Assistant boss Geraint Williams was today full of praise for ten-man Colchester United after watching them battle for a share of the spoils against Barnsley.
The U's were a man down after just 16 minutes of last night's incident-packed Layer Road clash when Danny Steele was given his marching orders for a professional foul on Bruce Dyer.
Former Welsh international Williams said: "Every credit must go to our ten men. They were magnificent.
"Seventy-four minutes is an awful long time to play with a man short, but the lads defended superbly and maintained their shape and discipline throughout.
"That shape and discipline spread from the front two lads right through to the back.
"We asked them to make life as difficult as they could for Barnsley by remaining very compact as a team and not to go chasing the ball in their opponents' half.
"We were always prepared to concede possession in their third of the pitch and in the end the boys got the point they deserved."
Oxford loanee Sam Stockley, whose two-month loan period expires tomorrow, shot the U's in front after only ten minutes, but Dyer earned fellow strugglers Barnsley a point with an equaliser five minutes later.
Stockley, meanwhile, is currently involved in transfer talks with Whitton which will tie him to Layer Road until the end of next season and it is believed the club and the player are very close to an agreement.
Published Wednesday October 30, 2002
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