Cambridge United

E-mail Article Print this story

Ashley Carew

Related Links

• Teams
• Braintree Town
• Cambridge United

Braintree Town v Cambridge Utd

Manager Alan Devonshire hopes to see an improved display when Braintree Town revive hostilities with Cambridge United at Amlin Stadium on New Year's Day.

The Iron, lying 14th on the table with 34 points, suffered a 2-0 defeat at Abbey Stadium on Boxing Day, with victory lifting the U's to seventh in the Blue Square Bet Premier standings.

Devonshire wants greater focus from his men, who were poor in the second-half of their previous outing.

"They are young players and consistency is something that we are trying hard to work on," he told the Braintree and Witham Times.

"The first aim is still to get to 50 points as quickly as possible and I think we're on target for that so I'm not worrying about anything.

"This is a tough league that we're in now, but I'm looking for more from my players than I got in the second half at Cambridge.

"I want more in terms of effort and more quality on the ball."

Cambridge United, meanwhile, will be without Ashley Carew for Sunday's encounter. The right winger is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign last time out - much to club boss Jez George's disappointment.

"I don't feel he needs a break, I think he needs the opposite because he needs to be able to become more consistent," George told Cambridge News.

"With Ash, we're always trying to get more out of him. He has moments when he sets the place alight and he has moments when he frustrates you.

"We want him to be more consistent and that will come from a consistent thought process in training and in games.

"It's something we've got to work on with him in the second half of the season."

Carew's one-match ban could see the likes of Jordan Patrick or Jonathon Thorpe benefit from his absence.