COLCHESTER United boss Hayden Mullins praised the character of his side following their superb 3-2 triumph at Barrow.

The U's fell behind to Jordan Stevens' strike, at the Dunes Hotel Stadium.

But two goals in the space of three minutes from Alan Judge and Freddie Sears turned the League Two match on its head, before half-time.

After Luke Chambers was red carded, Ollie Banks equalised from the spot for Barrow in the 76th minute.

But Eastman headed in a dramatic 80th-minute winner for Colchester and celebrated with their 120 travelling fans, as the U's moved up to eighth in the table.

Mullins said: "For every bit of talent you have in the dressing room, you need character as well and we showed that in abundance.

"Barrow are a good side - it's been a long day and it was a tough journey up here.

"I thought we kept them quiet in the first half albeit we gave them the goal but we showed character to come back in it.

"To lead the game at half-time was exceptional and it's always pleasing as a head coach when you stand on the touchline and see that from your team, that they have so much to give.

"Conceding the first goal really upset us and the crowd got behind them.

"It was a really good atmosphere and we wanted to come here and take the sting out of the game and I thought we did that, in the first half.

"We had to reset ourselves after they scored and we did that.

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"I thought Frank (Nouble) really gave them problems tonight and tried to get in and around them.

"We knew that in the second half, they would come at us.

"I thinkwe played into their hands a little bit and I don't think we were as positive in the second half, as we were in the first half.

"But maybe that was down to them, the way they forced the game and put us under a load of pressure - they made it tough for us, so credit to them.

"But the character we showed to come back and win especially after the sending off was fantastic and that was what really got us through."

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Mullins had praise for his match-winner Eastman, who came off the bench to score Colchester's winner.

"Tom Eastman has been on the sidelines for a couple of games now but he's been fantastic in training," said Mullins.

"He's been waiting for his chance and he came on tonight and I thought he was excellent and grabbed a goal for himself.

"It was a good header, I've been told - I didn't really see it from where I was.

"But even before that, Brendan (Wiredu) came flying in and went close and the energy was brilliant.

"We didn't want to sit and soak up, with ten men but it's hard to get that information over from the touchline because there's so much going on!

"We changed it a bit in the second half before Luke got sent off and we wanted to a back five to combat their front two.

"That went out of the window after five minutes after Luke got sent off so you have to readjust things.

"Noah (Chilvers) came on and did well and really settled us down and took the ball into the corner where he kept it for a while and that helped to slow the game down and get us up the pitch.

"Credit to him; he was unlucky not to play tonight."

Referee Simon Mather booked eight players in total and sent off both Colchester defender Chambers and Barrow's James Jones, after showing them two yellow cards apiece.

Mullins added: "I think the ref could have been a bit stronger.

"He gave a lot of fouls against us which could have gone the other way."