Colchester United shared spoils with Newport County

A late equaliser from Freddie Sears rescued a point for the U's, after they had trailed to Dom Telford's excellent first-half opener.

Telford had also hit the woodwork for the visitors after giving them the lead, while U's keeper Jake Turner made several good saves to keep the hosts in the game.

However, Colchester kept battling and got their rewards when Sears' impressively lifted the ball past Newport keeper Joe Day for the equaliser.

Mullins said: "I'm really pleased with the character of the boys and the effort in the second half, because Newport are a tough team to play against.

"They've got loads of energy and to get back into the game like we did showed real character again and I'm really happy with it.

"It's always tough to come back from a goal down against a decent side who always looked a threat on the counter-attack.

"We didn't start well at all - we were really, really slow and it didn't look like us.

"I think Tuesday (against Exeter) took a lot out of our team and we unnecessarily gave the ball away, in the first 20 minutes.

"It was down to us really and we were really the makers of our own downfall.

"I think their goal came from that and we played too much in front of them at times and made it a bit too easy for them.

"They pressed us quite well and won the ball back and they weren't far away from our goal when they won it.

"It's a big learning curve for them; they're on loan and trying to replicate performances and if you can be consistent most weeks, you'll play.

"They'll learn that but they're good players for us and they were a big part of our win against Exeter.

"He (Telford) is in real form but we turned it over in a really poor area and I think Armando will learn that.

“We spoke about those two boys getting higher and not coming too deep and trying to get it off the back four.

“You want to really try and test their defence and I think Noah (Chilvers) was a real key in us starting the second half; he was really good.

"It was a real ding-dong game; there were times they were countering on us in the final 20 minutes but that was us trying to get the win.

"I was trying to calm the boys down and say 'listen, there's ten to go, relax' and to regain our shape."

Sears bagged his eighth goal of the season in the 78th minute with a fine finish.

The former West Ham and Ipswich striker pounced on substitute Alan Judge's pass to expertly lift the ball past the advancing Day and into the net.

"Freddie Sears' goal is one of real quality," said Mullins.

"If there's any young lads and they get to see the replay of his movement before it happens, he makes three really subtle moves to get in.

"He's been doing that for the last three, four, five weeks and his finish was class.

"It's a great finish on his left foot.

"The goalkeeper is trying to narrow angles and he's out in no-man's land but it's still a tough, tough finish from that angle.

"He didn't have much to do up until that point and our final delivery from crossing areas wasn't good enough and there weren't enough people in the box, at times.

"But Freddie's finish was quality.

"Judgey is a real creative head to get back into the team.

"He's been out for a while, so we have to be a bit careful with him.

"I thought it was the right time to get him on - the game was opening up a bit and he sees passes and can execute them."