Neil Harris pleased to send Cambridge fans home happy after win over Cheltenham

Neil Harris was pleased to send Cambridge fans home happy after their opening-day 1-0 win over Cheltenham.

The U’s were relegated back to League Two after a torrid campaign last season but made an encouraging start to life back in the fourth tier.

Harris was made to wait for Cambridge to make the breakthrough, dominating before Louis Appere struck just before the hour and then keeping Cheltenham quiet to see out a deserved victory.

“It’s a real positive for us as a football club after last season,” said Harris.

“I can talk all I want about ‘let’s try and change the culture, change the belief in everybody here’. It’s fine doing it with players and fine doing it with words in the press but it’s important the players show it as well.

“They don’t give you time to settle and pass the ball but we found some really free-flowing moves at times and some of our quality was outstanding. It builds up belief in the changing room but in the stands as well.

“For the fans, just to see their team win a game of football here at the start of the season I think is so important for us. It’s nice for people to go home happy.

“It’s been a summer where people have been waiting, anticipating signings. I’ve talked a lot about change, so it’s really nice for us to see such a good game last week against Charlton but then follow up with victory today.

“With six debutants in the side and players at the top end of the pitch missing, or not being recruited yet, it’s huge credit to the group for gaining the result.”

Cheltenham boss Michael Flynn felt his side did not trouble Cambridge enough.

“I don’t think there was anything in the game, to be honest,” Flynn said afterwards. “Their chances came from us, our errors, and I’m disappointed with the goal. Joe (Day) has made a good save and nobody’s followed it in.

“My complaint with us really is we didn’t create enough. That’s why I think we’ve lost today.

“There was no real quality on a cross or a through ball. The best chance came to George Miller in the first half, I think he should have reversed it. The keeper makes a good save but it was too few and far between.

“We’ve got more in our squad than that, to create a lot more than that.

“I’m not really disappointed because they gave me everything. I’m not coming in to have a go at the players on the first game of the season. We kept fighting, I’m just a little bit disappointed at the goal we conceded and our lack of real opportunities.”