Cambridge United maintained their unbeaten away record at Rushden & Diamonds on Bank Holiday Monday by coming from behind to draw 1-1.

Former U's trialist Jamie Stuart volleyed the home side ahead at a 58th minute corner but United were level five minutes later when Wayne Hatswell glided into the box to head Jai Reason's free kick inside the far post, and Martin Ling felt his team were the better side.

"Their goalkeeper won 'man of the match' and I wouldn't say we busted them but if there was a team to edge the game it would have been us, and it's disappointing because we had the chances," said the U's manager.

"We talked at half time about their threat being a long ball down the middle for the strikers and us playing too wide as a back four and at set plays and we got done by one, which was disappointing.

"Brian (Saah) got caught under the ball a bit, but Brian and Wayne Hatswell have been good together since they started and that's the first one. You're going to make mistakes but Hats went and recovered it for us at the other end and it's nice to score from set plays.

"You go in disappointed with the point because you've been the better side, but you also take a little bit of pleasure because you've come from behind and answered that situation. At least we picked up a point from a decent performance."

After the disruption of managerial and boardroom changes during pre-season and the opening week of the season, Ling is getting to know more about the players in his charge and feels they should have won the match.

"There are some good players here. There are just some habits that need breaking in terms of our set up from recoveries and starts, and just having all eleven players grinding away for the point," he said, before explaining his decision to take off leading scorer Chris Holroyd 15 minutes from the end.

"People might say he has got seven goals in the last six games, but I just felt he went up too often and then released the ball. I said to him it's not about what's happened previously, it's about what's happening on the day. I just think that's where we judge it from.

"You've got to put that workrate in every single game. I'm not saying he wasn't working, but I'm just saying it wasn't his best game and I thought Danny Crow was slightly the better performer out of the two so that's why that sub went on."

Holroyd made way for Mark Beesley, who had the time and space to score the winner five minutes from time but was denied by Curtis Osano's vital challenge in the area.

"Mark said he didn't realise where he was," revealed Ling. "He'd got clear of the two centre halves but it was the right back who came all the way across with a fantastic challenge or he could have won it there.

"But we had chances right throughout the game; Pottsy pulled off one fantastic save but we were the better side on the day and should have won the game."

He was delighted with the vocal support of the 1,088 travelling fans in the 2,344 crowd and commented, "They're superb and to come here and have as many as we did was wonderful.

"I know there's a reputation of always coming here with a good crowd, but they stick with the team. When we went one-nil down there was no grizzling, they encouraged the lads to come back. We'll have a grizzle after but while the game's going on let's get behind them and I think they do that superbly."

In conclusion, Ling was satisfied with the results from the weekend games and finished on an upbeat note: "I think we'd have taken a four-point weekend on Friday and if you average two points every game you won't be too far away so there are some positives here.

"We're still unbeaten away from home and we got that hoodoo off our back with the home win on Saturday so we'll say it's been a productive weekend."

United are next in action at home to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday (3pm) and again on Tuesday 8th September at home to Altrincham (7.45pm).

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