Cambridge United ready for 'bread and butter' against Blackpool

Shaun Derry gets focus back on the league

Shaun Derry wants Cambridge United to use their FA Cup run as a platform when they return to the “bread and butter” of League Two at home to Blackpool tomorrow (Saturday, January 14).

United were gallant in defeat on Monday night as they were beaten 2-1 by in-form Championship side Leeds United, having taken a first-half lead against Garry Monk’s men.

But while they were in Cup action, two rivals leapt above them in the table, pushing the U’s to ninth.

“This is the important day now,” said United manager Derry. “The importance of this weekend is that we have to take all the positives that Monday night brought us and all the platform that it gave us to play from, we have to make sure we carry on our good form into Saturday’s game.

“Our bread and butter is the league, it has to be.

“Your cup competitions are bonuses. We’ve had a great Cup run, a really profitable one not just in terms of financially but in terms of putting us on a map and people seeing what we can do.

“Two games on TV enabled the watching public to see what we’re trying to do at the football club.

“Now, the sole importance is making sure we respond to a slight disappointment on Monday night.”

And responding will mean continuing a seven-match unbeaten run against a Blackpool side that are two places and four points beneath them in the table.

“I think they are a team that has gone unnoticed,” said Derry. “I think Gary (Bowyer, the Blackpool manager) has done a fantastic job there, he’s settled the ship.

“It’s been a football club that’s had a number of years in a downward spiral for many reasons, and I think what they’ve got there is a manager who completely understands calmness and that’s how he’s done his job and I respect that.

“I respect that because when people are losing their heads around him, he’s the one who’s kept his on all levels really. And along the way, he’s starting to develop what’s a strong squad.

“They’ve got some good players, Blackpool. They are a big football club at our level and they are just bubbling below the surface and we’re fully aware of that.

“We’re fully aware of all the positives that they bring, but like all opposition at our level we have to make sure that we try to exploit the negatives that every single League Two club have got as well.”