Danny Cowley hails ‘terrific’ Colchester performance in win at Grimsby

Manager Danny Cowley praised the resilience shown by Colchester to beat high-flying Grimsby 2-1 at Blundell Park in a physical affair.

A double from 18-year-old forward Micah Mbick turned the game around for the away side after Kieran Green headed the Mariners in front early on.

Having won in Cleethorpes last season, the U’s were able to replicate their efforts to win back-to-back league games for the first time this season.

It is all a work in progress for Cowley and his team following a slower-than-expected start to the campaign but he liked what he saw in this game.

He said: “It was a very good win for us against a very good Grimsby team.

“I meant it in the lead-up when I said they were the best team we’ve seen in the league this season, so it was a terrific performance from us.

“We had a really good start with a clear-cut chance but they scored from a corner, which was frustrating.

“It is never easy to come from behind with the home crowd behind them, and we had to suffer a little bit, but we showed a level of determination, quality and grit that this group are still developing.

“Micah got the two goals and what a kid he is because he came off thinking he should have had three, which shows the mentality he has.

“They only really had two big chances in the game, including a goal, which is a testament to our defensive organisation and how compact we were.

“I think the referee allowed a lot, which made it a physical game, and both teams were stretching the rules at times but we were organised and professional.”

For Grimsby, it was a frustrating afternoon with David Artell bemoaning how his team approached the second half after Colchester had levelled a few minutes before the break.

Artell said: “I thought we were okay in the first half but we stopped passing the ball in the second half and were victims of our own downfall in that sense.

“We’ve set a much higher standard for how we play this season than what we showed in the end there.

“I said to the players that if I wanted a team that prioritised the physical side of the game then three-quarters of them wouldn’t be here because that is not how we usually play.

“We’ve got to be much better in possession and have the courage to pass the ball to each other.

“If we concede by trying to play then it is on me because that is how we want them to play and the fans are used to seeing a Grimsby team that pass, build and create chances.”