Attendance: 764 (90 Cobblers fans)

Cambridge: Callum Burton, Greg Taylor, Andrew Dallas, George Maris, Harrison Dunk, Louis John, Harry Darling, Leon Davies, Sam Smith (sub Marc Richards 67), Paul Lewis, Ben Worman (sub Harvey Knibbs 67)
Subs not used:  Dimitar Mitov, Kyle Knoyle, George Taft, Lewis Simper, Elliott Ward

Cobblers: Andrew Fisher, Reece Hall-Johnson, Jordan Turnbull, Scott Wharton, Michael Harriman, Billy Waters, Shaun McWilliams (sub Alan McCormack 67), Scott Pollock, Matt Warburton (sub Sam Hoskins 84), Andy Williams (sub Morgan Roberts 67), Harry Smith
Subs not used: David Cornell, Jack Newell, Ryan Hughes, Vadaine Oliver

Referee: Scott Purkiss

Booked:
Cambridge: Ben Worman (47)
Cobblers: Reece Hall-Johnson (55)

Sent off:
Cambridge: none
Cobblers: none

The Cobblers concluded their group campaign in the Leasing.com Trophy with a trip to Cambridge United who, in a quirk of the fixtures, were playing their first game in the competition this season.

Jordan Turnbull, back from a one-match ban, was one of five changes to the side with starts also for on-loan Blackburn goalkeeper Andrew Fisher, Billy Waters, Matt Warburton and Scott Pollock.

Town started on the front foot and Waters had the first sight of goal, firing a shot just wide after a good knock down from Harry Smith. It was that man Harry Smith who made the breakthrough on 17 minutes, tucking the ball home from close range following a strong run into the area by Reece Hall-Johnson.

Cambridge thought they had an equaliser nine minutes later when Andrew Dallas found the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for a foul on Fisher. The on-loan goalkeeper saved from Greg Taylor and Warburton fired over from 20-yards from a Smith tee up before the break.

Fisher made a smart stop to deny Sam Smith at the start of the second half, the ball teed-up for him following the award of an indirect free-kick inside the Cobblers area. U’s goalkeeper Callum Burton was forced to turn behind a cross from Waters while it needed a good sliding challenge from Shaun McWilliams to deny Dallas a shot on goal.

Morgan Roberts and Alan McCormack came on as both sides made a double change midway through the second half, former Cobblers striker Marc Richards and Harvey Knibbs on for the home side.

The U’s had another goal ruled out, this time for handball and it needed an important block from Turnbull to keep out a shot from Harrison Dunk as the hosts pressed for an equaliser. Dallas then fired over late on and Fisher also made a superb save from the same player as the Cobblers claimed the win to give themselves every chance of progressing into the knockout stages.

CAMBRIDGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (2) 10           
FOULS: (2) 9        
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)       
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 6 
CORNERS: (2) 7
FOULS: (8) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1