Colchester boss Danny Cowley paid tribute to his relegation-threatened aspect’s “gritty, decided and resilient” 1-1 draw away to League Two leaders Mansfield.
Harry Anderson gave Colchester a Thirteenth-minute lead with a well-struck low shot from the appropriate of the field that went contained in the far publish in a irritating first half for the Stags.
However, after U’s goalkeeper Owen Goodman had made a marvel save after 62 minutes to in some way maintain out Baily Cargill’s close-range header, he was crushed a minute later from the ensuing nook as a scramble ended with Lewis Brunt poking residence.
It was a sixth attract eight winless video games because the guests stay only one place above the drop zone forward of Saturday’s 3pm kick-offs.
“They’re the very best staff within the division – there’s a lot to respect in Mansfield,” Cowley stated.
“So to come back right here and placed on the efficiency that we did, I feel now we have quite a bit to be pleased with and, in the end, we’re upset to not have received the sport.
“I do know the house followers have been getting a bit annoyed, I’m not positive in the event that they have been getting annoyed with us or with their very own staff.
“I’m not positive if folks anticipated us to only flip up right here and lie down and allow them to run throughout us.
“However that received’t occur on my watch – over my useless physique. We wish to be winners. We have been gritty, decided, resilient and likewise streetwise.
“We confirmed all of the qualities I like in considered one of my staff’s performances and I used to be pleased with our efforts.
“We’re not about to surrender our League standing simply – we now have 9 video games left and we’ll give it completely every part we’ve received.”
Goodman tipped over a Will Swan header earlier than residence goalkeeper Christy Pym needed to make a significant save to show a low Samson Tovide shot onto a publish as United broke properly and he additionally turned over a dipping Ellis Iandolo header close to the tip.
“Ultimately we’re glad with some extent with the way in which the sport went and the circumstances,” stated Mansfield boss Nigel Clough.
“It was a type of video games that, having given a comfortable purpose away early on, we may have simply misplaced that 1-0.
“Even on the finish we may have misplaced 2-1 with the corners and set performs that they had.
“The consequence retains our little run going. We haven’t had sufficient attracts of late, these defeats ought to’ve been attracts.
“So we go to Wrexham subsequent week in higher coronary heart than we might’ve executed had we misplaced the sport.
“We’re nonetheless high of the league, let the others battle it out this afternoon and it may very well be a really helpful level come the tip of the season.
“We didn’t begin the sport anyway close to in addition to we might have preferred and we gave Colchester an excessive amount of encouragement and a purpose as properly.
“We had sufficient conditions and possibilities at this time however couldn’t fairly get greater than the equaliser.”