Slip Up

The visiting U’s were looking for a third league win on the spin and took the lead after six minutes, as Ben Williamson latched onto a through ball and fired his shot across Christian Walton, finding the far corner.

The Greens battled back, though, and pulled themselves level on 73 minutes, courtesy of the unlikely source of Gregg Wylde’s head – the diminutive winger nodding home from a Jake Jervis cross. 

“It’s good play from Jake Jervis down the right-hand side,” said Derek, “a cross from him, and then a header from Gregg Wylde. It’s something that we’ve spoken about since the start of the season. It was a good way to get back into the match, and to see us get back to 1-1. 

“I think they tried to attack, but I don’t think there was much in the match. I think Cambridge had the better of the first half, without doubt. In the second half, we came into the game and scored a good goal to make it level, and probably 1-1 would have been a fair result.” 

On a noticeably slick surface at Home Park, many players found themselves losing their footing throughout the game, and an unfortunate slip from Peter Hartley, making his return from injury, allowed Luke Berry to score a well-placed winner four minutes from time. 

“When you’re so close to the end of the game,” said Derek, “just to slip and allow them to get a shot at goal… that’s what happened. It was a difficult one, because of the way the goal happened. 

“He played like he had never been away. Peter is a whole-hearted player, and it’s difficult for him, because the slip at the end has allowed them to get a shot at goal. 

“There is a problem [with the pitch]. Hopefully it’s going to be fixed during the week. That was probably one of the reasons. It’s got an algae on the pitch, and it has to be treated, and hopefully that will be sorted during the week.” 

Hartley replaced Luke Croll, whose spell at Argyle was cut short after his parent club, Crystal Palace, recalled the centre back before the game. That, along with a slew of injuries to first-team injuries, let an extremely young and patched-up substitutes bench that Adams opted not to turn to during the match. 

“Luke Croll has been recalled by Crystal Palace, and he’s gone back there,” said Derek. “There’s nothing I can do about that – Crystal Palace wanted him back. 

“I thought it was difficult. We had a very young team on the pitch, and all it was going to do was make it even younger. I didn’t think that I had a lot of options. 

“I’ve watched them in the reserves, I’ve watched them in the development games, and I didn’t feel that today was the right time to put them on. It’s a difficult afternoon playing against a team that have got vast numbers in their squad to take on.”