DANNY Cowley insists there is no time for his Colchester United players to feel sorry for themselves following their 2-0 reverse at Barrow this afternoon.

The U’s conceded late in each half to slide to defeat at Holker Street, leaving them just two points above the League Two relegation zone following Forest Green Rovers’ win over Walsall.

Colchester now have back-to-back home games against Doncaster Rovers and Walsall coming up and boss Cowley admits his team must bounce back quickly.

Cowley said: “It’s not a time to feel sorry for ourselves or to be victims; we have to fight.

READ MORE: Match report as Colchester United slide to Barrow away defeat

“Up to this point in our journey, we’ve not been given anything.

“We’ve had to work for everything and we have to be proud to be professional footballers and worked really hard to get into the Football League and we’re not about to give that up easily.

“I didn’t see enough quality today but I saw enough togetherness, spirit, fight and endeavour.”

Colchester more than matched their high-flying hosts throughout a close affair in Cumbria.

Goals in stoppage time in each half from Kian Spence and substitute Sam Foley inflicted defeat on the U’s, who had a strong first-half penalty appeal turned down when Tyrell Warren appeared to handle in the area and were also upset with the free-kick awarded that led to Barrow’s opener, when substitute Riley Harbottle was ruled to have fouled Cole Stockton on the edge of the area.

“The decisions haven’t gone with us,” added Cowley.

Gazette:

“It was definitely a penalty in the first half and the referee was in a good position.

“And for the free-kick in the lead up to the (first) goal, I don’t understand how they can give that.

“The fact that it shouldn’t have been given is pretty hard to take.

“He (Spence) puts in the top corner and we’re 1-0 down in a game which we had pretty much dominance in.

“We certainly didn’t deserve to be 1-0 down at half-time but we came out in the second half and played with a huge amount of intensity, energy and endeavour.

READ MORE: Barrow 2 Colchester United 0 - as it happened

“We probably struggled to break down a very resolute team and the first goal was very important today against a team that go into a back five very quickly, particularly in the conditions that we played in today with it being really windy.

“We didn’t find that first goal and as a consequence, we made it very hard for ourselves but we’ve lost a game where Owen (Goodman) hasn’t had a save to make which is very frustrating for us.

“We have to suck up the disappointment, keep everyone close and take responsibility.

Gazette:

“Some decisions went against us but that will happen and we can’t control that.

“I don’t want to put any negative energy in that – I want us players and staff to go away and look at ourselves at what we can do better.

“We had some set pieces in the first half, the goalkeeper put one over the bar, we were in a position where we could have had a penalty but I don’t think we created as much as we would have liked.

“They didn’t either; I know they’ve won the game but if you look at it, I know they scored in the 95th minute, we’ve sent both centre-halves up and we’re chasing it.”