Colchester United head coach John McGreal on Morecambe draw

COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal was frustrated his side did not go on to win after playing out a 1-1 draw at Morecambe this afternoon.

The U's led at half-time thanks to Frank Nouble's strike but had to be content with a draw after Adam Phillips equalised for the Shrimps.

Colchester, who are now 12 games unbeaten, have dropped to ninth in League Two as a result of the draw but are only three points off the automatic promotion places.

McGreal said: "We thought we were going to win it.

"I thought we played the pitch and the conditions really well.

"We got a good goal and we were looking to go on and get a second goal.

"We hit the post to make it two but at the minute, it looks as though we need that second goal.

"We didn't ask enough questions of their back four from an hour onwards, to be fair.

"The application was there but we lacked a bit of quality at times especially in the second half, in the midst of difficult conditions.

"Their goal wasn't even a mistake as such; it was a turnover of possession, a run not being run, not stopping a cross and then a free header on the box.

"The tide changed a little bit after that and even prior to that, you're looking for someone to put their foot on the ball.

"I'm hoarse and so is Bally (Steve Ball) from trying to get information onto the pitch to play forwards and get the ball in and around their back four.

"We handled the conditions in the first half but we didn't really do that in the second half, after that first ten minutes.

"They had to change it and changed tact and we got a good goal.

"We had to take the ball and continue to get the ball in and around the box.

"But when they scored they had the momentum and then we had the sending off.

"We'd only just made a sub but then we had to sub a sub to fill that last ten minutes or so."

Colchester finished the game with only ten men after Ryan Jackson was sent off after picking up a second booking, in the 83rd minute.

Three other U's players were booked by referee Robert Lewis, while Morecambe midfielder Toumani Diagouraga was also cautioned.

"I have to be so careful," added McGreal.

"I went straight towards the ref at full-time because I felt that every decision was going against our boys today.

"He's referred two teams but I just felt that we were on the harsh side of some decisions, especially some of the yellow cards."