John McGreal admitted the result was the most important factor after his Colchester United side saw off Cheltenham Town 2-0 this afternoon.

Goals from Tom Eastman and Brennan Dickenson gave the U's victory at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, extending their unbeaten run to seven matches in League Two.

It made it three wins out of three over the festive programme for the U's and although it was not a vintage display, boss McGreal was delighted with the result.

McGreal said: “We’d love to play better especially at home because the performance at Stevenage ticked a ton of boxes.

“We weren’t able to do that performance-wise (against Cheltenham) but results at this moment in time are what’s most important.

“There’s different ways to win football matches and Cheltenham play in a different way to Stevenage.”

Colchester led from the tenth minute through Eastman's headed goal from Owen Garvan's free-kick.

And Dickenson lashed home their second with six minutes remaining, following good play by Chris Porter.

“To get that early goal was fantastic,” added McGreal.

“It was a great ball in by Owen Garvan and a great header by Tom (Eastman).

“In the second half we looked out on our feet at times but credit to the boys, they put their bodies on the line at times when it was tight at 1-0.

“I thought we should definitely have had a penalty in the first half for handball and we also had one or two other opportunities that fell to Ports (Chris Porter) where we could have been a couple of goals in front.

“But we weren’t and it was tight throughout the second half.

“But full credit to the boys, because they got the second goal and it came at a good time for us."