COLCHESTER United boss Phil Parkinson endured the Boxing Day blues as he watched his side flatter to deceive at Swindon yesterday.Parkinson admitted that it was “one of those days,” after Robins front-runner Rory Fallon had headed home a last-gasp winner.

By Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United boss Phil Parkinson endured the Boxing Day blues as he watched his side flatter to deceive at Swindon yesterday.

Parkinson admitted that it was “one of those days,” after Robins front-runner Rory Fallon had headed home a last-gasp winner.

“It was a cruel way to lose, but we were not at our best today,” insisted Parkinson.

“The game was littered with stoppages, because the referee gave so many free-kicks. In fact, it was one of the slowest games I've seen in ages, with all the stops and starts.

“We didn't do the simple things well, as was reflected in their goal, when Richard (Garcia) took too many touches, gave the ball away, and suddenly we got hit on the counter-attack.

“Yet even though we didn't play that well, I still felt that we deserved a point.

“It's important that we remember what we've achieved lately. We have been on a terrific run, and have only lost one of our last 13 games,” added Parkinson.

Chances were few and far between throughout the game, although home keeper Rhys Evans did pull off a superb save to deny Mark Yeates from a free-kick during the second half.

“That was a fantastic save from Mark's free-kick. Strangely, I felt that we would go on to win the game from there,” explained Parkinson.

“I just sensed that Greg (Halford) would come up with a bit of magic, or Mark (Yeates) would get past their full-back. But it was not to be today. Our back four did well again, especially the likes of Wayne (Brown) and John (White). A draw would have been a fair result for what was a dull game,” added the U's boss.

Jamie Cureton, on loan from Swindon, was not allowed to play against his long-term team-mates.

Cureton's current loan package expires after the New Year's Eve trip to Brentford, and both the U's and the player himself have expressed a wish for the deal to be extended.

The decision ultimately rests with Swindon boss Iffy Onoura, and he was giving nothing away last night.

Onoura said: “Jamie (Cureton) still has a couple of matches left for Colchester, and I don't want to unsettle him by discussing his future. I will talk with Phil Parkinson after those two matches.”