First-half goals from Shayne Lavery and Kylian Kouassi fired Cambridge to 2-1 victory over Bromley at Abbey Stadium in Sky Bet League Two.
Lavery deflected Kylian Kouassi’s second-minute shot in to put Cambridge in front, having initially set up Kouassi with his initial pass from an interception of Omar Sowunmi’s knockdown header.
Kouassi doubled the hosts’ lead with a clinical top-right corner strike from Ben Purrington’s 41st-minute throw-in.
Michael Cheek halved Bromley’s deficit with a 50th minute lob over Jake Eastwood from Deji Elerewe’s long ball.
Cambridge’s win moved them up to eighth whilst Bromley slipped to 11th in the table.
Having conceded first in four of their last five away matches in all competitions, Bromley’s defensive fragility was exposed from a first-minute foul by Sowunmi on Lavery.
Sullay Kaikai’s consequential free-kick was nodded down by Sowunmi, but only to Lavery who laid the ball off for Kouassi but deflected the latter’s subsequent shot in past a helpless Sam Long.
Cambridge subsequently continued to pressurize Bromley’s defence throughout the first half as Ben Purrington, Lavery and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu saw shots denied.
Neil Harris’ Us however played a careless ninth-minute defensive pass which Ben Thompson latched onto, but the midfielder’s curled effort was punched away by Jake Eastwood.
Bromley had began the game just ahead of Cambridge on goal difference but found themselves two goals down at half time, after a 41st-minute throw-in from Purrington was smashed into the top-right corner by Kouassi on the turn amidst tame marking from Kyle Cameron.
Andy Woodman subsequently opted for a half-time quadruple hooking as Lakyle Samuel, Cameron, Ashley Charles and Ben Krauhaus were hooked, with Nicke Kabamba, Elerewe, Will Hondermarck and Marcus Ifill brought on in their respective places in a formation change.
That ruthless gamble proved beneficial as Elerewe unleashed a 50th-minute long ball, which Cheek met on his left foot and switched onto his right foot to lob over Eastwood to half Bromley’s deficit.
Bromley almost restored parity barely a minute later after Cheek laid Ifill’s cross off for Jude Arthurs, but the 24-year-old’s shot was blocked.
Kaikai almost restored Cambridge’s two-goal lead with a 63rd-minute header but he headed Adam Mayor’s cross wide of the top left corner.
The game however was brought to a halt in the 68th minute after referee, Declan Bourne suffered a serious knee injury which required extensive treatment and a change of referee, before play resumed in the 77th minute.
Once play resumed, Bromley continued their momentum as Kabamba headed wide and Arthurs rifled a shot over the bar.
Thompson in the fourth minute of injury time saw a powerful strike towards the top left corner denied by Mamadou Jobe, before a goalmouth scramble from the subsequent corner was cleared.
Cambridge eventually held on for victory which lifted them up to eighth ahead of the mid-afternoon kick-offs, and ended their 11-match winless drought against London teams since a 1-0 victory at AFC Wimbledon in 2022.
What’s Next?
Cambridge head to Notts County at Meadow Lane in another tough test on Saturday 25 October at 3pm BST, before they commence their FA Cup campaign at home to Chester on 1 November.
Bromley face a tricky home match against MK Dons at the Copperjax Stadium next on Saturday 25 October at 3pm, before they entertain Bristol Rovers in their FA Cup clash a week later on 1 November.
Teams
Cambridge: Jake Eastwood, James Gibbons, Michael Morrison, Kelland Watts, Ben Purrington, Sullay Kaikai (Smith 82′), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Dominic Ball, Adam Mayor (Jobe 91′), Shayne Lavery, Kylian Kouassi (Kachunga 91′)
Substitutes: Liam Bennett, James Brophy, Ben Hughes, Mamadou Jobe, Elias Kachunga, Ben Knight, Korey Smith
Bromley: Sam Long, Lakyle Samuel (Kabamba 46′), Kyle Cameron (Elerewe 46′), Omar Sowunmi, Idris Odutayo, Jude Arthurs, Ashley Charles (Hondermarck 46′), Ben Krauhaus (Ifill 46′), Ben Thompson (Whitely 96′), Mitch Pinnock, Michael Cheek
Substitutes: Deji Elerewe, Will Hondermarck, Marcus Ifill, Brooklyn Ilunga, Nicke Kabamba, Grant Smith, Corey Whitely
Referee – Declan Bourne
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