10:48am Wednesday 28th March 2012
By Jonathan Waldron
Colchester United manager John Ward is already looking forward after his side surrendered their unbeaten run last night.
The U's hopes of reaching the League One play-offs this season look all but over following their 3-1 defeat at Walsall.
Colchester lie tenth in the table and are nine points off the play-off places, with seven games to play.
Ward said: "You have to keep going though and look to the next opportunity.
"There's no respite and we have seven more games of football to play.
"Regardless of the play-offs, we have to go and play matches."
Ward admitted his side's punishing recent fixture programme took its toll last night.
Their game at the Banks's Stadium was their ninth in the space of 32 days.
"It was a game too far for us," conceded the U's boss.
"The best team won in the end and that was Walsall.
"We didn't have that sharpness about our play that we'd displayed in recent games.
"We've tried very hard and there was a lot of huff and puff but we couldn't get it right.
“We’ve had a fantastic month and the number of games we’ve played shouldn’t be an excuse.
“I brought Tom Eastman off because I thought he was treading water a bit.
“He’s a young boy just starting out in his career but perhaps it was one game too far for him.
“But the rest of the boys should be strong enough to deal with it."
See Wednesday's Gazette for more on the U's game at Walsall.
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