Colchester United head coach John McGreal admits losing their unbeaten home league record was tough to take after they were beaten 2-1 by old foes Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon.

But while the U's boss felt his side deserved more from a close contest, he admitted they were not clinical enough again at both ends of the pitch.

Brandon Hanlan had cancelled out Nathan Tyson's opener in his first-ever league start for Colchester.

But experienced striker Craig Mackail-Smith won the game for Wycombe midway through the second half, to inflict upon the U's their first league defeat at the Weston Homes Community Stadium since March.

McGreal said: "It hurts to lose that home record but you can't fault the boys.

"They've gone to win a game of football again but we're just not clinical enough in both boxes.

"We have to be a lot tougher defensively but also in the other box and to only score the one goal isn't good enough really.

"What's hurting us at the moment is that we're not scoring goals at the right time.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game which it was but when you're creating the clearcut chances that we're creating, we should be scoring them.

“Their keeper has had one of the games of his life.

“He made four or five different class saves and there was one off the line.

“Their goals have come from rebounds that have fallen to them but their first goal is obviously poor defending.

“But looking at the game overall, we had 17 or 18 shots on goal with ten or 11 on target and we keep going back to us not being sharp enough in both boxes.

“We’re not clinical enough in the opposition’s box and that’s the tale of our season at this moment in time – it’s tough to take.

“We have to take it on the chin, keep going and believe in what we doing.

“We have to keep working hard and we’re not that far away.

“When you look at the stats and the performance and their goalkeeper’s performance, the boys have put in a shift and we’re unlucky not to come away with a point, never mind the three."