Cambridge United head coach Mark Bonner insists Port Vale game is ‘no more or less important than any of the others’
While he understands that there could be some ‘anxiety’ lingering, Cambridge United head coach Mark Bonner has moved to play down the significance of tomorrow’s home clash with Port Vale.
The U’s go into the encounter at the Abbey Stadium having lost their last four Sky Bet League One fixtures in a row – and six of the previous seven – to slip to 18th in the table.
Vale, meanwhile, are up to 16th after picking up four points in recent matches against Derby County and Forest Green Rovers.
“We obviously need to win a game at some point so it’s important,” said Bonner. “We won a couple of weeks ago at Morecambe and everyone thought we were a brilliant team and then we haven’t won for four and loads of people say we’re rubbish.
“In the end we have to get back to winning ways at some point. Hopefully it will be Saturday and if not hopefully it’s Tuesday (against Wycombe Wanderers). There’s 31 games to play, over 90 points at stake. It’s a long, long season.
“We want to be winning games, we want to get back to being a team that’s harder to beat and creating chances.
“Whilst our form and results recently almost demand that we get back to scoring points – that’s obvious – in the big picture the game is no more or less important than any of the others.
“They’re all worth the same value but they can just feel a little bit more important. I understand there might be a little bit more anxiety around this game and feeling that it is more important because of the last few results.
“But from our point of view, if we keep building what we’re building (and) most importantly the people inside our building recognise we’re a good team when we do certain things well, that really is the only thing that matters. And I’m sure if we do that it will reflect in the performance.”
Bonner has been impressed by the start that newly-promoted Vale have made to life back in England’s third tier.
And he highlighted two of their attackers as being the likely danger-men this weekend.
“They’ll be really pleased with their start to the season – they’ve done well,” he added.
“We know first hand what you can get from being a team that starts the season well off the back of a promotion and I think that real hunger and momentum and enthusiasm from a promotion lasts. You go into every game excited by them and challenged.
“They’ve got fairly good continuity in the team that got promoted and they’ve added well.
“They’re particularly strong in the attacking areas. Ellis Harrison has been excellent for them (and) James Wilson has a really high pedigree.
“They’re a really high running team, a high crossing team, a high pressing team so we know we’re going to have to be physically committed to the game and ready for the duels and fight and scrap to be competitive.
“And we’ll have to make sure we bring our own periods of control to the game as well.
“It’s an interesting game (and) I think it will be a difficult game. It’s up to us to create an atmosphere and inspire each other with our performance levels.”
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