Money Pleased with Pre-season
U’s boss Richard Money says his side are in the right frame of mind as the beginning of the 2015/16 Sky Bet League Two draws near.
Fixtures against Concord Rangers and Bromley FC over the weekend gave the United boss another opportunity to continuing spreading valuable game time throughout his first team squad, whilst the latter also allowed him the chance to tinker tactically.
Pleased with preparations for the new season, Money reflects of the U’s pre-season programme to date, he said: “The Ipswich game was obviously very tough after playing 120 minutes against Norwich on the Friday before.
“Both sides were top quality opposition. The players have had to work hard and because of that have picked up one or two little niggles, but nothing too serious.
“The game at Bromley was a chance to look at something different in which we could test the players both physically and tactically and I felt the longer the game went on, the better we came through.
“We would have been disappointed to have come off the pitch on Saturday if we had lost the game because that dubious penalty. But to come back and show some character to draw the game was good, the match was therefore a good psychological barrier to get through.
“There is a good mentality in the group and we are still nowhere near full strength yet.
“We have a number of very good players in and out of the treatment room which is often the case in pre-season, but we are working in the right way with everyone barring Rory Gaffney and Chris Dunn edging towards fitness for 8th August.”
Money feels that his aims ahead of pre-season, of providing the U’s with a stringent test before the start of the 2015/16 Football League campaign have so far been accomplished.
“We wanted a pre-season that was going to test us, and we have certainly achieved that," he said.
“It was important we had a pre-season that was going to make us battle-hardened for the 8th August against Newport, and the fact our pre-season culminates with a game against Peterborough ensures we will get that.
“The only disappointing thing is that we haven’t quite had the chance to get as many minutes into all the players, because there will be a small group that need to catch up.
“Keith Keane will be available for tomorrow and Ryan Donaldson may get 45 minutes at the weekend so if that is the case then we are moving forward in the right direction.”
Season ticket holders can attend tomorrow’s fixture against Coventry City totally free of charge, when presenting their season cards at the turnstiles. Meanwhile ticket are priced at £10 adults, £5 concessions and £1 for juniors, online, in-store and over the phone on 01223 566 500.
The U’s begin the new campaign at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday 8th August against Newport County, with tickets already proving popular with the Amber Army. Click here to secure your place.