Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris has praised goalkeeper Jack Stevens after the 27-year-old delivered a composed display and kept a clean sheet in Saturday’s crucial 1-0 win at Shrewsbury Town.
Stevens was making just his seventh League One appearance of the season—and his first since early February—having played a backup role for much of the campaign behind Vicente Reyes, Marko Marosi, and on-loan keeper Nathan Bishop.
Stepping Up When It Counts
Bishop missed out through injury, handing Stevens a rare opportunity between the sticks. The former Oxford United keeper didn’t disappoint, helping to secure a vital three points as Cambridge look to escape the relegation zone.
“I’m really pleased for the defensive unit (to get a clean sheet) and certainly pleased for Jack Stevens. It’s been a tough season for him. He’s been excellent every day in training… a good leader, a good character and a good goalkeeper.”
Cambridge now sit seven points from safety with five matches remaining—a difficult task, but not impossible. The clean sheet in Shropshire has breathed new life into their survival hopes, with Harris encouraged by the commitment and professionalism of players like Stevens.
Harris, who previously coached Stevens during a short interim stint, revealed that choosing to start him over Bishop was a close decision, but ultimately one made with care for both player welfare and long-term relationships with parent clubs.
“It just wasn’t right to play Bish and it wouldn’t be fair on Sunderland,” Harris explained. “And when you’ve got such an experienced goalkeeper that’s chomping to get in, it was a real sensible call to go with Jack.”
While Bishop’s injury is not considered serious, Harris is taking a cautious approach. With the former Manchester United youngster only on loan, the coaching staff are weighing up each decision carefully to ensure player health and continued goodwill with their parent clubs.
“He presented slightly better today than he had over the past 48 hours, but we have to be mindful. We want to win games, but we must also protect players who aren’t ours permanently,” Harris added.
Writer’s view
Jack Stevens’ performance was more than just a clean sheet—it was a reminder of the value of experience and professionalism. With Cambridge United fighting to survive, Harris needs every player ready to step up, and Stevens showed he can be trusted in high-pressure situations. His display might just have earned him a bigger role in the final few weeks, regardless of Bishop’s fitness. In a relegation scrap, moments like this can swing momentum.
