COLCHESTER United skipper Karl Duguid remained upbeat, despite Saturday's 3-0 home reverse at the hands of Southend.The U's blew a good chance to move into the second automatic promotion slot, and are now faced with a big task to steer their promotion charge back on track.

By Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United skipper Karl Duguid remained upbeat, despite Saturday's 3-0 home reverse at the hands of Southend.

The U's blew a good chance to move into the second automatic promotion slot, and are now faced with a big task to steer their promotion charge back on track.

“We know that we haven't performed today. The game was over at half-time,” explained Duguid.

“There was a lot of discussion in the dressing room after the match, but there was no ranting and raving, and no anger. They were words of reflection, because we know that we are still in a good position.

“Southend are a good side, and they are not top of the league for nothing. It was the classic away performance from them.

“The lads are a little down at the moment, but we are still confident. We are a very positive bunch of lads.

“We mustn't dwell on this result. There are still 12 league games to go, and they are all cup finals. The Southend game is finished. It's over, and we must look ahead.

“We want to push on and try and remain unbeaten for the rest of the season,” added Duguid.

In fact, the U's have no time to dwell on Saturday's Layer Road flop, because they travel to south Wales tomorrow for the first leg of their LDV Vans Trophy southern area final, at Swansea City.

Duguid remarked: “I think it's good that the Swansea match is coming around so quickly. That's what you want when you have just suffered a defeat. You want the chance to put it right straight away.

“It's a very important game for us. It's a chance for us to play in a final at the Millennium Stadium.

“There were a few tears when I last played in the final of this competition (penalty shoot-out defeat to Carlisle United at Wembley in 1997). Hopefully, they will be tears of joy this time,” added Duguid.

Meanwhile, Southend star Freddy Eastwood insisted that his side still had a lot of work to do, despite stretching their lead at the top of League One to six points with their emphatic win at Layer Road.

Eastwood broke the deadlock with his 17th goal of the season, and was a constant thorn in the U's defence all afternoon.

“I reckon that we still need six or seven wins to be sure of automatic promotion,” revealed Eastwood.

“We felt nice and comfortable at half-time, being three goals up, but we knew that we couldn't just sit back and switch off.

“If Colchester had got an early goal at the start of the second-half, then suddenly the pressure would have been on us. But we defended well all afternoon,” added Eastwood.