Cambridge United interim boss Barry Corr labels Peterborough United defeat ‘frustrating’

Cambridge United interim boss Barry Corr labelled the U’s 1-0 defeat to rivals Peterborough United at the Cledara Abbey Stadium as ‘frustrating’.

Corr was in the dugout for the second Cambridgeshire derby of the campaign after Neil Harris’ move to Millwall in midweek, and he saw his side fall to a loss after Ephron Mason-Clark’s cross in the second half evaded everybody in the penalty area, before finding its way into the bottom corner.

On the balance of chances created, it was a deserved victory for the Posh as they finished the first half with a flurry of opportunities that they were unable to take. Malik Mothersille missed an open goal before Archie Collins’ strike rattled the crossbar. Kwame Poku then toe-poked his effort from close range wide of the mark.

The U’s, spurred on by a hostile Abbey, had moments of their own and found the back of the net just before the break, but Elias Kachunga’s header was ruled out by the linesman’s offside flag.

Danny Andrew’s viscous effort from the edge of the box with 10 minutes remaining looked like it had snuck into the right-hand corner, but that was as close as Corr’s men came to an equaliser as their rivals celebrated doing the double over the U’s.

“I’ve just spoke to the players after the game about the things we could control today, and one of things was our application, how much sweat was on our shirt at the end of the day and I thought they were spot on in the respect,” said Corr.

“They were totally committed to the game. I said in the week Peterborough are a good team and they make you work hard. It’s frustrating, the goal that they scored.

“It’s a cross that’s snuck in at the back post. the reality is that we had to work so hard without the ball, we just didn’t have the energy when it turned over.

“Like I said, the application of the players was spot on and it’s frustrating to lose the game, conceding a goal like that.”

Corr made three changes to the side that started Tuesday night’s defeat at home to Bolton, which saw striker Macaulay Bonne demoted to the bench with Elias Kachunga leading the line.

“We thought we could take advantage of counter-attacking situations and we wanted the attacking players to be fast and dynamic. That was the thought process behind that with Kachunga as a nine and Lankester as a 10,” said Corr.

“I thought we managed to press them high up the pitch. It was difficult because that’s almost what they want you to do and you have to get it spot on, because if you don’t then you leave their attacking players big spaces to attack.

“In the first half we did that well, we made regains high up the pitch, we tried to find our counter-attacking moments but I think the effort we were putting in without the ball didn’t allow us that little bit of quality.

“It’s frustrating it’s the goal that it was. I can’t really complain too much because they had good chances, but we had a few little chances and I thought we had a nailed on penalty on James Brophy in the second half.”

Corr is still none the wiser on how long he will be in the dugout for, as he said: “I haven’t heard anything different. I imagine the club are working really hard behind the scenes getting their interview processes in place.

“We’ll prepare for those next two games and see what happens.”

“They’re (the players) a good bunch of guys. You can’t control what the outcome will be but you can control the all the things you put into the game. That’s the work rate and processes it takes to win a game. It wasn’t quite with us today.

“There’s loads of disappointment in the changing room but we’ll go again, dust ourselves down and get ready for Stevenage on Tuesday.”