New loan signings Dan Gleeson and Chris Flynn look set for immediate debuts at Crawley on Saturday.

Team News

Courtney Pitt serves the second game of his two-match ban tomorrow, but the squad is boosted by the return to full fitness of veteran defender Mark Peters and the two loan signings, who look likely to start in the full-back or wing-back roles.

The team have to bounce back from two 5-0 defeats and the manager believes his side need to win at least three of the remaining eight games.

"The season has been an assault course," he commented. "We started poorly, we've had a couple of periods when we've done well and then we've taken backward steps, and that's been the story of the season. It's going to be a battle to the end and we've got eight cup finals ahead.

"We have to win at least three of those - I think 48 points would keep you up this season - and that's the target and that's what we have to focus on.

"We were beaten by the better team on Tuesday but now we have to be positive and work hard and try to get the results to stay in this division, which is paramount.

"We have to focus on going to Crawley on Saturday and Northwich the following Sunday and they're two big games that we have to try to get results from. I have to try to give the lads the confidence to bounce back and we've had a good talk about the goals we've conceded and we need to defend better, that goes without saying."

Quinn has added two loanee full-backs to the squad this week - former U Dan Gleeson from Notts County and Chris Flynn from Crewe - and he has also taken the decision to recall veteran keeper Paul Crichton from his extended loan at King's Lynn because of the effect the two 5-0 defeats have had on Shane Herbert's confidence.

"We've had a young lad in goal who's made a couple of mistakes and hasn't really been protected as well as he should have been, and we need to really tighten up in that department, that's the key to it," Quinn added.

The manager revealed that he will call upon the psychologist who worked with the players on the day of the win against Woking that launched the recent seven game unbeaten run, in a bid to regain the positive mood in the camp prior to the last two defeats.

"You have to be positive," he stressed. "There are people who moan and groan and complain but that doesn't solve anything and I have to look beyond that and try to inspire these lads to get the results I know they are capable of.

"On the run we've just had, we were one of the form teams in the division and we've had a blip - lost two games and conceded a lot of goals for different reasons - but that's behind us now and we've got to be positive.

"We don't want the fear factor coming in. I've called my mate the psychologist to come in on Saturday and he might just give the lads a bit of a boost.

"We really do need to focus. We've got good players at the back and I'm delighted to say that we've now got Mark Peters fully fit so he will be in the squad. At this stage, with the games we have remaining, it's vital we have experience in the defensive area."

The Opposition

Tomorrow's hosts Crawley are three points above United, and it is yet another 'massive' game for the U's after being sucked back into the heart of the relegation battle.

"We can go level with them if we win and for that reason it's massive and we mustn't go there and lose," admitted Quinn. "We have eight cup finals and it's going to go right down to the death; no one is going to lie down for you in this league, or any other.

"We have to try to be organised and cut out these silly mistakes and wrong decision-making that is costing us goals, and if we can do that then we have people who can score goals and win games for us. So as a team it's important we defend better and make more right decisions than wrong."

On tomorrow's opponents, he added, "I watched Crawley last weekend and like most teams in this league they have a few decent players and it's going to be a battle. It doesn't have to be pretty, it's about getting three points, and if we're on our game then we're more than capable of doing that.

"Their two lads up front, Rendell and Benyon, are decent and they've signed another lad from Aldershot, but it doesn't matter who they've got playing, we have to make sure we defend properly and we're more aggressive in defending our box.

"After losing 5-0 at Altrincham we did a lot of work on our defence and keeping it tight and making sure we don't concede silly goals, and then on Tuesday we came up against probably the form team and the two best strikers in this league and they absolutely battered us.

"We have to take that on board but we're not playing against that calibre of forwards tomorrow so it's an opportunity to try to keep a clean sheet, which will give us a chance to win it."

Finally Quinn appealed to the supporters to help the players during the match and show positive support: "I can understand people getting upset but on Tuesday people were shouting "Jimmy, Jimmy, what's the score" and I just don't understand that.

"It's very, very important that the fans realise that their shouts filter through to the players. I've had a chat with the players and they say it's very hard to play with any confidence when the fans are shouting like that. We're all in it together, this is everybody's club, and survival is still in our hands, and it's very important from a confidence point of view that the fans stick with the players and give them the best opportunity to try and win the game.

"I know it's difficult and frustrating, and it's difficult for me too because once those lads cross that line I can't influence that. All we can do is get organised and train as hard as we can to win a game of football, but we need every bit of help we can get and I'd ask the fans to try to be a bit more patient.

"I know it is frustrating but if we can stick together I'm sure we'll get the results we need."

More Information

Read the news from the Crawley camp and details about their squad and season to date in Chris Vessey's "The Other Side" preview, and if you fancy a bet on our match or any other event this weekend we have all the odds at AbbeyBet, where your betting makes money for the U's.

If you can't be at the match, listen to every kick of the game courtesy of Radio Cambridgeshire and see the live stats from our game and goal flashes from around the country via the our fantastic MatchLive Console on U's World.

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