Danny Cowley believes Colchester are close to enjoying some “really good times” after their 1-1 home draw with promotion-chasing Doncaster extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches.
Doncaster took a 41st-minute lead through Jordan Gibson’s well-taken strike at the far post following Jamie Sterry’s delivery into the area.
But Colchester equalised in the 51st minute when Lyle Taylor fired home from Oscar Thorn’s cross.
Doncaster were reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute when Gibson received a second yellow card after being booked for unsporting behaviour, while Colchester came agonisingly close to winning it in stoppage time when Teddy Bishop’s superb strike clattered a post.
U’s head coach Cowley said: “We’re really close to some really good times.
“We’re not quite there yet, so we have to keep working.
“We went 1-0 down at half-time but having good control of the game, against a very good Doncaster team.
“In the second half, we dominated the game and I thought we played with such an energy and such an intensity.
“The speed of our play on a really difficult surface was excellent and the support was just incredible.
“It was set up for the 94th minute when the ball bounced to Ted and he couldn’t have hit it any better and it hits the inside of the post and comes out.
“It’s a game of inches and it might have been a game of millimetres today because, wow, we were so deserving of that with our performance.
“I thought we were excellent and it would have been a really well-deserved victory.”
Doncaster duo Gibson and Harry Clifton were both denied in the first half by Colchester goalkeeper Matt Macey, who also made an excellent stop to push away Joe Ironside’s effort late on.
Doncaster boss Grant McCann said: “We were very good, in the first half.
“I thought we played very well and we probably should have had more than the one goal.
“But as always, when you come away from home, against a team that’s got that bit between their teeth at the minute in terms of having not lost many games, you’re probably going to have to ride a bit of luck and fortune.
“From my point of view, we did more than enough to win the game and I’m sure Danny (Cowley) is saying the same about his team – that’s how we see the game.
“It got more open in the second half.
“Both teams were going to try and score more goals which is pleasing and it’s the way that we like the game played.
“We prefer to play teams like that than teams that sit behind the ball and make it frustrating for you.”
