after 21 minutes.

Robert Eagle then sent Belmar down the left for Lowestoft 4 minutes later, with Usman Adeniji coming to the rescue.

City continued to push for the equaliser and it was Gebrai who came close again when he rode a couple of challenges to get a shot away, but dragged it just wide. Midfield maestro Jack Thompson then won the ball back shortly after, he then sent it to Ofori who tried to find Michael Salako who then headed over the crossbar, wasting a valuable chance to find the leveller.

City, arguably, could have had a penalty midway through the first half when Harvey Peters and Solomon Ofori both clashed inside the penalty area, the referee was unmoved and waved play-on.

City's next golden chance came just one minute later when a defensive mistake allowed Ofori to take a shot at goal. Benjamin Self kept out the City striker and Adeniji had the perfect opportunity to score but his composure let him down and he fired over the crossbar.

Kyle Haylock briefly had his chance to double his side's lead but scuffed his shot wide just before half-time.

There was enough time for a couple of chances each way before half-time. City came first when Jayden Randell found Alieu Njie outside the 18-yard box, the shot being sent over the bar. Then a Lowestoft free-kick was sent up to Fraser Heard, who headed back across goal to Bullent, the no.10 heading over the bar in an attempt to score his second goal of the game.

Lowestoft went into the break 1-0 up but City came storming out of the blocks in the 2^nd half and immediately restored parity. Ofori and Thompson teamed up on the Blues' defence and Alex Warman was on hand to make up for his mistake which led to Lowestoft's opener, by drilling his effort into the bottom left corner of the net for the leveller.

Then, just two minutes later, City very nearly had the lead. A City corner, taken by Thompson, found it's way to Adeniji, the defender laid it right into the path of Ofori, the effort screaming just wide of the near post.

Another City chance came from a throw, with Samuel Coombes' cross being headed away and Mason forcing Self into a save to keep the scores level.

After 71 minutes, Ofori was sent through again and Gebrai was in the right place to surely give the Lilywhites the lead, but, somehow, Ben Self scooped the ball off the goal-line and to safety. The resulting corner led to a scramble which substitute George Smith latched onto, but Self produced another spectacular save to keep his side in the game.

City had plenty more chances to take the lead. Thompson's free-kick found Ofori, who fired over again. Smith then beat the offside trap, Gebrai came alongside and his shot was saved by Self.

With 12 minutes left to play, City kept looking and pushing for the lead. Thompson and Gebrai linked to find Mason on the left-hand side, the wing-back's effort hitting the side netting after a slight deflection.

City kept pushing for the equaliser but it was Lowestoft who had the last laugh.  A long ball out from the Lowestoft defence found Haylock, who rolled wide in the 88^th minute, but this time made no mistake as he calmly slotted the ball past James Philp and into the net to give Lowestoft a winning start to the season and left City licking their wounds after failing to take their chances in the game.

So City start their season with a defeat, with Jamie Cureton's side's next date is with Newmarket Town this coming Tuesday.

Connor Taylor-Creek