Wayne Brown: Colchester unlucky not to take three points against Carlisle

Posted Sunday, August 07, 2022 by PA

Colchester boss Wayne Brown felt his side were unlucky not to win after they played out a 1-1 draw with visitors Carlisle.

The home side had taken a 19th-minute lead when Noah Chilvers collected Luke Hannant’s pass and drilled a fine shot into the far corner.

But Carlisle claimed a draw thanks to Kristian Dennis’s 44th-minute header, following Owen Moxon’s excellent cross from the left.

Brown said: “On another day, you can look at the territory and the chances we had and say we were unlucky not to come away with the three points.

“When you concede goals, they’re always massive but when you concede goals a minute or two before half-time, it tends to be a bit of a killer blow.

“Our job is to lift the group and try and assess situations and make changes in formations, which we did in the second half.

“I felt that, not only did the system and the change work in the second half, but also the personnel that came on the pitch had a massive impact.

“We were more on the front foot, more tenacious, there was no acceptance and we played the game at a better tempo and we got success.

“Credit to the five lads who came in because they made an impact on the game.”

Both sides had chances in the first half.

Freddie Sears hit the inside of a post for Colchester early on while, at the other end, Jack Armer went close with a header and Colchester goalkeeper Sam Hornby twice denied Dennis.

Carlisle keeper Tomas Holy made a fine stop to foil Chilvers after the break but Hornby saved Armer’s header late on, as the game ended in a draw.

Carlisle boss Paul Simpson was happy to see his side claim what he felt was a ‘valuable point’.

Simpson said: “Without being unkind to Colchester, we should probably have been three or four goals up in the first half on chances created.

“The goal we conceded was a disappointing one because, although it’s a lovely surface, it’s really dry for some reason so the ball was dragging on it.

“It’s a mistake from Ben (Barclay) obviously but we shouldn’t have been in that position – it should have gone forward from the first pass and then it doesn’t happen.

“We scored what I hate to say was a scruffy goal but I’m not bothered how they go in – I’d have taken three other scruffy goals on the chances we created.

“The second half was different.

“They were probably on top I think it’s fair to say.

“They showed the qualities that they’ve got but, as a group, I thought the players defended extremely well and we managed to get a really valuable point.”