Injuries pitch Quinn into sticky situation

Jimmy Quinn, the Cambridge United manager, said that his team will press Aldershot Town all the way for the Blue Square Premier title after their 1-0 win over Woking on Saturday. Cambridge travel to play Crawley Town tomorrow, while Aldershot are engaged on Setanta Shield business and recovering from their failure to secure a place in the FA Trophy final, which will be contested between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay United.

“Aldershot aren’t over the line yet and we’ve got to keep believing that we can catch them,” Quinn said.

“We’ve got to win as many games as we can, cement our place in the play-offs and if Aldershot do slip up, we might yet do it.”

Cambridge’s performance against a hard-working Woking team, stung by criticism that followed failure to beat lowly opposition in their previous four matches, was unconvincing. The winner came from a penalty by Lee Boylan after a dart of pace by Courtney Pitt seemed to take him through and over the dimunitive Goma Lambu.

The display did not worry Quinn. “It’s great to get three points when you don’t play particularly well — it’s the sign of a half-decent team,” he said. But an ankle injury to Lee McEvilly, the striker, did cause him concern. McEvilly landed heavily and was carried off on a stretcher. “We’ve got about six ankle injuries,” Quinn said, pointing the finger at the Abbey Stadium pitch. “From being wet and slippery, it’s dried out and it’s tacky.”

McEvilly is the lone big presence in the United attack, although Magno Vieira, signed on loan from Crawley, showed in his first home appearance that he has the spirit and flair to keep the impressively vocal supporters shouting United’s automatic promotion hopes right to the end of the road.

WALTER GAMMIE