Liam O’Neil produced a stunning late strike to earn League Two leaders Cambridge a 1-0 win at Port Vale

Traffic problems for the visitors saw kick-off delayed by 15 minutes but they took the points courtesy of a brilliant long-range effort from the substitute five minutes from time.

A first half of few chances saw Cambridge goalkeeper Callum Burton called into action early on, standing his ground to block Kurtis Guthrie’s finish as he homed in on goal unchallenged.

At the other end, Luke Hannant teed up Wes Hoolahan for a shot from distance with Vale keeper Scott Brown parrying his low drive to safety.

In the second half, Cambridge’s leading scorer Paul Mullin couldn’t get the required power in his improvised back-heel or a vital touch on Hannant’s teasing ball across goal.

O’Neil had gone close to breaking the deadlock with his first touch after coming on, a close-range header brilliantly saved by Brown.

But with the game looking destined to end goalless, O’Neil let fly from 30 yards and crashed the ball into the top corner to give the U’s victory.