Colchester United defender Connor Hall eager to work under Ben Garner

The U’s squad will take part in their first training session under their newly-appointed head coach at Florence Park today, ahead of their home clash with Stockport County this weekend.

Garner takes charge of a Colchester side who have lost their last three matches without scoring.

The U’s lie nine points above the League Two relegation zone and defender Hall says he is looking forward to working hard, under the new boss.

Hall said: “It’s another really big week with the new gaffer and we look forward to Saturday.

“He’s excited to get going and we’re excited to work with him.

“We’ll get to work this week and everyone’s looking forward to it.

“It’s a big 11 games now and we need to get points on the board but working hard on the training pitch with the new gaffer, I’m sure we’ll get that.”

Hall says captaining Colchester in their 2-0 defeat at Bradford City was a ‘brilliant moment’.

But the 29-year-old admits his pride at skippering the U’s was tempered by their painful 2-0 defeat, at the University of Bradford Stadium.

“It was a brilliant moment,” said Hall, who joined Colchester from League One side Port Vale, in January.

“I’m really happy to have worn the armband for the club.

“It’s something that I can be proud of.

“But I want to get points on the board and we didn’t do that, so I’m disappointed.”

Colchester were beaten at Bradford, after stoppage-time goals from Andy Cook and Scott Banks condemned the visitors to defeat.

Nevertheless, it was a solid all-round performance by the U’s who created chances and were unfortunate to take nothing from the game.

Hall added: “There are loads of positives to take into the Stockport game.

“On another day, we get a win or at least get a draw.

“We’ve just got to pick ourselves up and bounce back.

“We were very frustrated not to get anything out of the game and it’s just the way it’s going for us at the minute.

“We just need to be strong and stay together and keep working really hard and things will change.

“I think it was a lot better performance, especially going forward.

“We created a lot of really good chances which is positive.

“We just had to take one of those chances and get the rub of the green.

“We looked really bright and counter attacked really well, in the first half.

“We had control of the game and had a lot of passing in the second half, which we created chances off the back of.

“On another day, they go in and the scoreline is completely different.

“We were a lot more positive and on the front foot and as long as we keep working hard under new gaffer, things will change.”