Frank Nouble is confident that the U’s will bounce back from the disappointment of losing a two-goal lead, against promotion rivals Mansfield Town.

East Anglian Daily Times: Mansfield Town's players celebrate with CJ Hamilton (22) after his late winner in Saturday's 3-2 success at Colchester . Picture: STEVE WALLER WWW.STEPHENWALLER.COMMansfield Town's players celebrate with CJ Hamilton (22) after his late winner in Saturday's 3-2 success at Colchester . Picture: STEVE WALLER WWW.STEPHENWALLER.COM (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

Nouble believes that Saturday’s 3-2 home loss was just a hic-cup, against a team who are riding high in third spot.

“Mansfield are one of the better teams in the league, and it felt like a good game to be involved in,” explained Nouble.

“We were up for it, and I’m sure they were, but the result has gone their way.

“We played well, and anyone who was here today and watched the game, I’m sure they will have enjoyed it, as a neutral or even as a supporter.

“It’s just frustrating to lose a game like that, but at the same time it is only January and we know where we want to be at the end of the season, so we have to keep working.

“The first-half performance, and the performance of the first 10 minutes of the second half, was very positive, against a good side.

“We are a good team, and we will keep going to the end, which is what we did late on, looking for that equaliser.

“Whether people don’t believe in us, or they do, it doesn’t matter, because we will keep going and will keep working,

“I am sure we will come back from this – it’s just frustrating at this moment in time,” added Nouble.

Former Ipswich Town forward Nouble is happy that the U’s are continuing to create a hat-ful of chances, and if Sammie Szmodics’ opportunity at the start of the second half, when he headed wide with the U’s 2-0 up, had gone in then perhaps the game would have been put beyond Mansfield.

“Sammie had a couple of shots, and normally if he has three he scores at least one of them,” continued Nouble.

“But it’s a team game, we win together and we lose together.

“The main thing is that we keep creating chances, and if we play like that we will beat more teams than we lose to.

“It’s hard, every game is different, like when we were losing 3-1 to Notts County (3-3 draw) the other day, they probably thought the same thing as us, hoping not to concede.

“Today, it felt like their goals came when they weren’t on top – they just scored them – it’s down to us, we have to take ownership of that.

“They scored three very similar goals as well, tap-ins from crosses.”