A great result for us – Dave Challinor delighted to see Stockport back on track

Stockport boss Dave Challinor praised his side for a “good performance on a tough pitch” as County returned to winning ways with a 1-0 triumph at Colchester.

Kyle Wootton grabbed the Hatters’ winner in the 37th minute when he headed in from close range, after substitute Ryan Johnson had nodded Chris Hussey’s corner back across goal at the far post.

It ended Stockport’s three-match winless run and Challinor said: “It’s a great result for us.

“Looking at the statistics, it was our first win in four, our sixth win in nine, however you want to look at it.

“It was a good performance on a tough pitch, a big pitch but very spongy and it took a big effort to get those three points.

“In the first half, we had good situations where maybe when we did turn the ball, it got stuck under our feet.

“We then managed to get ourselves in front and we dug in there and I think statistically, Ben (Hinchliffe) hasn’t made a save with them not having a shot on goal.

“But that’s a result of us throwing bodies in the way, blocks and all those types of things which you have to do, if you’re going to be successful.

“We had fantastic support and it was great to send our fans home happy.”

Stockport had impressed in the first half, with Colchester goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara saving from Will Collar at point-blank range, Hussey’s spectacular first-time effort flashing across goal and Wootton just failing to finish from close range.

Wootton was denied a second by O’Hara just before the break and Stockport came agonisingly close again just after half-time when Antoni Sarcevic’s brilliant free-kick clattered the upright.

Colchester threatened spasmodically and Connor Wood’s first-time effort flew just wide but Ben Garner’s first game as U’s boss ended in defeat.

Garner said: “There was nothing in the game.

“It was really tight and on balance, we deserved a point which I think would have been fair.

“But we’re obviously disappointed not to take something away from the game.

“I think we actually had some good chances and credit to them, they defended really well.

“They’ve had some really good blocks in there where we’ve had good opportunities and even the one at the end with Noah Chilvers’ effort, I think it’s actually hit Hops (Tom Hopper) on the way in and had every chance of going in.

“We needed a little bit of lady luck or a little bit of quality just to go in but in terms of the effort and endeavour from the players, very, very good and I thought we were the better side in the second half.

“We were the ones pushing and deserved to take something from the game.”