COLCHESTER United interim first-team coach Wayne Brown insists he is trying to be as positive as he can when selecting his starting line-ups, as he bids to drag the club away from trouble.

The U’s find themselves seven points off the League Two relegation zone with 14 matches remaining, following their 2-0 defeat against Newport County, on Saturday.

Brown started with a 3-5-2 system against Carlisle United before switching to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation in the second half, paving the way for a 2-1 win.

The U’s caretaker boss made two changes to his team against Newport, bringing Michael Folivi and Ryan Clampin into his line-up but started with the formation that they finished with against Carlisle, with Folivi and Aramide Oteh utilised in wide positions and winger Callum Harriott deployed in the number ten role, behind Frank Nouble.

But Colchester lacked potency in front of goal, managing just two shots on target in the entire 90 minutes.

Brown said: “There’s always going to be press and supporters showing disappointment.

“You can dress it up however you want but there were four number nines on the pitch so we go three up top, we don’t go one on top.

“We’re trying to be as positive as we can.

“If you look at the other night (against Carlisle), we score the second goal because we change shape to 4-3-3 but nothing is said then.

“Because we score a goal, everything is hunky dory.

“You can dress it up and look into things too much.

“It’s not one up top, it’s three up top but formations aside, with four number nines on the pitch you’re giving yourself the best chance to score goals.

“I went back to a flat back four - with the players we have at our disposal at the moment, with the attacking minded players you feel it’s the best chance of scoring goals.

“There were three number nines on the pitch to start the game and listen, we’re going for it.

“We need points on the board – there’s a way of getting those points, granted but I thought defensively, those lads did a good job especially in the first half but then we did lack a bit of quality in the final third.

“We picked a team to win a game of football and with four number nines on the pitch, I think you give yourselves the best chance to try and do that.”

The closest Colchester came to scoring against Newport was arguably when Callum Harriott’s goalbound shot was cleared from near his own goal-line by Matt Dolan.

“There are game-changing moments and it’s fine margins but they have to start going our way,” added Brown.

“Callum (Harriott) goes through and he’s going to get clattered by the goalkeeper, he puts it over him and their defender clears it when it’s going in the goal, there’s 1-1.

“But if you let them off the hook and you don’t put that away and give away naïve free-kicks in wide areas you invite the ball to come into the box with ten men.”

Colchester are next in action tomorrow night when they travel to play 11th-placed Harrogate Town, kick-off 7pm.