Williams Keeping Faith In Gerken

Colchester United`s Dean Gerken has received the full backing of manager Geraint Williams following an awesome display against league leaders Watford last weekend.

The young stopper had been suffering a crisis of confidence earlier in the season that lead to the recall of player-coach Aden Davison in his place. Davison, set to retire at the end of the current season, is one game short of his 100 appearances for the Essex side.

Gerken justified his inclusion against Watford, attacking the praise of U`s boss Geraint Williams following the game in which he stopped a penalty and gave a match-winning display.

It was the right reaction for a player whose good work in the previous game against Plymouth was wasted when the U`s conceded late on to only draw. Gerken was so disappointed after that particular game that he declined to comment in the media at full-time.

“Dean [Gerken] has always been a good keeper, and I’m delighted that he saved a penalty,” said Williams on an edition of the EADT after the Watford game.

“We were conceding a lot of goals at the start of the season, and it was affecting his confidence. But he has showed what a good keeper he is.”