Money is biding his time amid injury woe
RICHARD Money defended his Cambridge United side after they ground out a point at Hartlepool United.
Accused by Pools boss Ronnie Moore of long-ball tactics and playing hoof-ball, the U’s packed their defence and were only dangerous from setpieces.
But it worked as the injury-hit visitors managed to avoid defeat and Money said: “Those around us know what is happening and we are trying to play with the hand dealt at the moment.
“No matter how we do it, we keep it ticking over until we get five or six key players able to train and play again.
“Wherever we are in the table, we know we have done that and we haven’t even started yet.
“We defended well. It’s a clean sheet and we move on.
“Hopefully in training this week we get four or five closer to coming back.
“If Man Utd played without Rooney, Schweinsteiger and four or five key players they aren’t as good as they can be.
“They are key players and until we get everyone fit it can be a struggle.”
The U’s had one early chance when Nicky Demetriou broke from deep on the left and had a header kept out by Adam Bartlett.
Pools’ attacker Michael Woods mishit his shot and, as the ball fell to Rakish Bingham, his effort was well pushed out by keeper Chris Dunn. Defender Scott Harrison had a header cleared off the line by Elliot Omozusi from a corner.
Billy Paynter then went in on goal, but was smothered by Dunn as he tried to go around the keeper.
Bradley Halliday, the right-back on loan from Middlesbrough, went on a mazy run from deep and was only denied a memorable goal by a fine Dunn save.
Leon Legge had a goalbound shot kept out of the Pools net by teammate Mark Roberts, while Bingham missed a couple of second-half chances, but lacked some composure in front of goal and, while they pressed for a late winner, it didn’t arrive.
Boss Moore said: “We know we should have had more – we were the better side by a mile. “They had a chance. One free header.We had five or six and it’s disappointing we couldn’t win it.
“It stops you lads asking when we are going to win a game at least!
“We aren’t a million miles away from being a good side.
“They weren’t too happy with me saying they play long ball, but that’s not football. Or I’m watching a different game.’
“It’s hard against such height and a side with decent quality in the box. We had a lot of chances and took the game to them.”