WAYNE Brown has called on his Colchester United side to 'stand up and be counted' following their 2-1 home defeat to Hartlepool United.

The U's remain three points above the League Two relegation zone after two goals in four second-half minutes from Omar Bogle and Isaac Fletcher cancelled out Noah Chilvers' opener.

Colchester must now lick their wounds and prepare for a vital home clash with fellow strugglers Oldham Athletic and interim head coach Brown admits they must improve.

Brown said: “We need to be better as a man and we need to stand up and be counted.

“We have a tough game against Oldham here on Saturday and you either stand up to the challenge that lies ahead or if we concede a goal and go under like we did tonight, it will go one way.

“But that’s not going to be the case and we need to pick a team that’s going to go out in a war, on Saturday and that is what we will do.

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“We conceded really poor goals.

“The changes that we made tonight we made to have a right go at them.

“They had possession of the ball and we knew that would be the case.

“But as I said to the lads in there, you need the belief because on another day, we could have scored four goals tonight and we’re sitting here having a different conversation.

"There were a few ricochets in the box (for Hartlepool's first goal) but it shouldn't get that far.

"We can dress it up and say that's how things are going for us at the moment but ultimately we've got to be better to a man.

"Every goal is a mistake and every goal can be prevented.

"I can live with mistakes - of course I can - but ultimately, the game is won and lost in each box.

"Were we clinical enough in their box when opportunities come along? No.

"And are we ruthless enough in our own box? At the moment, no.

"But you brush yourself down and you go again on Saturday."

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Brown had rung the changes to his Colchester starting line-up for the Hartlepool clash, bringing John Akinde, Cameron Coxe, Noah Chilvers and Brendan Wiredu into the side.

The U's had led for nearly 50 minutes thanks to Chilvers' opener and Coxe hit a post, before Pools struck twice in quick succession to take the points.

"We picked a team for more legs and a team to get bodies into the box," said Brown.

"We got joy from that I felt in the game.

"It proved that with the first goal and then Coxy (Cameron Coxe) goes through one-on-one and hits the post but that's the way things are going for us at the moment.

"But we can't hide behind unlucky - unlucky doesn't get you anywhere.

"I hate that being that hard luck team or having a hard luck mentality - you make your own luck.

"I thought at times the lads did what we said - we got bodies into the box and had runners off big John (Akinde).

"We got into some real good positions, which was a real positive."

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Colchester felt they should have been awarded a second-half penalty when Owura Edwards appeared to be fouled by Timi Odusina in the area.

However, referee Declan Bourne waved away the claims and Brown was cautioned after it was deemed he took his protests too far.

Brown added: "The problem that we've got in the game is that you have to go down to get anything from referees and then you run the risk of diving.

"But ultimately, if it's a foul, it's a foul and it's happened outside the box where it probably started and ended inside the box...O has got to go down and the kid gets sent off.

"So you find yourself 1-0 up in a game of football, they're down to ten men and it's about giving yourself the best chance of winning games of football.

"But does he have to go down to get a decision from the men in purple? That's what is most frustrating.

"Apparently I was booked for waving my arms up and down so if you can get booked for that, then the game's gone."