Steve Ball hails Colchester’s ‘fantastic win’ after they edge Forest Green

Steve Ball hailed his Colchester side’s “fantastic win” after they claimed a narrow 1-0 Sky Bet League Two victory over Forest Green.

Noah Chilvers headed in Miles Welch-Hayes’ pinpoint cross in the second minute of the match to secure the U’s victory and condemn Forest Green to their first league defeat of the season.

Colchester head coach Ball said: “It’s not how I normally want to do it, but it was a fantastic win.

“Forest Green are a really good side and I really respect and rate Mark Cooper as a manager and the way he goes about it in this division.

“They’ve been close over a couple of years and I’ll pick the bones out of how we’ve beaten them but we’ve beaten a really good side.

“We made a great start and we keep on encouraging Noah to get in the box.

“That’s two goals he’s got and I want him to keep getting in the box because he’s got the quality to finish.

“It was a lovely cross from Miles and a nice move.

“We were hoping that we could go on a bit from there and tactically, we banked it off a little bit out of respect for them because they’re a very good side.”

Forest Green enjoyed the bulk of the possession after going behind and almost levelled after 13 minutes when Odin Bailey’s close-range header hit the crossbar from Scott Wagstaff’s cross.

Ebrima Adams drove an effort just wide of the far post soon after and Bailey’s free-kick deflected off the Colchester wall and flew inches wide as the visitors pressed.

Jamille Matt’s close-range header from Josh March’s cross was saved by U’s goalkeeper Dean Gerken but Colchester held on.

Forest Green boss Cooper admitted conceding so early in the game proved his side’s downfall, after they surrendered their unbeaten league record.

Cooper said: “I don’t think we could have done much more, other than score. We had plenty of forwards on at the end.

“I don’t think the ball went in our box in the second half. We had some great chances.

“Odin (Bailey) had a great chance in the six-yard box with a header and we should have had a penalty (with a foul) on Josh March but we were never going to get anything from (referee) Mr (Carl) Brook tonight.

“We tried everything we could but we gave them something to hang on to.

“When you start like that after a long trip…we have to be able to start better than that and not give the opposition a chance to land a punch on our nose, so early in the game.

“It was a rubbish goal. The midfield player’s not tracking their runner into the box and it was a free header.”