Goalscorer Brennan Dickenson refuses to use injuries as an excuse for Colchester United’s defeat

Brennan Dickenson looks to get past Crawley right-back Lewis Young during the U's 3-2 home defeat on Tuesday evening. Pixture: RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

The U’s were without 12 first-teamers, due to injury, with midfielder Sean Murray also unavailable due to the second of a three-match suspension.

And they looked rather depleted during last night’s reverse, despite Denny Johnstone giving them a 19th minute lead, and Dickenson pulling a goal back with a superb free-kick in the third of eight minutes of injury-time.

“I don’t think we can put this result down to all our injuries,” insisted left wing-back Dickenson, who has now scored nine goals this season.

“The boys that have come in have got more than enough ability to fill the roles that have become available, players like Matt Briggs, Alex Wynter and Kane Vincent-Young, who started the other night.

Denny Johnstone of Colchester United does battle with Mark Connolly of Crawley Town. Picture by Richard Blaxall/Focus Images Ltd +44 7853 364624 14/02/2017 (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

“We can swap the team around. We have the positivity and that belief to play the way we normally play.

“So we have no excuses for this result, or performance. We don’t use all the injuries as an excuse because we should be able to cope,” added Dickenson.

Meanwhile, U’s boss John McGreal said: “Every team in this division is going to miss that amount of (injured) players, the 12 or 13 that are currently out for us.

“But we can’t allow the players to take a bit of running to get into the team. We can’t allow that, because they have got to be up to speed straight away.

Tariqe Fosu of Colchester United looks to get past Conor Henderson of Crawley Town. Picture by Richard Blaxall/Focus Images Ltd +44 7853 364624 14/02/2017 (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

“The games are coming thick and fast, and we have another game on Saturday at Accrington, travelling up on the Friday.

“It’s not a time for us to feel sorry for ourselves. It is time for us to regroup and assess where we went wrong tonight.

“They were poor goals to give away on a night when generally we are a team who are difficult to beat. But that wasn’t the case tonight – we weren’t difficult to beat.

“Some of Crawley’s goals were clearly preventable. They were elementary mistakes, defensive mistakes.

Denny Johnstone celebrates scoring for Colchester (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

“We huffed and puffed late on, and got the second goal, but it wasn’t enough. However, I can’t fault the players again for all the effort that they put in.”

Jimmy Smith puts Crawley ahead (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Jimmy Smith equalises for Crawley Town with the first of his hat-trick goals in a 3-2 away win over the U's tonight (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Denny Johnstone celebrates scoring for the U's against Crawley. Picture: RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Denny Johnstone of Colchester United scores his sides first goal to make the scoreline 1-0 during the Sky Bet League 2 match between Colchester United and Crawley Town at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester Picture by Richard Blaxall/Focus Images Ltd +44 7853 364624 14/02/2017 (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Tariqe Fosu in action (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Crawely's Enzio Boldewijn battles with Colchester's Matt Briggs (right) on Tuesday night. Briggs should retain his place in the U's defence at Accrington today. (Image: �Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Tariqe Fosu on the ball for the U's. (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Rekeil Pyke of Colchester United. (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Ben Dickenson of Colchester United scores his side's second goal to make the scoreline 2-3. (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

Charley Edge of Colchester United during the Sky Bet League 2 match between Colchester United and Crawley Town at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)