A stoppage-time own goal from Wycombe Wanderers defender Connor Taylor rescued Cambridge United a 2-2 draw from this evening’s League One fixture at the Cledara Abbey Stadium.

It appeared for a long period that Jayden Wareham’s brace of goals either side of the interval were going to condemn the U’s to just a second defeat of the campaign.

But Shayne Lavery once again made a key impact off the bench when he halved the deficit before Taylor gave Cambridge a big helping hand in the dying embers.

While it has been a highly impressive start to life back in the third tier for Cambridge, much of their good work has been done in the second half of games.

The opening 45 minutes have, in the main, been underwhelming. Indeed, of their 10 fixtures before tonight, they had scored before the break in just two of those.

And that was the case once again. The U’s were too laboured in possession, and in the 44th minute, they were hit by a sucker punch as the visitors broke the deadlock.

It was a moment that Kell Watts will want to forget. He looked the favourite to win a foot race with Fred Onyedinma as the ball drifted towards the byline in front of the Newmarket Road End. But the lively Wycombe attacker nipped in ahead of the United centre-back, and cut the ball back for Wareham, who spun sharply to shake off the attention of Sam Curtis before firing past Jake Eastwood.

Earlier in the contest, the away side’s Connor Taylor could not steer his header on target from Aaron Morley’s left-wing corner, while at the other end, Taylor got back to block Zak Bradshaw’s powerfully-struck right-footed effort.

The only other opportunity of note for Cambridge came in the 42nd minute when Curtis – making his first start at the Abbey – headed against the upright from a narrow angle.

A free-kick from Sullay Kaikai seven minutes into the second half that forced Conor Hazard into a smart stop – along with the introduction of Lavery soon after – lifted the optimism, but that soon turned to gloom after Wycombe doubled their advantage in the 61st minute. Anders Hagelskjaer drilled in a cross from the left, and Wareham left Eastwood no chance with a first-time finish that flew into the roof of the net.

Cambridge were in need of some inspiration, and it came from a familiar source with 12 minutes remaining. Fresh from his stoppage-time winner at Barnsley on Saturday, Lavery rose highest to glance in a Ben Knight corner with the aid of the far post.

The belief was back, and the first opportunity to restore parity came in the 84th minute when Sullay Kaikai’s corner was cleared only as far as Knight on the edge of the Wycombe box. Cambridge’s number 10 tried to deceive Hazard by going for the near post, but the goalie read his intentions. Knight then went for the other side of the goal two minutes later, but again, Hazard was equal to the effort.

Within a minute, Hazard was back in action, this time flying to his left to turn away Kaikai’s curler from 20 yards out. Seemingly determined to be the player to draw Cambridge level, Kaikai unleashed a shot from a similar position in the 88th minute, but on this occasion, Hazard was not required.

It felt like Wycombe had weathered the storm, but then, in the second minute of time added on, Cambridge got their equaliser. Liam Bennett’s high cross from the right appeared harmless enough, but Taylor inexplicably turned the ball beyond his own goalkeeper.

Cambridge United: Eastwood, Curtis (Appere 59’), Heffernan, Watts, Bennett, Bradshaw, Hoddle (Moxon 68’), Mpanzu (Bangura-Williams 68’), Kaikai, Knight, Ahame (Lavery 59’)

Wycombe Wanderers: Hazard, Grimmer, Taylor, Hagelskjaer, Cook, Onyedinma, Boyd-Munce (Henderson 74’), Morley (Scowen 62’), Harvie, Leahy, Wareham (Woodrow 85’)

Attendance: 5,776 (445 Wycombe)