Colchester United boss Steve Whitton has defended his players after relegation candidates Blackpool came within an ace of recording their first win at Layer Road.

The Tangerines, currently struggling in the Second Division's bottom three, threatened to record their first win in nine outings to the ground with a sizzling second half display after Karl Duguid had shot the U's ahead inside the first minute.

Blackburn loanee James Thomas pulled a goal back on 66 minutes, but the U's held on for a draw and a valuable point that might already be enough to secure their Division Two status for a third successive season.

Whitton, who is looking for 52 points for certain safety, said: "Getting across that finishing line is proving very difficult for us, but I will be very surprised if we don't pick up another four or five points from our remaining games.

"Our first half play and passing was excellent, but after Dugy had shot us into the lead I felt we could be in trouble if we didn't score again.

"But Blackpool deserve a lot of credit. They had to win and their manager Steve McMahon gambled by throwing on an extra striker at half-time which meant they were playing with three up front, but were very open at the back.

"Unfortunately we couldn't take advantage of the changes and invited more pressure on ourselves in the second half by defending to deeply - not for the first time this season.

"More experienced defenders would have played further up field, but we had up to five lads out there playing their first full season of League football and that experience will come.

"We made a lot of wrong decisions on the ball after the break, but for those fans who criticised me for not making changes I felt there was nothing wrong with our system or the players already out there.

"I felt it was more important that we didn't lose the game. The draw takes us a point closer to mathematical certainty of Division Two football next season."

Nice start, shame about the rest - Karl Duguid celebrates his opening goal against Blackpool

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