COLCHESTER United boss Hayden Mullins is adamant the goals will come for his side following their 2-0 defeat at Tranmere Rovers.

The U's have not scored in their last four matches in League Two, as they fell to a second successive defeat on Friday night.

Colchester have managed seven goals in their opening ten league matches but boss Mullins is confident that will change.

Mullins said: "It's one area that we need to improve at but I think the goals will come.

"It's not an area that I'm too fussed about.

"The performances for me are the first thing that I look at and for me in large spells, the performance at times at a tough place was good.

"It's football and you have spells - sometimes these guys will win four or five in a row and get a couple of draws and sometimes you'll lose three or four in a row.

"Sometimes you won't score for three or four games in a row and sometimes you will and you hit cycles.

"I'm a firm believer of that.

"At this moment, we haven't scored a few goals but I'm telling you now, with the players in there we will."

Colchester are now without a win in their last four matches in League Two, following their defeat at Tranmere.

Second-half goals from Josh Hawkes and Peter Clarke condemned the U's to their first away league loss of the season.

“Tranmere are a good side," said Mullins, who made four changes to his starting line-up for the game at Tranmere.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game and we had to weather the storm a little bit in the first half, which was good.

Gazette:

“We got into half-time at 0-0 and got a little bit stronger and comfortable going into the half-time break.

"Then I think the deflected goal took loads of wind out of our sail and came at one of our best periods, in the second half.

“I’ve said to the players that they gave everything and they’ve actually scored from us trying to close the ball down.

“I don’t know where the ball was going but it takes one or two deflections and flies in the opposite side of the net.

“You earn your luck and we created a few chances towards the end of the game, which we unlucky not to get.

“It’s tough to take.

“I know the players have been working hard and to concede a goal like that does kind of take you back a little bit.

“I think we lost our way a little bit after that and then they get the second one, which is definitely one that we’ve got to defend better.

“I think the boys kept going right until the end and created a number of chances themselves.

“It was a great atmosphere with a good crowd who made some real good noise and backed the home team.

“They picked up and drummed up a lot of tempo and it was tough at times for the boys.

“It was good to see us digging in.

“Our away form has been good at times and one of the reasons for that is because we can soak up a bit of pressure and look solid.

“But it had to go at some point and Tranmere are a good side.

"We knew that there would be uncomfortable moments in the game which there were and it's about spending those difficult moments together, seeing them out and being positive.

"We did that well in the first half and it was tough to take, with the goal."