Marshall pleased to see Colchester win again

Interim head coach Scott Marshall says it has been a difficult time at Colchester but their 1-0 win over in-form Accrington has given them a welcome boost.

Ben Garner was sacked on Monday, with Matthew Etherington overseeing their win over Grimsby in midweek.

However, they found out on Friday night that Etherington could not take charge again due to a contract dispute with his previous club Crawley.

It meant Marshall was in the hot-seat and, despite 31 shots for Stanley, it was an inspired performance from U’s goalkeeper Owen Goodman and Joe Taylor’s 57th-minute solo strike that proved the difference.

The on-loan Luton striker raced from his own half, with his initial shot saved by Jon McCracken but he fired in the loose ball for his eighth goal of the season.

“It’s a difficult situation, it’s something above my head,” said Marshall. “We are happy to come away with a victory but it needs to play out and I will just have conversations about football if that’s OK?

“Ben suddenly being removed from his post gives everyone a reality check in terms of the seriousness of it. It’s been a disappointing time as well as proud of getting six points.

“To go away to Grimsby and Accrington and come away with six points is fantastic. The boys dug in and showed huge amounts of character, rode their luck, made some good saves and some good challenges at the right time.

“Once we got the goal you could see the grit and determination in the group to hang onto it.

“Owen has been fantastic and enjoying being in the thick of it. He did his bit as well as everyone else.

“We will take that, we worked hard, it’s not been easy with the travelling and the situation we are in and everyone deserves the credit for it.”

Stanley saw their four-game winning streak come to an end but they remain in the play-off places.

Manager John Coleman said: “We didn’t start well and in the first 15 minutes they could have scored two goals.

“We then had a procession of missed chances. Players don’t miss chances on purpose and, when you miss a few, you snatch at a few more as you are getting anxious and that’s what happened today.

“Sometimes you just have to take it on the chin. It was the most threatening we have looked all season against an opposition who have been in turmoil themselves, but you have days like this, they will come when you are not expecting them.

“We’ve been on a great run but it hasn’t been ended by a bad performance, it’s been ended by one of those days when you can’t put the ball in the net.

“The time to worry is when you are not creating chances. The lads gave their all and are devastated as they know it’s a missed opportunity to cement ourselves in the play-offs.”