COLCHESTER United boss Danny Cowley insists he is staying focused on his own team after they dropped into the League Two relegation zone following a 1-1 draw at Tranmere Rovers.

Alistair Smith cancelled out Kieron Morris’s opener for the hosts, as the spoils were shared at Prenton Park.

Sutton United and Forest Green both won to leave the U’s in the bottom two and a point adrift of safety with seven games remaining but boss Cowley said: “We can’t control what happens elsewhere so why would I put any energy into that?

READ MORE: Match report as Colchester play out draw at Tranmere Rovers

“We have three games in hand on Sutton and games in hand on Forest Green.

“We take four points from this weekend.

“I think Tranmere since Nigel Adkins has taken over have got one of the best home form in the division.

"We tried to win the game and I think anyone here could see that but we take a point and move forward."

Colchester were forced to defend for most of the first half hour, with Tranmere starting well.

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After both teams had scored, Colchester goalkeeper Owen Goodman made a good save from Morris, skipper Connor Hall cleared off the line and Apter, Connor Jennings and Regan Hendry also all went close for Tranmere before the end of the first half.

"It wasn't an easy first half an hour," said Cowley.

"We lost the ball too often, we were a bit scruffy in possession and I thought we were a little bit untidy and as a consequence, kept giving the ball back to them.

"When you keep giving the ball back to the opposition, you have to run harder and you lose your power and then you start to fall off of duels.

READ MORE: Tranmere Rovers 1 Colchester United 1 - as it happened

"But at the back end of the first half, we started to get a foothold and control and we had really, really good chances, firstly Ellis (Iandolo) and then Bradley (Ihionvien) had a really good chance and then Cam (McGeehan) has another really good chance.

"In the second half, I thought we were the better team.

"You didn't have to watch the game, you just had to listen to the (home support).

"They were up in the first half an hour, then they went really quiet and then got really frustrated and I think that's because we were probably able to control the game, from 30 minutes onwards.

"We looked a good team in the second half and I thought we had good control, in the game.

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"I thought we had some really good opportunities and for the away team, we'd have liked to have taken one of the opportunities that we created.

"We weren't able to so then, if you can't do that, then you need to make sure that you don't get beat and we accumulate another point, four from the weekend."

Cowley was full of praise for goalscorer Smith, who scored with a fine strike from the edge of the box that flew into the far corner of the net.

Cowley said: "It was one hell of a strike.

"He looked like he was going to score (against Newport) last Friday when he hit the bar and the goalkeeper made a great save.

"He said to me before the game 'it's coming, it's coming' and what a fantastic strike."