Mark Bonner and Joe Ironside sat down with local media on Friday to discuss the U’s upcoming FA Cup First Round clash against Northampton Town…
On two wins in two for the U’s
“We need to get as many wins on the board as we can, so we will take any order we can get them in. We have certainly had a really good seven days, especially given the challenges in regards to team selection.
“The boys have done great and consecutive results are always important. To get consecutive clean sheets in both of those games is also important. We know we have got some tough games ahead but where we sit a third of the way through the season is a nice position and everybody has contributed, which is really pleasing.”
On the FA Cup
“The excitement of the competition comes probably from what could be, and everyone, like us, starting out in the lower levels of the pyramid is striving for those big games and those big occasions.
“You have to win games and do well to get there, so obviously that is our intention to see how far we can go in the competition. The financial rewards from the club's perspective that can come from a run in the competition as well as the exposure to yourselves as players and coaches at levels you are not used to playing at is an exciting prospect.”
On Northampton
“We have to go and be ready to play against a really inform team. We played them in pre-season, so we have a bit of knowledge of Northampton and now we have to go into the game and try and back up what has been a really good week for ourselves so far.
“They are a team that are really hard to create chances against, they have had very few chances conceded in the last four games and in the wins, they have had lots of clean sheets. There is a physicality about them, as well as a directness to their play. They share some similarities with us I think last year, and we know that they have some good players; some of them we know well.
“The game is just up the road and we will have maybe near on 1000 supporters at the game, so we want to try and create an atmosphere in the away end with our performance and ultimately then progress ourselves through to the next round.”
Team News
“Lloyd [Jones] will miss tomorrow’s game. He will not train with us today so we can give him those few extra days, and he will be back in training next week. For us it is about getting him ready for MK Dons and that run of games that follows.
“Both Adam May and George Williams are back following their suspensions, which is good, and it also means some more fresh legs. Jensen Weir and Conor Masterson also have permission to play from their respective parent clubs.”
Following his goal on Tuesday night against Morecambe, striker Joe Ironside was next up to face the media.
On life in League One
“Yeah, I am enjoying it! I think we have made a good start, we are all playing well as a team I feel. We have had a few iffy results, but we have always backed them up with a good performance and we are coming off the back of two good wins now which is good.
“It is certainly physical, but I think if you lose your head, it is only going to effect myself and then eventually the team. So, I just have to try and stay level-headed and keep doing what I know I am good at.
“Obviously I have said all along that the team comes first, and if I can get a goal then good because as a striker you want to score as many goals as I possibly can, but sometimes you have got to do your job and whatever that may be on any given day you have got to do it. As long as we come out with a positive result that is the main thing.”
On Northampton and the FA Cup
“To be honest, I have never really had a decent FA Cup run, so hopefully this year we will get one, starting against Northampton on Saturday!
“Northampton are doing really well in League Two, so they are going to be a very good side and it is going to be a tough test. We have got to make sure that we are at it and we come away with a result to obviously get us into the next round.
“One of my mates plays for them so obviously they have been getting clean sheets and scoring goals, so they are a team in good form with good players so hopefully we will be at it tomorrow, which I am sure we will be, and then we can look and try and go for a positive result.
“The fans have been brilliant this year, they have always travelled in their numbers; credit to everyone who has come out, especially given we have had games away at Morecambe and Plymouth and places like that which is a trek on a Tuesday night, so hopefully we will get a nice crowd tomorrow!”