COLCHESTER United head coach Hayden Mullins had praise for his attacking players after his side's 2-1 win over Scunthorpe United.

Freddie Sears and Armando Dobra both scored first-half goals for the U's in their victory, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

The duo both impressed throughout as did the likes of Sylvester Jasper and Noah Chilvers, as the hosts claimed a welcome win.

Mullins, who made four changes to his side for the game including recalling loan duo Dobra and Jasper, said: “The boys started exactly how we wanted them to.

“We really went at them, went 1-0 up and we were clinical again.

“It was a good start.

“Armando’s goal was a fantastic finish and it was a great start to the game.

“I thought he’d scored the first goal to be honest with you!

“But I asked him and he was quite honest and said it was Freddie’s goal – I’m not sure Freddie would have been so honest!

“He’s such a good little dribbler that you want to really try and isolate him, one v one.

“We asked him to stay really wide and try and get ball wide and try and give their full-backs a horrible time.

“I think Dobs coming inside and finishing how he did was fantastic.

“If Sylv (Jasper’s) shot that hit the bar had dropped in under the crossbar, it would have been fantastic for him.

“Sylv and Dobs are two bright young players and it’s just a shame that Sylv blew up a little bit in the second half but that’s just game time and he’ll get more of that.

“It was fantastic from those two lads today."

Colchester were well in command at the break, leading by two goals.

But Scunthorpe improved after half-time and Harry Davis's late strike gave the visitors hope, in the closing stages.

Mullins said: “We had a look at them and we knew that they’d be a back three.

“They’re big guys and we thought that they might think that we’d go back three.

“We had to change it today and try and move them and I think the boys did really well.

“We were very positive in what we did.

“They changed it at half-time and we had to react to it, which put us out of our stride a little bit.

"I thought towards the end of the first half, we started to relax a little bit, almost like the game was over.

"I don't think they posed too many question of us and then we started the second half a bit slowly.

"It was a little bit flat after half-time - maybe there was a bit of anxiousness, I don't know.

"We needed to try and freshen it up and Frank (Nouble) gave us what we needed.

"The longer it goes on home, the more positive we'll get and the braver we'll be."