Colchester boss John McGreal: There was only one team going to win it



Posted Sunday, August 04, 2019 by PA

Colchester boss John McGreal: There was only one team going to win it

Colchester head coach John McGreal was pleased to see his side battle back and claim a point in their 1-1 draw with Port Vale.

Luke Norris earned the U’s a share of the spoils in a closely-contested affair at the JobServe Community Stadium when he struck from close range just before half-time, pouncing to score after skipper Luke Prosser had headed Jevani Brown’s pass into his path.

The goal cancelled out Tom Pope’s fifth-minute penalty, given after Tom Lapslie had fouled Vale midfielder Manny Oyeleke in the box.

McGreal said: “It’s a point and we move on against a hard-working and more athletic Port Vale than we saw last year.

“We knew they would come and high press and they were very good, the way they set out, but it’s (the Vale goal) a mistake from trying to play out.

“We’ve gone to ground and it’s a penalty. It put us on the hop a little bit because I thought we started OK.

“It took a bit of time to get into it but we finished the second half of the first half really well and I thought that we were the ones pushing for the winner.

“We regrouped after half-time and after that I thought there was only one team going to win it.

“A few of the boys were flagging as it was the first day of the season but overall, I thought there was some really good stuff.”

Vale goalkeeper Scott Brown twice denied Frank Nouble in the first half and also foiled Cohen Bramall.

But David Amoo went close with a glancing header for Vale, who almost grabbed a stoppage-time winner when Oyeleke’s long-range shot flashed inches past the post and manager John Askey was pleased with his side’s display.

He said: “I was pleased with the performance.

“Colchester is a difficult place to come and I suppose before the game had you said we would get a point I would have been happy.

“I thought that we started really well and for the first 20 to 25 minutes we controlled the game.

“We possibly could have made more with the possession but we allowed Colchester into the game and it was disappointing to concede just before half-time.

“The most pleasing aspect for me overall was the way that we started and then the way we showed resilience towards the end to keep Colchester at bay.

“It’s a start for us; we know we need to improve but to come here and get a point was pleasing.

“Last year when Port Vale came here I think they were well beaten, so for us it’s an improvement, but it’s just one point in one of 46 games.”

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