Shaun Derry calls on Cambridge United to seize the moment

U's are told to grasp their opportunity

Shaun Derry has called on his Cambridge United squad to seize the moment in Sky Bet League Two this season.

The U’s produced an impressive display against second-placed Plymouth Argyle at the weekend, but they were unlucky to lose 1-0.

It meant they are yet to pick up a win against the division’s top teams, and Derry wants to see a change in their fortunes in that regard.

“The boys now have to grasp the opportunity,” said United manager Derry.

“A lot of what I say in the dressing room stays in the dressing room, but the one message I can translate is don’t let these moments leave without actually grabbing hold of them.

“That’s what disappoints me from last week to this week. I felt we should have got something last week against Luton, I definitely feel the same this week. And that’s two moments we’ve not grasped.

“I played football for 17 years, I only remember the years I got promoted. The others are just seasons and whatever direction this football club goes in, I don’t want us to forget about seasons.

“These are moments that I want us to grab hold of and that’s the message from me to everybody really.”

It is fair to say that the U’s were thwarted by the resilience of the Plymouth defence, with debutant Scott Wharton having two headers cleared off the line, and a third effort was stopped after a goalmouth scramble.

“I didn’t think they really threw anything at us, if I’m honest, but defensively I think they were fantastic,” said Derry.

“That is what happens when you get promoted, that type of defending.

“You have to put your body on the line to get promoted, and Plymouth did that so if they do get promoted it will be games like this that they look back on – not the fours and five ones that they go and win, it will be the 1-0s.”

It did feel as if there was a touch of fortune about some of the defending, and it seems as if United have not had much rub of the green this season.

But Derry said: “You make your own luck. And I think over the course of a season it all levels off. There have been certain times this year where we’ve had fortunate moments, but we didn’t have those moments (against Plymouth) and it didn’t fall to us.

“But when people say it didn’t fall to you, well go and make it fall to you. We’re asking our centre forwards to go and be a little more potent at this moment in time.”