Cambridge boss Calderwood hails his side’s endeavour after last-gasp win

Colin Calderwood lauded his Cambridge side’s endeavour following their 2-1 Boxing Day win over Crawley – his first victory since taking charge.

Jabo Ibehre’s goal two minutes from the end secured a crucial victory for the home side, who had to come from behind after George Maris cancelled out Dominic Poleon’s opener. It was Cambridge’s first league win since November 3.

“From a selfish point of view, a new manager coming in, you need something that the players grab onto a bit,” Calderwood said. “It’s changed the dynamic of the changing room; it’s obviously far different to what it was at the weekend.

“The most unexpected things happen in football and we’ve greatly contributed to their goal. If anything was going to rock you and test the mentality and see what the core personality of the group was it’s something like that.

“We’ve scored a terrific goal as an equaliser. It didn’t come immediately after their goal but they maintained something in their play and were resolute and my goodness did they try hard. They ran and tackled and fought for every ball and that got them the reward for the equaliser.

“They are all trying to do well, you can see that. On occasions it might be a little misguided, so I’ve got to bring from them what I want from certain positions in the team and make it classically simple.

“What I never want to take away is that sort of atmosphere. I looked at the performance and thought ‘wow’. I just loved the heart and endeavour that they’re putting in.”

Crawley boss Gabriele Cioffi bemoaned his side’s performance, declaring “we didn’t play in the second half.”

He added: “In the first half we played great football, we had the chances.

“We suffered in the second half. We haven’t done the defensive things, so it was exactly the opposite of what I asked in the dressing room at half-time.

“That is not us. We have to defend well, we have to manage the ball in a different way.

“When the opponent gives you one chance, two chances, to score a goal, you have to close the deal.

“We can’t concede two silly goals as we did. Even the second was so easy and we can’t afford in this phase to be light and we were light.

“We have to react. We have to think as a squad that is in the second half of the table so has to play more effective football.

“The key of the situation is inside every one of us. The best thing the boys can do is go to sleep, wake up tomorrow and think what they haven’t done.”