Colchester United manager, John McGreal, was delighted with his side’s impressive 3-1 home win over Crawley Town this afternoon.

East Anglian Daily Times: Rene Gilmartin, a surprise inclusion in the U's starting XI against Crawley on Saturday, makes a crucial save moments after the U's had taken a 1-0 lead. Picture: STEVE WALLERRene Gilmartin, a surprise inclusion in the U's starting XI against Crawley on Saturday, makes a crucial save moments after the U's had taken a 1-0 lead. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

The U’s made it five wins from seven home games this season, as goals from Sammie Szmodics, Frank Nouble and Luke Norris secured an impressive victory over their Sussex visitors.

“We’re continuing to get the results at home, and I thought we kept our composure well after conceding what we thought was a very harsh penalty,” explained McGreal, with reference to Luke Prosser’s foul on Luke Gambin – there seemed to be no contact.

McGreal continued: “We felt very hard down by with that decision, coming on the back of the previous weekend’s penalty decision (3-1 defeat at Stevenage).

“We could have been 2-0 or 3-0 up, before they scored, but a few words were said at half-time and we scored a good second goal.

“Of course we had to dig in. We defended well,” added McGreal.

Striker Norris, who bagged the crucial third goal in the 90th minute, revealed: “We were on the wrong end of another poor decision by the referee (Trevor Kettle).

“It was a blatant dive, and it was a bit annoying.

“It all got a bit heated, and their lad (Gambin) has admitted that it was a dive.

“He conned the referee, but I thought we channelled our frustration very well into a good second-half-performance,” added Norris, who has now scored eight goals this season.

The U’s are up to sixth in the League Two table.