Pompey should be running away with league

The Cambridge United boss was left disappointed by how his team fell to a 2-1 defeat at Fratton Park on Saturday.

But the former Blues midfielder feels his old side should be storming to success in the fourth tier.

Derry felt the U’s failed to give Paul Cook’s side a stiffer test, despite there being just one goal in it.

A goal in each half put daylight between the two teams, before Luke Berry reduced the arrears in the 90th minute.

Derry admitted Cambridge didn’t get out of the blocks on the day.

But he feels his side were going up against an outfit who should be playing at a higher level.

Derry said: ‘I was really looking forward to this game, but we struggled to get going.

‘We’ve come up against a club who should be in a higher division. They should be running away with it.

‘To go up against Portsmouth on their own patch, I am frustrated that we didn’t give them more of a game.’

Derry was a spectator as Pompey disappointed in the loss at Barnet last week.

He looked on as Cook’s side were knocked out of their stride by the physical and direct approach of the Bees.

Cambridge looked to replicate that with the clash proving a spiky affair both on and off the pitch.

Assistant manager Leam Richardson and Derry had to be separated in the first half by Cook as the tackles flew in from the visitors on the pitch.

Derry felt his plan was working until his side switched off from a free-kick for Marc McNulty’s opener.

He pointed out there was no chance of success with such lapses.

Derry said: ‘We had a game plan to try and silence them and that was going smoothly until we switched off with five minutes to go in the first half. When you concede goals like that you don’t win games.’

– JORDAN CROSS