Paul Carden felt an early goal for Cambridge United could have changed the result in Sunday's match at home to Altrincham, but he praised the 'well-drilled' visitors for their resistance to United's onslaught.

"We could have done it today," he said afterwards. "It looked an impossibility only three weeks ago and we took it to the last day but it wasn't to be. Today was a case of another side that plonked ten men behind the ball and another keeper that walks away with the man of the match.

"Credit to Altrincham - we knew they weren't going to lie down and get walked over," added the U's captain and assistant manager.

"Graham Heathcote and Graham Barrow have a well-drilled side containing players that have played in this division for a number of years now, and although they're on a reasonably low budget they've built a competitive side that will battle for results, as they have done here. If people had in their minds that today was going to be easy they were always going to be wrong."

United had a number of chances in the opening 25 minutes but Scott Rendell twice headed over and had a shot cleared off the line while Wayne Hatswell's free kick was saved, and after the break Jai Reason and Hatswell had great chances well-saved and Rendell again headed off target.

Strikers Danny Crow and Lee Phillips joined the fray during the second half as United finished with four strikers and two wingers on the pitch, and both men drew saves from Coburn while several other shots were blocked or parried, but the visitors somehow repelled all chances.

"If we'd have got a goal early doors it might have been a different game but their keeper was like Gordon Banks out there," said Carden. "Everything we threw into the box he was blocking and he had a great game so credit to him.

"Now we have to do it the long way. We were given a free crack of the whip in today's game but it wasn't to be, and we now must take all the positives out of the season and put them into Thursday and Monday.

We're sorry that the fans have to dig into their pockets again for the extra money for play-off tickets - and hopefully another Wembley trip - but I'm sure they won't mind as long as we get there and are a league club again at the end of it."

Interview by David Gray

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