FA Trophy semi-final first leg: Cambridge Utd 2-1 Grimsby

Cambridge United are in pole position to reach the FA Trophy final after a brace from striker Ryan Bird fired them to a 2-1 Semi-Final first leg win at home to Grimsby Town.

Bird, who is on loan from League Two side Portsmouth, struck once in each half in blustery conditions at the R Costings Abbey Stadium to help Cambridge record a vital victory.

However, Grimsby retain hope of reaching a second successive Trophy Final – they lost 4-1 on penalties to Wrexham last season – after Lenell John-Lewis netted in injury time to halve the deficit.

Grimsby ambitiously went straight for goal from kick-off – Patrick McLaughlin’s effort from near the halfway line sailed harmlessly over Will Norris’ crossbar – but the hosts soon settled into a groove.

Cambridge thought they should have had a penalty early on when Clayton McDonald appeared to handle inside the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.

The hosts didn’t have to wait too long to take the lead, however, with Bird finding the back of the net in the 21^st minute.

Andy Pugh slipped the ball down the right-hand side into the path of the forward, who accurately despatched his shot into the back of the net from just inside the box.

Cambridge piled the pressure on and Grimsby’s McDonald had to be on guard to hook the ball over his own bar soon afterwards.

Grimsby’s first real chance of the match came just before the half-hour mark, but John-Lewis could only flick the ball over the bar after latching on to Sam Hatton’s cross.

Luke Berry came close to adding a second, but his diving header, which followed good build-up play from Pugh and Ryan Bird, landed just wide of the post.

Cambridge spurned another fantastic opportunity within five minutes of the restart, with Ryan Donaldson blazing over the bar.

But fortunately for the home side, Bird exhibited his ruthlessness in front of goal in the 55^th minute, guiding his near-post free header home after meeting a superb cross from Greg Taylor.

Bird was denied a treble just short of the hour-mark by the outstretched leg of Chris Doig, who did well to block the striker’s goal-bound effort.

Grimsby refused to give up the fight as the game went on and were rewarded for their increased endeavour in the third minute of injury time when John-Lewis bundled home a close-range header to leave the visitors with a fighting chance of reaching the Final.