‘It is a big three points’ – McGreal after U’s win at Port Vale

Colchester Unired boss, John McGreal. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: � Stephen Waller)

Courtney Senior set the tone with a fifth minute opener, before Harry Pell doubled the lead on 17 minutes and then netted a candidate for goal of the season with his second and the U’s third in the 69th minute.

As a result, the U’s have climbed four places to move up from eighth to fourth in the League Two table, and are just one point outside the automatic promotion zone.

McGreal said: “You can say we are back, but I don’t think we have ever been away!

“We had an indifferent 45 minutes of football over the holiday period, and we were just not able to get the goals.

“We hit the bar early on, at which point I was hoping that it wasn’t going to be a repeat of us not being able to score.

“But the boys have continued to believe and they are now getting the rewards for their hard work.

“It was a tough game for us, make no mistake, so I’m delighted with the three points for us.

“It was a dream start for us, taking the lead early on, especially with our lack of goals of late.

“That had not been for the lack of trying, and today we managed to put the ball in the back of the net.

“Courtney (Senior) seems to like playing against Port Vale. He always seems to score against them and I think the wide pitch helps him and his game.

“Harry (Pell) was terrific again. We rested him over the Christmas period, which he wasn’t too best pleased with, but this is why, with a performance like today.

“Harry won every head today and he provided two terrific finishes.

“There was a 15-minute window just before half-time when Port Vale got their tails up, but Rene Gilmartin pulled off a wonderful save.

“If that had gone in, then it would have been a different game.

“This is our first win of 2019, but the boys have never not lost belief. It was a big three points for us today,” added McGreal.