Matt Bloomfield praises Colchester spirit after sealing first league win

Matt Bloomfield said he was “proud as punch” after securing his first league win as Colchester boss with a 2-1 triumph over Harrogate.

The U’s took an eighth-minute lead when Kwesi Appiah latched on to Tom Dallison’s long punt forward and touched the ball past goalkeeper Pete Jameson before tapping home.

And Frank Nouble doubled the advantage in the 37th minute, converting at the far post from Junior Tchamadeu’s low cross following a well-worked free-kick.

Harrogate halved the deficit in the 57th minute through Alex Pattison, who finished clinically from close range after Danny Grant had pounced on Sam Hornby’s poor clearance and picked him out, but Colchester held on to claim a first win in eight league games.

Bloomfield said: “I’m proud as punch.

“The group of players dug in there at the end and we were tested with a lot of balls in our box, but we found a way to win the game.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this group of boys and being the head coach of this football club and I’m really pleased to get a win.

“The game could have been done and dusted.

“We had a few chances, we hit the post, the keeper has made a great point blank save, they cleared one off the line, so we could have added one or two more goals.

“But we didn’t, so you can only play the situation that’s in front of you.

“We had to do that with the nine (added) minutes – I don’t know where they found it from but we had to concentrate on what was ahead of us and deal with that.”

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver, who kept his players in the dressing room for around 45 minutes after his side’s defeat, bemoaned a frustrating afternoon.

Weaver said: “We didn’t do enough, which beggared belief after the performance level last week when we probably deserved to beat Bradford City who are higher up in the table.

“We were second best for large parts of the game in a physical sense and our passing was atrocious.

“I’m very thankful to the fans who did turn up today and supported the lads and I can understand their frustration. If they were frustrated they’d be quite right, because the level of the passing was garbage.

“We don’t train like that – we like short, sharp passes and you have to earn the right at League Two level, just as you do for all of the levels in a physical sense.

“We were really short at times and, with nine minutes added on, they were on the back foot and we resorted to long-ball tactics which weren’t directed by us.

“It’s our responsibility and we have to dictate the way we play.”