Former Spurs youngster Chay Cooper hoping for league start

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder scored one goal and made another for the U's in their 2-1 victory at Cambridge United, on Tuesday night.

Cooper has had to wait patiently for his opportunities to impress this season, with the game at the Abbey Stadium his first start of the campaign.

READ MORE: Reaction from Ben Garner after U's victory at Cambridge

But the former Spurs youngster performed well and has vowed to be ready when the opportunity comes again.

Cooper said: "I've just got to control the controllables and go out there and do the best I can and I think I did that.

"I think I worked hard on and off the ball, took my goal, got an assist so I've given the gaffer something to think about.

"I trust what he does, whether it's playing Saturday, next week or the week after, I'll be ready.

"I've just got to keep working hard and take my chance again when I get it.

"It's hard to wait but I'm only young and there's experienced players in the team and there's players doing well and have done it before.

"It's tough mentally, 100 per cent but I've just got to stick at it and when I do get my chance, I can't be too down about it because if I do and I don't take my chance, I'm never going to get more.

"You have to stay positive - if I'm going to moan about not playing, it has an effect on the team and the team doesn't need that.

"You have to stay positive whether that's me playing or not, because you have to try and help the team off the pitch.

"We're all in it together.

READ MORE: Colchester claim welcome win at Cambridge United in EFL Trophy

"I got minutes against Spurs in the last (EFL Trophy) game and I got minutes against Morecambe.

"I've just got to try and make an impact and train well and the gaffer has given me opportunities, when he can.

"It's a competitive sport and it's a competitive team.

"There's a lot of players so I just had to go out there and try and make an impact and I think I did.

"But the biggest thing was getting the three points and a good team performance.

"As an attacking midfielder, scoring and getting assists is what my job is to do.

"I did that but it's nice to do it and give myself a bit of confidence and hopefully, more chances going forward."

Colchester's win at Cambridge ended a run of three successive defeats.

It was a morale-boosting win for the U's, following last weekend's 5-0 thrashing at Forest Green Rovers.

"We needed a reaction after Saturday and the game before that against Morecambe," said Cooper, who has made three appearances for the U's, this season.

READ MORE: Former Colchester goalkeeper Sam Walker joins League One side

"We've been working hard in training and results haven't really been going our way, so we just wanted to get the win and have a good team performance.

"Out of possession was a lot, lot better and we knew when to press and when to stay in shape.

"A lot of us haven't played together and there were a couple of young players playing and a few experienced players.

"There was a lot of leadership and we worked well as a team against League One opposition and stopped them getting chances.

"We showed we can do it and it gives the fans a bit of confidence going into Saturday.

"After the Forest Green game, it wasn't nice - as players and staff, I think we all knew we needed a reaction.

"Training was a bit quiet to start with but we couldn't dwell on it too much but the win is massive and a confidence booster for the players and also for the fans.

"We need the fans with us - we know that they've been giving us a bit of stick which they've got every right to do because the results haven't been going our way.

"It's nice to give them something to cheer about and also something to look forward to for Saturday and the coming games."

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Cooper's goal at Cambridge was his first for Colchester since netting on the final day of the 2021-22 season, at Hartlepool United.

He said "I wasn't going to press the defender but I heard gaffer motivating me to go and press.

"The ball was in the air, I went and won it, he slipped and I knew I was one on one with the keeper.

"I just tried hitting the target really.

"There were a few things going through my mind - I was going to try and chip him but I thought if I chip him and miss, I'm going to look like a right idiot so I just had a shot and luckily, it went in."

Cooper also provided the assist for Tovide's opener, at Cambridge.

He added: "I was going to shoot but I saw Samson and if I hadn't passed it, he'd have gone mad!

"So I'm happy I passed it and he scored."