Opposition view: Colchester boss feels 'a draw would have been fair' against Cobblers

Colchester United caretaker boss Ross Embleton felt defeat was harsh on his side after they were beaten 1-0 by Northampton at the JobServe Community Stadium on Saturday.

Louis Appéré netted the decisive goal shortly before half-time when scrambling home a corner as Cobblers claimed their first win in five to keep themselves in the promotion mix.

“I wouldn’t say we deserved to win it but I don’t think we deserved to lose it,” said Embleton, who has temporarily replaced Matt Bloomfield. “It was a disappointing, untidy goal to concede – it dropped in our box and we’ve got to be a bit more aggressive to go and defend it.

"If we do, I think a draw would probably have been a fair scenario. It was the defining moment; they’ve attacked it and we haven’t defended it quite well enough.

"It was a very average first-half but we made a few changes in the second-half to personnel and shape and I thought they really applied themselves properly.

“It’s a difficult scenario for them to have been in but there’s never enough time in football to feel sorry for yourself and I’m pleased with the way they’ve adapted and gone about things, over the last few days.

"It was a bit kamikaze at times but it was needs must, in terms of getting back in the game."

Colchester’s one big chance for Tom Hopper head over in stoppage-time.

"It was a big chance," admitted Embleton. "We were waiting for the net to bulge and we were ready to celebrate. It was extremely disappointing but I thought the way they performed and the effort they put in, the intensity and the way that the boys went about the performance was pleasing.

"It was obviously those final moments that let us down.”