Colchester United head coach John McGreal admits the League Two play-offs now look a 'distant' prospect for his side after their 1-0 home loss to Yeovil Town, this afternoon.

Alex Fisher's 21st-minute strike condemned the U's to a third defeat in four matches and left them nine points off the top-seven places, with nine games remaining.

McGreal said: "The play-offs look really distant after today.

"It was all geared up to it being a defining week for us.

"It's probably better that we've got two away games now, because it does look as though the boys are under a little bit of pressure and you could see that, ten-15 minutes into the second half.

"We'll keep going and trying to win games of football and there are a lot of boys with contracts to think about."

Sammie Szmodics had an early penalty saved by Yeovil keeper Stuart Nelson, before Fisher struck the visitors' winner to inflict a second straight home defeat on Colchester following their 1-0 loss to Barnet, three weeks' ago.

"I went after the players at the Barnet game - I'm not making excuses but I think it was a different performance today," said McGreal, who confirmed Brennan Dickenson missed the game because of a quad injury.

“Had we got an early goal, I think it was a very different game.

“I thought we dominated the game in the first half and we had chances that we didn’t score and that’s been the crux of what’s happened this season really.

“We’ve missed those goalscorers that we had last season – we haven’t had them as much this season even though we create a lot of good play.

“We’ve got into the attacking third but we’ve just been wasteful and it’s about key moments in games.

“I’ve said that from day one and it’s still here with us today.

“We missed a penalty and that’s where we’re at.

“We’ve been beaten but I thought the lads put in a great shift and the numbers will back that up that and it’s not for the want of trying.

“It was definitely about our decision-making and quality – that’s where you can ask but the boys have put in a shift to try to get a win against a team we should be beating, looking at how we performed in the first half."