Colchester United fan Si Collinson gives his U's views

Doncaster are a place above us, level on points (admittedly with a game in hand) so this is a game we need to be on point and bring everything back together and make it count.

At times as a supporter, it's like banging your head against a brick wall and wondering just what it could have been.

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The game against Barrow was one of those; the visitors are in a purple patch at the moment and sit top of the League Two form table, so an away win was to be expected.

The 4-1 result seems on first look that we were out played and completely off the pace.

In all honesty, that was not the case, well until the 84th minute when we just imploded after Jayden Fevrier was given his marching orders from a second yellow.

Looking back at the replay it does seem harsh, but with the game at 1-1 and already being booked, you just cannot put yourself in the position where the official has to make the call.

From that moment, and with the man advantage, Barrow made us pay.

Three quick goals, including an own goal on an afternoon to forget, put us to the sword and has dented the revival we have seen of late.

But the score does not tell the full story, although I am well aware that it's a points and results business at the end of the day, as I am always quick to point out.

We did take the lead from Cameron McGeehan who showed why you should always follow a shot in and was in the right place to pounce after their keeper Farman parried Fevrier’s shot into his path.

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The half-time whistle was followed by high tension after the visitors felt they should have had a penalty and the aftermath saw their boss Pete Wild sent off and having to watch the remainder of the game from the stands.

A Greenidge own goal saw our lead wiped out when a Telford shot rebounded off the bar and then off the luckless defender to roll into our open goal.

In a game that was end to end, we had three if not more ideal opportunities to get the goals that would have taken the game well and truly into our hands, had we not squandered them.

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We didn't take one on one chances and of course there was the open goal that McGeehan missed after rounding the keeper only to hit the side netting.

This is something that is becoming a bit of a pattern; not clinical enough in front of goal and then having periods of poor game management, and of course frailties in defence at key moments.

We held our own in an even game for 85 minutes, but of course the match lasts 90 and we need to stamp out these mistakes and improve on our final third play.

We do all the hard work and just can not apply the finishing touch when needed.

Subs have the ability to change games and fresh legs will always be handy, especially in a game where there is end to end football.

Our midfield looked spent and that could well explain at least one of the Barrow goals, as we were caught on the counter.

Why we only made one change is beyond me, especially when we had Cooper on the bench who has showed all what he offers in attack.

There was also of course Kelleher, who would have been ideal to bring on for his height in defence and a level head to sure up the defence, when it was needed.

Whatever the reasons for only one of the available five changes being made, we cannot shy away from the fact that ultimately, we lost 4-1 in a game where we could have got more had things been different.

Up the U’s.