John McGreal has described Ryan Inniss’ performance, during last weekend’s 2-0 home win over Mansfield, as “outstanding.”

The Colchester United boss was full of praise for his powerful centre-half, who arrived on loan from Crystal Palace for the season, on transfer deadline day at the end of August.

Inniss has had his share of injuries and knock-backs over the years, but the 22-year-old has certainly settled well at what his seventh different loan club.

He was unhappy with his first-half display, during the recent 2-2 away draw at Grimsby, but he has bounced back to play a big part in the U’s last two league games, which have yielded the first two clean-sheets of the season at Yeovil (1-0) and against the Stags.

“I must admit I thought Ryan was outstanding,” insisted McGreal, following the centre-back’s display against Mansfield.

“His defensive headers when the crosses were coming in were excellent. He was well organised, and he was sweeping in behind. He got in a tackle late on when the lad had got in down the side of him. I thought Ryan’s reading of the game was excellent.”

Likewise, McGreal was also delighted with the impact made by Tom Eastman, following his early introduction as a 20th minute substitute for an injured Kane Vincent-Young. Eastman had been nursing a sore hamstring for 10 days, and had missed the U’s last three matches.

“Tom (Eastman) came straight in. I think he had just one day’s training,” explained McGreal.

“It was a toss up between him and Cole (Kpekawa) for a place on the bench. I thought Cole did particularly well the other night (against Gillingham in the Trophy), and I considered putting him on the bench.

“You want an attacking bench, so that we can try to change things if we need to, to score goals.

“Tom got the nod (for a place on the bench) and he went straight back into the fire against a tough team. He did particularly well.”

The U’s bench against Mansfield looked the strongest it had been all season, with defender Eastman, classy midfielder Craig Slater (on the comeback from injury), fellow midfielder Brandon Comley and keeper Rene Gilmartin alongside front-runners Kurtis Guthrie, Nicke Kabamba and Sanmi Odelusi.

McGreal said: “The bench was the strongest it’s been all season. Players are missing out now who can’t even get a shirt as such.”