MATTY Etherington felt Colchester United's 2-1 defeat at ten-man Wrexham was a 'missed opportunity' for his side.

The U's fell to a fifth successive league defeat at the Racecourse Ground, despite having a man advantage for more than an hour following George Evans' straight red card for a bad foul on Cameron McGeehan.

Jayden Fevrier's late strike proved only a consolation for Colchester, as strikes from Elliot Lee and a Zach Mitchell own goal condemned them to defeat in North Wales.

The defeat leaves the U's a place above the relegation zone.

READ MORE: Match report as Colchester United are beaten at Wrexham

Etherington said: “I think it was an opportunity missed.

“They obviously went ahead early on but I thought we started the game really good.

“We didn’t threaten their goal enough in the second half.

“I thought we were the better team in the first half.

“When they went down to ten men, we knew that they were going to sit off, 5-3-1, and plug up the gaps so it can be difficult.

Gazette:

“We spoke at half-time about what we need to do to try and affect them and I don’t think we did it well enough to be blatantly honest, and that was disappointing.

“We got the goal but it was too late.

“We could have carried more of a goal threat potentially but it was just disappointing the manner of the goals that we conceded.

“It’s really hampering us at the minute and making life a lot more difficult, when we are playing well.

READ MORE: Wrexham 2 Colchester United 1 - as it happened

"They were playing direct and obviously playing for (Ben) Tozer's throw-ins, trying to break the game up, playing for set plays etc and we didn't deal with it well enough.

"There's a bit of naivety to what we're doing and I think that's been a common theme, throughout the season.

"They (Wrexham) are a senior side but managing moments, getting on the ball, controlling the game especially 11 v 10 and doing it more consistently.

"We did it for large periods but I still think we could have been better at it."

Gazette:

Colchester sent on Ellis Iandolo for his first appearance since August along with John Akinde on the hour mark.

The pair made an impact but were ultimately unable to help the U's rescue a point.

"John and Ellis came on the pitch and made a difference," added Etherington.

"Ellis could only play half an hour today and is coming back from injury; we'd have liked to have got him on the pitch sooner but it did look better.

"John provides us with that box threat and it was his cross into the box for Jayden but it was too late."