Danny Cowley says Colchester deserved win over MK Dons

Danny Cowley felt his Colchester side fully merited their 1-0 win over promotion-chasing MK Dons.

Jack Payne struck home a 94th-minute penalty to clinch United’s win, after Kyreece Lisbie had been fouled in the area by MK Dons substitute Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.

The win lifted Colchester to within three points of the League Two play-off places and boss Cowley said: “I thought it was so deserved.

“It was a penalty for a foul on Kyreece Lisbie – he (Connor Lemonheigh-Evans) just pulls him to the floor.

“With everything that went against us, losing Teddy [Bishop] so early on, losing Harry (Anderson) in the last game, already being without our captain Tom Flanagan and Ben Perry, having so many boys out.

“We had problems with the irrigation before the game – the pipes had frozen so we couldn’t get water on the pitch which makes it really difficult for the way that we want to play.

“It made it a really awkward game, because our game plan was to take the ball off them and try to hit them on the space that they left.

“But the players approached it with no excuses and a really strong mentality.

“They’re a group that when it gets tough, I can see the minerals in them.”

It looked like the game was heading for a draw before Payne’s late winner, although both sides had their opportunities.

Colchester came close in the first half when Kane Vincent-Young’s delivery almost caught out MK Dons keeper Craig MacGillivray, who kept the ball out on the line.

U’s goalkeeper Matt Macey denied Aaron Collins before half-time and, early in the second half, made a fine double stop from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Liam Kelly.

MacGillivray saved from Lisbie and Arthur Read, before Payne struck.

MK Dons boss Paul Warne said: “I said to the ref at half-time that I don’t like the crowd making decisions and I thought the penalty was a bit light.

“I do understand why the penalty was given.

“I’ve seen them definitely not given and I’ve seen them given, so unfortunately for us we were on the wrong side of it in a game that lacked virtually everything that you’d want to go and watch.

“It wasn’t the best game of football and I don’t know why the pitch hadn’t been watered.

“It was dry as a bone so the ball was just bouncing around everywhere, so no team really put their foot on the ball.

“It wasn’t a great game although I did think we had two or three pretty good chances to score.

“In fairness, my honest opinion is that I don’t think either team probably did enough to win it.”