Ambrose double sees off Bradford.
The U's have won 2-1 at Bradford City, as the U's ended their winless run with a superb away display on Tuesday night.
Darren Ambrose scored both goals, after Wes Thomas had put the hosts ahead.
Darren Ambrose scored both goals, after Wes Thomas had put the hosts ahead.
It was the hosts that had the better of the early stages, both Elliott Parish was equal to anything that Bradford could throw at him.
Before he was involved though, Tom Eastman took a bash in the face, resulting in him having to leave the field and changing his blood stained shirt.
On eleven minutes, Parish made his first double save, though the offside flag was up as he smothered at the feet of Wes Thomas and then saved the follow up from McMahon.
His next double save was vital though, as he toed away a low shot from Thomas before instantly getting back on his feet to take James Hanson’s header into his chest.
With seventeen minutes on the clock, Kane Vincent-Young was dispossessed by Reid and his low cross was touched in by Thomas to give Bradford a deserved lead.
The goal could have seen heads drop in the U’s ranks but it had the opposite effect and it was the visitors who had the better of the remainder of the first half.
George Moncur broke up play deep in his own half before finding Chris Porter, who in turn found Darren Ambrose in space on the left.
After using Joe Edwards’ run as a decoy, Ambrose cut onto his right foot and curled a shot just wide of the post.
It was a warning that Bradford didn’t heed, as Ambrose levelled the score on twenty three minutes.
Moncur, who was making the U’s tick, had a shot blocked but the ball fell to Porter and the U’s forward found Ambrose in space in the penalty area.
The former Ipswich star volleyed his shot past Ben Williams in the home goal, to make it 1-1.
Kevin Keen then made a tactical change, bringing on Alex Gilbey for Vincent-Young, who was finding it tough going against Reid.
It meant a reshuffle, with Edwards switching to right back and Gilbey joining Garvan in the centre of the U’s midfield.
The U’s continued to push forward though, with Gavin Massey having a shot wide before Moncur’s volley was blocked for a corner and Eastman’s header from the corner going straight at Williams.
The hosts did have the final effort of the half, but Thomas’ shot was safely gathered by the impressive Parish in the U’s goal.
The second half started as the first had finished, with the U’s having the better of things, Ambrose being unlucky that the ball wouldn’t drop for him after good play from Gilbey and Edwards.
On fifty three minutes, Moncur broke through the home midfield and hit the base of the post with a curling effort that beat Williams all ends up.
Four minutes later, the U’s were ahead and it was Ambrose with his second of the game.
Heavy pressure wasn’t cleared and Massey’s cross was headed down by Garvan for Ambrose to drill through the keeper’s legs.
Moncur had another shot blocked and Gilbey’s effort was saved by Williams, as the U’s looked for a two goal cushion as the y chased their first win since October.
Nicky Shorey and Elliott Parish made vital interceptions as the U’s had to withstand some Bradford pressure.
The U’s rearguard coped extremely well in the final stages, and much of the four minutes of injury time was spent in the Bradford half.
The whistle went on what was a vital win for the U’s, with twelve games remaining to save their League One status.