Ben Garner celebrates as Colchester achieve safety ‘in some style’

Posted Sunday, April 23, 2023 by PA

Ben Garner was delighted to see his Colchester side confirm League Two safety after a resounding 4-1 home victory over Sutton.

Colchester fell behind to an 11th-minute David Ajiboye effort but goals from Luke Chambers, John Akinde and Junior Tchamadeu made it 3-1 at half-time.

And Noah Chilvers fired home a fourth in the second half as the U’s extended their unbeaten run to eight matches and secured another season in the fourth tier.

Colchester boss Garner said: “We spoke before the game about making sure we do it ourselves today – we didn’t want to think about results elsewhere or the different permutations.

“It was about getting it done ourselves and we did that in some style.

“We were a bit slow at the start and we’re disappointed with the goal. It was a second ball at both ends of the pitch that we didn’t win.

“It was a real sloppy goal but that woke us up a little bit and we got going.

“We finished the half really strongly – we got three goals and we could have had four.

“It’s a fantastic group of players to work with, really hard-working staff in the background as well and we are getting our rewards on the pitch.

“For me now, we want to continue this unbeaten run and get through to the end of the season with that intact.”

Sutton are winless in nine matches and manager Matt Gray was disappointed with the goals conceded.

Gray said: “We started well, which I was really pleased about. We scored a really good goal and created a couple of good chances.

“We looked good in possession and were moving the ball lovely.

“It was a bit of a shock going in at half-time 3-1 down to be honest, because of how well we started.

“I’ve just said to the players I was really disappointed with the goals we’ve conceded and all of a sudden, we’re on a bad run.

“We had three defeats in 21 which put us right in the mix for the play-offs but we lost to two of the league’s best teams in Stockport and Bradford and then the champions, Leyton Orient.

“We were excellent on Tuesday night (against Northampton) and conceded two poor goals and today there were some good bits, second half not so much but the goals we’re conceding are really uncharacteristic for us.”