Mark Bonner wants Cambridge to keep working after impressive win

Posted Saturday, April 15, 2023 by PA

Mark Bonner felt his side fully earned their derby-day delight as Cambridge continued their League One revival against Peterborough.

Harrison Dunk opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time and Sam Smith netted for the fourth match in a row as Cambridge beat their fiercest rivals 2-0, meaning they have picked up 10 points in their last four matches.

However Bonner was quick to acknowledge his side need further impressive results if they are to claw themselves out of the relegation zone.

“I hope the players will enjoy the praise and adulation that they’ll get for today, because it’s 20-odd years we’ve been waiting for that, and it’s a great afternoon for everybody”, said Bonner afterwards.

“We’re in absolute work mode, head down and grafting. The time for patting ourselves on the back is later.

“Everyone else can enjoy it and genuinely at the end of the season, if we do what we’re supposed to do and finish above that line, then I’ll look back and think this was an enjoyable day.

“At the minute it’s just a contributor to a total of target points, so we’re a long way from being finished.

“We’re in a good position at the moment but it’s only in five games that we can pat ourselves on the back if we do the job.

“I thought we were really good today, I thought we deserved it. The timing of the first goal was massive, obviously, to go in at half time 1-0, and it had to be Dunk.

“It was a brilliant afternoon, a super atmosphere, and with the extra significance to everybody that’s waited 20-odd years for the game here and to get the result, it’s great to send everybody home happy.”

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson was left greatly disappointed by his side’s display, ruing that “we just didn’t perform, it really is as simple as that.”

He added: “I feel disappointed for the fans because that was a big one for them.

“We’ve been very good of late. Today, for whatever reason, we didn’t perform. But even if you don’t perform you do the basics right.

“You can’t concede goals like we did for the first one. It’s a nonsense; four yards out, open goal, right on half-time, and it gave them something to hang on to.

“They thoroughly deserved to win. We didn’t play our game. Whatever we did today wasn’t good enough. When we’ve not been good enough we lose. If you drop your standards in this league or any league you’re going to lose games. Today we can have no complaints at all.

“Like I said all along, teams will drop points. Unfortunately we have today and we have to react to it.”