SKRILL PREMIER PROMOTION FINAL
CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2
Hughes 51, Donaldson 71
GATESHEAD 1
Lester 80
CAMBRIDGE UNITED ended their nine-year exile from the Football League at Wembley thanks to goals from Liam Hughes and Josh Donaldson.
Both goals came after the break and Jack Lester's late header set up a tense finish but the U's were able to see the game out to win promotion in front of 19,613 at the famous arch.
The promotion final started, uncharacteristically, at a frantic pace and Donaldson had the first effort on target within the opening three minutes. The midfielder, who netted twice in the FA Trophy success back in March, drilled an effort from 20-yards that Bartlett pushed wide.
Set-pieces were key in yesterday's FA Cup final and the U's could have been ahead from one themselves but Luke Berry couldn't get enough on his header from a lovely Greg Taylor corner.
Gateshead were counting themselves lucky they weren't down to ten men after 25 minutes; Marcus Maddison escaped a second yellow for a foul on Donaldson after earlier being cautioned for diving.
The Heed kept plugging away and Jamie Chandler saw a low drive from the edge of the box easily saved by loanee keeper Adam Smith.
The first period ended much quieter than it began and the U's introduced Harrison Dunk at the interval and the move almost paid off instantly as Dunk saw a long-range shot well saved by Bartlett.
But a bit of quick thinking minutes later saw United take the lead. Donaldson took a short corner and whipped a cross to the back post after receiving the ball back from Luke Berry. His cross looped over the outstretched Bartlett and Hughes headed in from under the crossbar.
Donaldson was key to what the U's were doing going forward and it was that man again who drew a foul from James Curtis. The midfielder stepped up against his former club and curled a wonderful 25-yard free-kick past Bartlett and into the net.
Heed brought forward pair Liam Hatch and Lester on to try and get themselves back into it and the move worked a treat.
Fellow sub JJ O'Donnell crossed for Hatch who saw his header brilliantly saved by Smith but veteran Lester stuck his head in where it hurts to make it a nervy final ten minutes for Cambridge.
U's skipper Ian Miller was stretchered off at the end of the allocated 90 but Richard Money's men saw out the seven minutes of stoppage time with ten men to ensure League football will return to the Abbey Stadium.
Cambridge United (4-4-2): Smith; Roberts, Coulson, Miller, Taylor; Donaldson, Champion, Berry (Chadwick 65), Hughes; Elliott (Cunnington 77), Sam-Yorke (Dunk 46).
Subs not used: Bonner, Chambers.
Gateshead (4-2-3-1): Bartlett; Baxter, Curtis, Clark, Magnay; Turnbull, Oster; Maddison (O'Donnell 58), Chandler (Lester 69), Larkin (Hatch 58); Marwood.
Subs not used: Walker, Ramshaw.
Attendance: 19,613
Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside)
