Cambridge United 2 Oxford United 0

 Despite an unseasonably wet Saturday afternoon that could have ended up as a boat race instead of football, Cambridge got the season off to a great start.

To be honest, Cambridge stayed up by the skins of their teeth last year and then lost several of the more established players, so I wasn't exactly looking forward to the start of the season down at the Abbey. However, it would seem that some of the replacements are perhaps upgrades and maybe, just maybe the season will go better than expected.

To start there is a new goal keeper in town with Jack Stevens having signed on a free from Oxford, as they ended up playing with a 19 year old in goal, they may want to question having let him go. He wasn't realy tested on Saturday, so it will be interesting to see how he gets on.

Michael Morrison, who also joined on a free (from Portsmouth) looks like a good veteran and calm head to have in central defence. So much so he has been given the captains armband. The two Bennetts in defence are now being given a chance to establish themselves and Danny Andrew - another veteran, who signed from Fleetwood looks like he will add more in defence.

The midfield has a pretty  familiar look with Digby, Lankaster and Brophy being joined by George Thomas, who was ruled out quite often with injury last season and Saikou Janneh. Janneh was a favourite of some of the fans, but considered as a bit of a luxury by others. The first goal showed that he can perhaps be both.

On 15 minutes Janneh wriggled his way through the Oxford defence and then had a shot when he should have squared the ball. However, the young keeper parried the ball and Lankaster was on hand to fire it home.

There is one player we haven't mentioned yet and that is the Moroccan Gassan Ahadme, who is on loan from Ipswich and played on his own up front on Saturday. He has the strength of Ironside (in fact he may be stronger) and the speed of Smith. Something that Cambridge couldn't harness together last season. To me he seems like an upgrade on both. He put the Us 2-0 up with a header on 28 minutes. Some great work between Brophy and Janneh on the right, saw Janneh clear through before this time putting it on a plate for Ahadme.

The Us went in 2-0 up at the break and then consolidated in the second half. It wasn't the most exciting of second halves but a professional performance nonetheless. I'm not sure if Oxford are one of the sterner tests, but with Fleetwood and Stevenage next up, you'd hope Cambridge can get some scores on the board early on.









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