TRANMERE Rovers boss Micky Mellon admits losing to a stoppage-time goal at Colchester United was a 'real sucker punch'.

Junior Tchamadeu's explosive strike in the fifth minute of time added on secured the U's a 1-0 victory, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

It leaves Tranmere three points off the League Two automatic promotion places, with seven games remaining.

Mellon said: “We were totally in control and it was a real sucker punch and as sucker punches go, that’s as big as they get.

“I think we should have had a foul, on the far side.

“I don’t think there was a person in the stadium who doesn’t think it’s a foul.

Gazette:

“Over the course of the whole game, we controlled it completely.

“We needed to be more clinical when we had some opportunities in the game.

“But for the amount of control that we had, we probably had to be a wee bit slicker with that final pass or a wee bit more aggressive in the 18-yard box.

“I don’t think we’ve had as much control in many games this season as we did today.

Gazette:

“But as you always know in football, if you don’t take that opportunity or you don’t create that option by being aggressive, then that’s what might happen.

“Then you’re relying on the referee to get things right and he’s got that one wrong.

“That’s allowed them to put us under pressure and they’ve taken the one change that they had over the course of the whole game and we’ve had a punch in the stomach."

Tranmere had 61 per cent of possession and 11 shots overall but managed just two efforts on target.

“The final ball let us down," added Mellon.

“For the amount of control that we had, we needed to show a bit more quality in the final pass or be a wee bit more aggressive, in the 18-yard box.

Gazette:

“But over the course of the game, there was only one team that was in complete control but we had to show more quality.

“But we certainly didn’t deserve to lose the game, that’s for sure.

“The lads are gutted because of the way that the game went.

“But all we can do is to keep going.

“No words are going to make it feel any better but we’ll have to take our medicine over the weekend and then Monday morning, all you can do is go again.”