COLCHESTER United head coach Ben Garner felt his side deserved more from their game with Mansfield Town after they lost 2-0 on the final day of the League Two season.

Goals from Riley Harbottle and substitute James Gale in stoppage-time in each half condemned the U's to a second successive defeat, leaving them with a 20th-place finish.

Despite their win, Mansfield missed out on the play-offs by a single goal, following results elsewhere.

Garner, who made four changes to his starting line-up for the game, said: “I thought we should have got something from the game.

“It was another pleasing performance against a side who missed out on the play-offs by a goal, in terms of long spells of the game I thought we were the better side.

Gazette:

"We had to make some changes today and we had a few injuries and a suspension so we gave some opportunities for players to come in who had trained really well and deserved their opportunity to play.

"There were lots of positives and also lots of lessons for me, moving ahead to next season.

"There was a little bit of pinball a couple of times and it wouldn't go in for us.

"I thought we had some good positions in the first half.

"We're disappointed with the goal in the first half because a, it's not a foul and b, they never gave it.

"So it was frustrating from that point of view but overall, I'm really pleased with the effort from everyone since I came in through the door.

"Mansfield are a really strong side.

Gazette:

"Nigel (Clough) is a really good manager and it's disappointing for them to miss out so narrowly but they will be another strong side in this division, next season, for sure."

Colchester are now planning for next season, after Garner led them to safety after taking charge in early March.

“I think the season is probably finishing at the right time now, in terms of mission accomplished," said Garner.

“We’ve done what we set out to do when we came in and now we’ve got an opportunity to reshape the squad a little bit, build on the good core players that are here.

“We don’t want to be where we are in the table, next season – we want to be pushing for promotion.

“Looking at the teams coming in, both from below and dropping down, it’s going to be a really tough league next season so we have to work hard in the summer to make sure we’re in a strong place.”