Danny Cowley claimed his Colchester United side “got stronger and stronger as the game went on,” during their 2-0 victory over MK Dons.

Late goals from Arthur Read and Jack Payne ensured the U’s earned their first points in League Two this season and their head coach was clearly thrilled with his side’s performance.

“A week is a long time in football, and we were disappointed this time last week, but we have responded really, really well," said Cowley.

“Credit to the players, because a huge amount of effort has gone into our organisation, all week. I think we worked hard on the game plan, but the players have to deliver it.

"I thought our work rate, I thought our pitch coverage and our energy, and really just the resilience that you have to show, against a really good team, was excellent.

“They [MK Dons] ask a lot of questions of you. It’s not just physical. It is also mental and concentration levels, and I thought we were excellent. In the first half, they [MK Dons] had a lot of the ball, but only had two shots.

“Early in the game, we didn’t really make the first pass well enough. We grew into the game and I said to Nicky, at 60 minutes ‘we look so much fitter than them and we look so much stronger than them’."

Cowley lauded many of his players, the first of which was Read, who came from off the bench to put U’s ahead.

He said: “Credit to Arthur Read, because he was the best player at the club, last year. He won all of the awards, and he was great for us, when we came in.

“He probably could have felt hard done by today and it was literally because both he and Teddy [Bishop] picked up an injury and we didn’t want to go with both of them, from the beginning. But he didn’t sulk - he accepted it and just responded in a really professional way. It was a great goal, because he still had a lot to do. He still had the calmness to execute the skill.”

Another player lauded by Cowley was the other goal scorer, Payne.

He said: “I know he is only five foot five, but wow! He might be small, but he has got a big heart. He was like two players today; he was just everywhere.

“I thought he was incredible against the ball and his work rate. I thought he’d score today, I genuinely did. He had the first opportunity, and you think that the moment has gone. But for Jack, just to stay calm in the moment, it was a really good shift.”