City halt Redbridge run of form

709 fans turned up at the FWD-IP Community stadium as Cambridge City and Redbridge took centre stage on Non-League Day 2025. The Lilywhites were trying to make up for losing their last two matches, whereas Redbridge were unbeaten in five, winning four of those five games.

As referee Richard Wharton got the match under way, it didn't take long for Redbridge to go on the attack. Tendi Quamina took a run on the right and crossed into the penalty area, but James Philp was on hand to smother the ball. All this happened within the first minute.

After Samrai Gebrai received the ball from Jack Thompson, and then had his cross defended, Redbridge had a spell of attacks on the City goal. The first one happened in the 10th minute, Malachi Napa and Fotsing Pitoula Wabo combined neatly to create a descent opportunity, but Jayden Randell was on hand to clear the danger.

Four minutes later, Solomon Ogunwomoju was on the left-hand side when the tricky and quick winger sent a cross into Wabo, Redbridge's no 7 heading over the bar after making a beeline for the crossed pass.

In the 17th minute, Redbridge had their closest chance yet. Quamina showed nice close control to beat his man, then him and Wabo worked together to find Ogunwomoju, with Ed Tassell clearing off the line just before the Redbridge attacker go the chance to bury it.

Wabo was at it again three minutes later. He showed good feet when making his way into the area, but his shot curled wide, spurning another chance as Redbridge's domination seemed to continue. Six minutes after that, Wabo again had a shot that was smothered nicely by Philp, after Wabo had been sent through by clever play by Napa and the increasingly impressive Ogunwomoju.

Then came City's first real chance to beak the deadlock, after receiving a free-kick when Kai Thomas-Fraser fouled Ramiah Mills, Mills requiring a small amount of treatment from the challenge. Jamie Dicks sent the ball in, and it eventually fell to Alex Teniola at the far post. The no.9 saw his effort saved by Max Spence, and the Redbridge goalkeeper wouldn't be denied from the rebound as he made an instinctive save to also deny the oncoming shot from Thompson.

After 31 minutes Napa and Ogunwomoju combined once again on the left-hand side, although this time the cross evaded everybody in the 18-yard box. A few minutes later and the Redbridge captain had the ball at his feet for a free-kick, but Joseph Elliott sent the ball over the crossbar.

It had been a tough half for the Lilywhites, but there was enough time to harvest a chance at the end of he half. With a minute to go, Mills took a throw. He threw to Gebrai who then crossed to Codey Cosgrave, the on-loan Sittingbourne midfielder unfortunately sent his volley over the bar.

There was just enough time for Ogunwomoju to, once again, cause trouble for City's backline as he beat three players to get a cross away, the City defenders doing enough to keep the match goalless.

Just as in the first half with Redbridge, it was City's turn to get out of the blocks quickly. Just a minute into the second half, Mills found himself on this own at the front, but the pressure got to him, and he sent his effort onto the post after clever marshalling from the Redbridge defender and goalkeeper Spence.

Ogunwomoju continued the second half as he left the first, once more speeding down the left and sending in a cross towards Wabo. Philp providing safe hands to deny the no.7.

Then, in the 52nd minute, Gebrai had the ball in the middle of the pitch. He saw Thompson on his right and passed it to his teammate. Everyone was expecting a cross, but Thompson dummied the defender and then sent a left-footed shot coolly under the goalkeeper to give City the lead.

It proved to be a shock for Redbridge, who responded with attacks of their own. The first one came after 56 minutes, Wabo this time on the left side, squaring towards Napa, the no.10 skying his shot from inside the penalty area.

Then Napa wanted a chance to provide an assist when he played a through ball to his captain, Elliott, but Jamie Dicks came in to stop the opportunity from going any further.

After Mills was sent through in the 65th minute, and had his run stopped, Redbridge went on the counter to force a corner. The ball switching from right to left, and the ball came to Ogunwomoju, who then fired over the bar.

A couple more chances came in the next few minutes. Redbridge came first, Ogunwomoju and Jack Chawner combined well to get a cross in that was cleared away, then, up the other end, with the ball pinging around, Samrai Gebrai had a shot fly just wide of Spence's left-hand post.

In what was a tight middle part of the 2nd half, City's on-loan Cambridge United striker Jahkyah Ebanks-Blake proved too much for the Redbridge defence towards the end of the match. In the 81st minute, Ebanks-Blake was in a tussle with Henry Day on the left, the City striker beat him, then crossed to Teniola who sliced his shot and Spence was then able to get a hold of the ball.

Redbridge then went on an attack on the right, the ball finding it's way to Wabo, but Philp held his nerve to punch the ball to safety.

With just four minutes to go, a goal scramble led to a shot from Ogunwomoju that crept just past City's post on the left-hand side, this coming from a free-kick after Ogunwomoju used his trickery to win the free-kick

There was a little bit of controversy at the end as Kai Thomas-Fraser looked to have elbowed Ebanks-Blake, the referee was in conversation with his assistant but appeared to have not got the best advice as he instead booked Quamina.

After a final corner for Redbridge was headed away, City held on for the win. This result ended a four game win-less run. Jamie Cureton's side have now picked up four clean sheets in a row on home soil, and completed the double over their opponents, having beaten Redbridge in December, 2-1.

Witten by

Connor Taylor-Creek