Martin Ling was pleased with Cambridge United's second half performance but frustrated that the first half showing was so much worse.

Histon dominated the first half and only heroics by Danny Potter ensured a 0-0 scoreline at the break, but United took over for the second half and finally made the pressure pay nine minutes from time when Chris Holroyd scored his thirteenth goal of the season following a short corner routine.

United looked set to hold on for the win when Potter made another great save at a 90th minute free kick but Stutes captain Matt Langston forced home the resulting corner to give his team a share of the points.

"The first half was nowhere near good enough," admitted Ling afterwards. "We lacked energy, we were second to every ball, and I laid into them at half-time. I told them the first thing we've got to do is match their endeavour and in the second half we had them pinned back for the whole of the half, which showed the difference.

"To be fair they had a few one-on-ones with Pottsy so overall it might have been a fair result but it seems these late goals are out to cost us. Once you get your noses in front after having a lot of play in the second half, it's frustrating to concede at that time."

Ling was disappointed with the way United were so below-par in the first half and wants to see more consistency from a side that he has kept faith with, having made few changes to the line-up since the start of the season.

"Histon were on top in the first half and we were on top in the second half and we took our chance in the second half, but then they came up with a lucky one that's hit the geezer in the face and gone in the back of our net. We've got to live with that, but there was too much of a big difference between our first and second half performances," he warned.

"The gap was too much; you want to be consistent in your play and the second half performance is somewhere we need to be and where we want to be. It's there within the squad and within the team - there are players in there who can do the job and they proved that in the second half, and that's what frustrates you when it happens like that, that the difference is that vast."

On Potter, who kept Histon at bay almost single-handedly at times, Ling added, "Danny was outstanding and I thought that save from the free kick was going to get us all three points, which is frustrating, but he's done a good job today. Defensively we looked a lot better than we have done recently, although they did see the whites of Danny Potter's eyes on too many occasions for my liking.

"It would have been a massive step forward from Tuesday to come here and take the three points in the local derby but it's another late goal that's cost us, which is a bit of a common trend at the moment, which is frustrating."

Next Up

United are next in action at home to Ebbsfleet United on Saturday 10th October.

[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]

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