Cambridge City FC
Prove you want to be here next season, says Cambridge City boss
Nightingale was disappointed with last night's goalless draw against Kidlington
Tim Street
Cambridge City manager Robbie Nightingale
Robbie Nightingale has told his Cambridge City players to use the last three games of the season to prove they want to remain at the club.
City, who are set for a disappointing mid-table finish in Southern One Central, played out a lethargic goalless draw against Kidlington at Bridge Road last night.
Chances were few and far between in a game rearranged following last week's fixture, which was postponed with City 3-0 up due to a nasty injury to the Kidlington keeper.
Top scorer Josh Oyinsan missed City's best chance, connecting well with Nathan Olukanmi's excellent cross from the right but putting his header from point blank range wide.
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Nightingale's men now have three games remaining - hosting Didcot Town on Saturday before travelling to Peterborough Sports on Monday, and finishing at home to Thame United five days later.
"We've got three very tough games coming up now, and if we play anything like we did tonight we'll get nothing from those three games," said the City boss.
"Tonight was an opportunity, I wanted to give the subs who were there Saturday an opportunity to play. But we looked off it, and that showed in the whole peformance.
"It was slow, like an end of season game with nothing to play for, but that's not what we wanted. We wanted to give some people an opportunity to stake a claim.
"They've sat on the bench and one or two have had a whinge, which is fine, but when you get the opportunity then wearing the shirt should mean something.
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"I'm disappointed with us both individually and as a team. Neither keeper had a save to make of any note and we were a shadow of a team we were on Saturday, and certainly a shadow of the team who were 3-0 up against Kidlington a week ago.
"It's frustrating, but it's another game for some people and three to go. For those who want to stay, it's an opportunity to show us that. Those who don't want to work hard, we see through that.
"We've been there, we've worn the shirt and we know what it means to the people who turn up week in week out to support us. We won't be going through the motions these last three games.
"We have aspirations of being a top six side, and it's three games against three of the top six. We want to be in and around that mix, so we need to see if the players want to step up and be a part of that too."
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