Dunne: ‘We Were Resolute’

U’s boss Joe Dunne admits he was proud of how resolute his side were at Portsmouth this afternoon after seeing a dominant first half performance clawed back from their hosts, Portsmouth.

Two goals from Gavin Massey and a Freddie Sears penalty sent the U’s in 3-1 up at the break, but despite a second half rally from Pompey, Dunne’s charges stood strong and held on to all three points whilst still maintaining a threat on the counter attack.

It’s a huge three points from the side to help pull clear of danger following on from last week’s 2-0 victory over Walsall, and Dunne felt it could have been more.

‘I think it was tighter than necessary; we should have been out of sight and 6-1 at half-time would have been no exaggeration,’ he told BBC Essex after the game.

‘We had good chances but never killed them off, and their excellent crowd galvanised them in the second half so credit to them.

‘But we were resolute and still carried a goal threat going forward.’

It was an exemplary attacking performance in the opening forty-five minutes from Colchester, with Sears, Massey and Porter linking up well around the powerful Ibehre in the centre.

All four were fluid in their movement, and Dunne confirmed that this was all part of a game plan that had been executed to perfection.

He continued: ‘Our passing and movement was excellent in the first half. We wanted to go and attack them with the pace we now have in the side and Gavin Massey was very good, George Porter was also and we always looked like scoring when going forward.

‘There was a period after their second goal of pressure; corners and free-kicks, but the back four, midfield and the wide men tracking back were all resolute.

‘We finished the game strongly and could have scored again in the six minutes of time added on.’

The U’s were backed by just under five-hundred travelling support, and Dunne praised their support throughout the game as they continued to get behind the side and see the team over the line.

Meanwhile, as the first game after the close of the January transfer window, the Irishman pointed to the new signings and the impact they’ve made on the team in a similar vein to the arrival of Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt and Jabo Ibehre when Dunne first took over.

‘It’s ironic that I made a few signings for the run when I firstcame in and now [Sam] Walker, Jabo [Ibehre] and Billy [Clifford] are all in with others and we’re back in a position of winning,’ he reflected.

‘The fans today were excellent both in their turn out and the way they backed the team.

‘We’re focused now and we’re back in training tomorrow to focus on a difficult game on Tuesday night [at home to Swindon], but the confidence is high.’


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