Colchester United boss John McGreal on Salford City win

COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal admits it was a great feeling to see his side bag a last-gasp winner to beat Salford City 1-0 this afternoon.

Harry Pell nodded in a 93rd-minute winner to spark jubilant scenes at the JobServe Community Stadium and leave the U's a point off the play-off places, in League Two.

McGreal said: “It was one of the best feelings.

“We don’t get many feelings like that when we score in the 93rd minute.

“But credit the boys – I thought in the last 15-20 minutes we came on really strong.

“Even though we dominated possession and had 20-odd shots with four or five on target, they made it a tight game.

“When you look at the experience in their team and the quality they had on the pitch at times, you have to give them credit.

"But we kept plugging away and that's the big thing.

"The fans were all there to see the winner right at the end and it was a hard-fought win.

"It was a great win for us, at the beginning of the month.

"It looked as though it was going to finish as a 0-0, not for the want of trying.

"But then big Harry stepped up and did what he does best.

"He's put his head on it and got us a magic three points."

Pell marked his first 90 minutes for Colchester since returning from a three-month injury lay-off by scoring their dramatic winner against Salford.

He nodded in after Frank Nouble had flicked on a corner to score a vital goal for the U's.

“Pelle (Harry Pell) needs games – he’s been out for a number of weeks and has been a little bit indifferent and he knows that himself," said McGreal.

“But the more games he gets, you know what he gives you.

“He brings you personality and he brings you goals from midfield, which is a big thing we’ve missed this season and he’s been able to pop up with one."

Colchester are now unbeaten in their last five games in League Two, much to the delight of McGreal.

The U's boss added: "It's brilliant - we've taken 11 points from 15 in our last five games.

"We're a point outside the play-offs with a game in hand on a couple of teams around us.

"We're going into a really congested fixture period and we need to rotate the squad to keep players happy and keep that unity.

"If you look at the celebrations, we showed that unity."