MATTY Etherington was pleased with plenty of aspects of Colchester United's performance at Stockport County despite seeing his side fall to a 2-0 defeat at Edgeley Park.
Goals either side of half-time from Kyle Wootton and substitute Callum Camps secured the League Two leaders a 12th successive league win and condemned the U's to a first defeat since Etherington's elevation to the club's permanent head coach.
Colchester had their chances throughout the game, with Samson Tovide's audacious backheel coming back off the bar in the first half with the score at 0-0 and then Tovide and Ihionvien both missing good opportunities, in the second half.
READ MORE: Match report after Colchester are beaten at Stockport
However, the U's were unable to find a route back into the game, as they slipped to a first league defeat in five matches.
Etherington said: "The manner of the goals that we conceded was disappointing but I thought we gave them a real game today.
"I was pleased with lots of aspects of the performance.
"Samson's chance at 2-0 is a really good chance after a brilliant ball by Chily.
"There were moments in the match where at the end of the game, you know that you've threatened their team.
"There's not many teams that come here and create the amount of chances that we did before we got up to speed again, which is disappointing.
"That was the pleasing thing; yes, we've lost 2-0 which was the disappointing thing and we probably started the second half slowly.
"For their first goal, it's decent movement although Will (Greenidge) could do a little bit better and see it a little bit earlier.
READ MORE: Stockport County 2 Colchester United 0 - as it happened
"It did look offside, albeit it's tight.
"They've given the attacker the benefit of the doubt and it was disappointing to concede at that part of the game."
Colchester were let to rue a big moment in the first half when Tovide hit the woodwork with a fine effort, after good combination work between Jayden Fevrier and Noah Chilvers.
"Samson's chance is audacious and unfortunately, it didn't go in today," said Etherington.
"Samson deserved a goal; we played a different way today to try and combat with what they do and I thought he worked tirelessly up there and I thought it worked, for large parts, especially in the second half."
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