Colchester United head coach John McGreal felt their game at Exeter City was lost in both boxes after their unbeaten run came to an end in League Two.

The U's were beaten 3-0 at St James Park at the in-form Grecians, as their nine-match sequence without a defeat ended.

Reuben Reid gave Exeter a 20th-minute lead, before late goals from David Wheeler and substitute Liam McAlinden wrapped up the hosts' win to leave Colchester remaining in seventh place.

McGreal said: "They showed a little bit of quality on the counter, when we're looking to get an equaliser.

"We keep talking about both boxes and I think that was evident.

"They took their chances away quite nicely while we've been umpteen times in their attacking third and haven't really created enough where their keeper has had a save to make.

"It's a sore one really, with the effort we put in and we had the lion's share of the game but it was about what happened in both boxes.

"We made an excellent start and we were camped in their defensive third but I just thought we were wasteful at times in good positions and at set pieces.

"With the start that we made, it would have been nice to have got a goal but we didn't and we were then chasing a little.

"In the second half, we started ever so well again and we tried to make changes to try and give us a little bit of impetus in that attacking third.

"But Ollie Watkins then came alive on the counter and a bit of quality play from him created a couple of goals."

Influential midfielder Owen Garvan missed his first game in ten matches after suffering a knee injury in training yesterday.

McGreal added: "Owen did his medial knee yesterday - he's opened up his knee joint.

"We missed his composure and leadership qualities; would he have stopped what Watkins was doing today? I don't know.

"He had a fitness test this morning which he failed but we're hoping that he should be back in two weeks, for our next game."

McGreal added that Drey Wright will be out for up to five weeks as he needs a hernia operation which he will undergo on Monday.