Challenging Sky Bet League Two top seven is Cambridge United's task

Shaun Derry sets U's a target

Shaun Derry has set Cambridge United the challenge of turning the tables on the top seven, starting with the visit of Plymouth Argyle this weekend.

The U’s struggled for results in the first-round of fixtures against the leading sides in Sky Bet League Two, but the aim is to put the boot on the other foot second time round.

But it will not be an easy task against an Argyle side that are second in the table, although Derek Adams’ team lost 2-1 at Yeovil on Tuesday night.

“They’ve had a great season, they had a great season last year as well,” said United manager Derry.

“Derek’s been very successful in the time that he’s been Plymouth manager and all hats off to them, and we will pay them the utmost respect.

“But I keep saying, every single team you come up against at League Two level has their flaws and it’s up to us (to find them).

“We have to find a way of trying to get more points against the top seven, top eight.

“In terms of the success story of our season so far, it’s been up against the middle pack and the lower pack. I’m fully aware that we need to be getting more maximum points against the top seven and top eight.”

United produced a good performance last week, but they were still beaten 2-0 at Luton Town, who are fifth in the table.

And that display left Derry with mixed emotions.

“It was a large amounts of weird feelings when you evaluate on the way back home and on the Sunday, and you realise just how close you are to the top seven in terms of what you’ve just witnessed that afternoon or the day before,” he said.

“And that’s how I felt after the Luton game. Not devastation - obviously I was gutted with the result you always are, you never want to lose points - but in terms of what I actually saw from my team against a really good team, there were loads and loads of positives.

“We’ve got these top seven coming up again. We’ve gone around and out of the top seven we’ve only played Luton twice, and not got any points off them this year, but we’ve an opportunity to get more points off the top seven in the reverse fixtures.

“And we meet one this weekend and we have to make sure our game plan is sufficient enough to keep us in the game and perhaps get something out of the game as well.”