JOHN McGreal has praised the adaptability of his Colchester United players after they reignited their automatic promotion hopes.

The U’s were without defensive duo Frankie Kent and Kane Vincent-Young for the trip to Port Vale, due to back and toe injuries respectively.

Tom Eastman impressed in central defence in Kent’s absence and winger Brennan Dickenson shone at left-back in the 3-0 win, leaving boss McGreal with plenty to ponder ahead of this weekend’s clash with fellow promotion hopefuls Mansfield Town.

McGreal said: “We lost Kane and Frank, so we had to move players around again.

“If you look at Tom Eastman and Brennan Dickenson coming in, there’s something to think about going into next week because they were outstanding.

“Brennan was brilliant – he just stepped into the void left by Kane (Vincent-Young).

“He hasn’t played there regularly and as we know, he’s a winger but we had to play him at full-back.

“They changed their shape in the second half to a tricky winger and he’s dealt with it really well.

“Mika (Mandron) had to move into a different position, because Frank Nouble had been struggling all week with a groin strain.

“The boys did it for the cause knowing that it was a big three points for us.”

Colchester had a young bench at Port Vale; the average age of their substitutes was just 21 years old with five of them academy products.

“If you look at the bench, I’m not scared at all to put these boys in,” said McGreal.

“We’ve got the likes of Louis Dunne, Noah Chilvers, Ollie Kensdale, Diaz Wright and Ryan Gondoh just to name a few there on the bench.

“Along with our own boys on the field too, that’s what we’ve got.

“We’ve got these boys and even if they’re not coming on, it’s the experience in and around the environment.

“That’s what we’re trying to develop and create and keep.”

McGreal admits neither Kent nor Vincent-Young were close to being fit for their game at Port Vale.

Both have been regulars in Colchester’s starting line-up this season but missed out on the victory at Vale Park.

“Frank and Kane weren’t close at all.

“Frank has got a big spasm going on with his back where he does something and it tends to play up.

“Kane has a broken toe and it’s one where it could be a couple of weeks or whatever, so it’s as where we are.”