Colchester United boss John McGreal has revealed the reason behind his decision to leave out goalkeeper Dillon Barnes for their game against Crawley Town.

Barnes had started all 12 of the U's games in League Two prior to being replaced by U's player-coach Rene Gilmartin for the game against the Reds, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

The 22-year-old had also started Colchester's final two games of last season.

But he found himself among their substitutes for the first time in their current league campaign, with former Watford shot-stopper Gilmartin handed his league debut for the club.

U's boss McGreal said: “Dillon’s done terrifically well – he’s a young lad who’s played two games at the end of last season and 14 on the bounce.

“Sometimes, young lads need a mental break and I just thought that it was a good time for Dillon to step out of it and try and take the heat off a little bit.

“Rene gives us that experience and we needed to get back in a way to competition all over the pitch, not that we haven’t with the under-23s.

“I think Rene, being that little bit more experienced, can do that as well."

McGreal was delighted to see his side bounce back from their defeat at Stevenage with a 3-1 victory over Crawley.

Goals from Sammie Szmodics, Frank Nouble and Luke Norris helped the U's claim three points to move up to sixth in the League Two table.

It was the perfect response to Colchester's defeat by the same scoreline at Stevenage, last weekend.

“We try to analyse it and not been too down about a defeat because at the end of the day, it’s only three points.

“We’re still in October so why be doom and gloom when there’s so much to play for and 30-odd games left, so the quicker you can move on as a group and go to the next game as quickly as possible, the better.

“I found that as a player."

Meanwhile, Colchester will check on the fitness of Harry Pell tomorrow.

The midfielder went off with a calf injury in the closing stages of the U's win over Crawley.