Neil Harris rues late ‘sucker punch’ as Chesterfield deny Cambridge

Neil Harris knew his Cambridge side should have collected all three points against Chesterfield.

The Us looked set to see out a narrow lead they had gained through Kell Watts after 13 minutes, but the Spireites snatched a 1-1 draw three minutes into injury time through the unlikely source of Kyle McFadzean.

“We should have wrapped that up nicely,” said Harris. “We should have wrapped it up in the first half, we certainly should have before the 90th minute with two gilt-edged chances in the second half.

“Ultimately they’ve not really caused us any problems. I think the first shot of any sort of effort was the 66th minute. We felt really in control, the players didn’t feel any concern we were going to concede.

“It’s a sucker punch. It’s an experienced centre-half who has played a lot of games of football and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him in his career flick a ball up and volley it in the bottom corner from 20 yards.

“Ultimately that’s what’s robbed us. Sometimes you just have to take the medicine and take the positives out of the performance, realise that we’re nine games unbeaten, gone up a position in the league table. We’ve ticked over to the 30-point barrier but I always want more.

“I want us to win that game, expect my team to win that game, but tonight it just wasn’t to be.”

Chesterfield coach Gary Roberts described it as a good point for his side, adding: “Especially coming here, with the record they’ve got here, you have to be happy with a point.

“The wind was blowing a gale. In the first half we couldn’t get out of our half with how strong the wind was, the pitch playing really bone dry so we couldn’t pass our way out. We struggled at times in the game.

“We rolled our sleeves up. I thought the second half was a totally different game. We could get out because we had the wind.

“We forced a couple of good saves from their keeper and to nick a goal at the end I think is great character from the boys. It’s a testament to the lads, they’ve worked their socks off in a really tough week.

“McFadzean fancies himself, you know! He wants to get on free-kicks, he does fancy himself to be a little bit of a goalscorer. It’s an absolutely superb contact.

“This is a tough, tough place to come. Not many people come away from here with points. To come here and get a point, we’re more than pleased.”