Colchester interim boss Matty Etherington on Swindon win

The U’s had fallen behind to Jake Young’s well-taken opener and produced a flat first-half display, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

But they bounced back strongly in the second half and goals from Cameron McGeehan, Samson Tovide and Noah Chilvers sealed Colchester’s victory, much to the delight of interim boss Etherington.

He said: “It was a good night’s work, in the end.

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“We said a few things at half-time.

“Obviously the first half wasn’t good enough – the players knew that.

“We changed a bit of the structure in terms of the way we were in possession and I thought that helped.

“The first half wasn’t good enough in terms of not enough pressure on the ball and they could play at ease so that was disappointing but the second half was really good and a really pleasing performance.

“There were a few boos at half-time and rightly so – we were poor and I’ve got no issue with that whatsoever.

“The players knew that and I told them that as well but the reaction was pleasing.

“I’m more pleased for the players – I genuinely don’t care about myself.

“It’s good for the players at this football club that we have managed to give ourselves a little bit of breathing space now.”

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After Colchester went in behind at the break, they wasted little time in getting back into the game.

McGeehan bundled the ball in from close range, following an excellent cross by Jayden Fevrier.

Etherington said: “Jayden is generally better off the right side.

“He’s been playing a little bit off the left recently and he’s more of an attacker rather than a wing-back, so it worked well.

“Jayden is more comfortable on the side, so that’s the reason we did it.”

The U’s went ahead for the first time in the game in the 64th minute when Tovide swept home a fine first-time strike, from Will Greenidge’s cross.

“It was a brilliant cross by Will and he picked him out really well,” said Etherington.

“It’s obviously not his natural side but I just felt I needed to get Jayden on the other side to affect them and cause them a little bit more of an issue.

“It was brilliant for him to get the assist and I’m pleased for Samson, because he does a lot of the hard yards and the battling with defenders etc and he was a nuisance today.

“That goal will do him the world of good.”

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Chilvers came off the bench to seal Colchester’s win with a well-taken goal in stoppage-time but minutes earlier, Zach Mitchell made two superb challenges in his own penalty area to deny Swindon an equaliser.

Etherington added: “Zach was outstanding.

“I think it’s when Hepburn-Murphy is through on goal, the speed, the agility and then the execution in the tackle, it basically saved a goal.

“He’s 18 years old and he’s definitely performing beyond his years.”

Colchester are back at home on Saturday when they host Sutton United.