Ben Knight double sets Cambridge on way to victory

Ben Knight’s brace helped Cambridge to a 3-1 victory over Bristol Rovers.

The visitors could have gone ahead inside a minute, only for Jake Eastwood to make a good stop to deny Fabrizio Cavegn.

Cambridge went ahead on 34 minutes when Sullay Kaikai drove into the box before the ball found its way to Knight, who swept home first time.

Kaikai should have made it 2-0 but fired wide across goal, and instead Rovers equalised with the last play of the first half. Joe Quigley was adjudged to have been bundled over following Kofi Balmer’s long throw, with Quigley himself converting the resulting penalty.

Cambridge regained their lead on 56 minutes with a penalty of their own, despatched clinically by Knight after Mamadou Jobe was hauled down. Rovers assistant boss Paul Raynor was booked for protesting against the decision.

It was 3-1 with 11 minutes remaining when James Gibbons’ long throw was nodded on by debutant Sean Raggett and then headed in by his defensive partner Kell Watts.