Colchester United chief Steve Whitton is already making plans to extend two-goal hero Graham Barrett's loan from Premiership giants Arsenal.

The exciting Republic of Ireland Under-21 international earned high praise from the U's boss after capping a man-of-the-match performance with his first ever League goals in yesterday's 3-2 win at Northampton.

Whitton said: "Graham's a great lad who wears his heart on his sleeve, as he showed yesterday when getting in where it hurts to head in his second goal.

"His two goals will have done his confidence a power of good and from what I saw of him yesterday, and the other games he has figured in so far, gives me great encouragement to see if we can keep him longer.

"He has come to us with a great appetite to play after not been given much of a chance in his other loan spells at Crewe and Bristol Rovers.

"He's quick and his control and hold-up play is excellent and he did a great job for us at Northampton yesterday."

The win dumped the luckless Cobblers on the bottom of the Second Division table while earning the U's their first League double of the season and their first Boxing Day win anywhere in 13 years.

"There was a great atmosphere on the team coach coming home last night," said a delighted Whitton.

"The lads were in great spirits and there was plenty of singing. There confidence is sky high and it's fantastic what a few good results can do. We must all enjoy moments like this when they happen and everybody is very happy.

"This win has given us a great start to the second half of the season and we must now kick on and carry on picking up points away from while maintaining our good home form at the same time.

"We made the win at Northampton difficult for ourselves by falling a goal behind, but once we moved three-one ahead we should have gone on and killed them off.

"If we carry on picking up points the play-offs could be possibillity."

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Published Thursday December 27, 2001