Colchester United boss Wayne Brown proud of his side’s second half fightback in defeat at Mansfield Town

It was his first defeat as interim manager, but they were much improved in the second half and forced an unlikely late panic for Mansfield having pulled one back on 90+7 minutes and throwing everything at an equaliser that didn't come.

“If we are going to go down we go down fighting – and I thought we did that tonight. I didn't want the game to end,” he said.

“I was disappointed with the first half as I thought we didn't really lay a glove on them and were second all over the pitch.

“They had other opportunities and should have been more comfortable - and how the referee gave that as a backpass from a yard off the line was comical.

FULL MATCH REPORT AS STAGS BEAT COLCHESTER TO GO 10 GAMES UNBEATEN

“Mansfield are a reasonably direct team and we didn't really compete.

“They didn't have a game on Saturday so were fresher than us and that's how it looked.

“Questions were asked of them as a group at half-time and credit to us, head and shoulders we were the better team second half.

“We had chances at 1-0 down and you could visibly see there was panic set in with Mansfield at times as were were on top.”

Rhys Oates was allowed to race through from his own half to net Stags'opener from 25 yards and Brown said: “It was naivety, two of them are 18-years-old.

“If you are going to take one for the team and make a cynical foul you have to make sure it happens.

“We didn't and we got punished, though credit to the lad as it was a fine strike from 25 yards.

“They were blocking like their life depended on it in stoppage time as we'd managed to get one back and there was a bit of panic.”