Frankie Kent insists that Colchester United “will get it right,” following their disappointing start to 2018.

The U’s have not won since a 2-0 success at Crawley Town on Boxing Day, a winless run stretching to six matches and featuring just four points gained from a possible 18.

John McGreal’s men were so near to ending their drought against Port Vale on Saturday, only for Dave Worrall to divert home an 87th minute equaliser to force a 2-2 draw at Vale Park.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the play-off chasing U’s, and centre-half Kent in particular.

“It felt like a defeat, and it was quite hard to take, to be fair,” admitted Kent.

“I thought we defended really well and we dealt with everything that they threw at us for the most part of the game, until they scored their late equaliser.

“That goal killed us. We are disappointed with it because we could have got out to the ball quicker and stepped up quicker.

“It was just one of those things. We have to deal with it.

“The ball was coming straight at Tom Lapslie. It took a deflection off his foot and a deflection off their lad’s (Worrall’s) foot and it went in. It was just one them.

“We are so near and yet so far at the moment.

“But we ARE going to get it right. I think you could see that in our second-half performance the previous week (1-1 draw against Grimsby), and this latest performance, other than the last two minutes, that we are very close.

“I’m just gutted,” added Kent.

The U’s two highlights from Saturday was teenager Courtney Senior marking his full league debut with the opening goal, and Drey Wright netting his long-awaited first goal of the season.

“They were big goals for the pair of them. They were very important,” continued Kent.

“It was obviously Courtney’s first start, having done brilliantly the previous couple of weeks coming on as a substitute, when he has changed the game.

“Drey then got his first goal to get him off the mark. Hopefully they will be a turning point in both their seasons, especially Drey’s, because he has just been missing that goal. He’s had everything else,” added Kent.

The U’s entertain Newport County on Saturday.