Cambridge United boss Neil Harris demands cultural change after Cambridgeshire derby loss to Peterborough United

Neil Harris has insisted that the ‘culture’ must change at Cambridge United after today’s 1-0 defeat to rivals Peterborough United left him feeling ‘absolutely gutted’ and ‘absolutely robbed’.

In many way this lunchtime’s Cambridgeshire derby at the Cledara Abbey Stadium summed up why it is looking increasingly likely that the U’s will be playing League Two football next season.

They failed to take any of their opportunities and were unable to keep out their opposition at the other end – something which ultimately condemned the U’s to a 13th league defeat by a single-goal margin this term.

Harris, who has now overseen six games in charge since returning to the club, said: “Absolutely gutted and I feel absolutely robbed – that’s the best way to sum it up. Cambridge fans should feel exactly the same.

“I can’t talk any more positively about the group in terms of their attitude and application to go and play on the pitch. They played well at times and sometimes played really well against the ball, getting pressure on and turning the ball over. We created chances, we got bodies in the box.

“Everything about it was so good apart from the most important part and that’s putting the ball in the goal and stopping it at the other end.

“The fans that travelled to Blackpool and Wigan would have come away really pleased with the attitude that they saw – we lost both games. We’ve seen it again today. We were the better team – the better team in so many ways. Yes Peterborough made a lot of passes – sideways and backwards, didn’t break us down too often.

“We created chance after chance after chance and didn’t have the killer moment in front of goal. Why? Because it’s about the culture. I can’t change that today and I couldn’t change it during the week and I can’t change in the week coming up.

“I’ve said before I can change it transfer windows, I can change it from the first day of pre-season, but it has to change. People don’t deserve to come and pay hard-earned money, bring their kids to football, go and buy burgers and hot dogs and train tickets to come and watch their team get beat – it’s not fair.

“I don’t want to be the manager of this football club that sees that. I won’t have that at this football club but I can’t change it today. Am I proud of the players for the way they produced a committed performance? One million per cent, absolutely – every player played their part in that.

“But we have to be clinical in both boxes. We don’t have a clean sheet mentality at one end and at the other end we’re not brave enough in front of goal.”