WAYNE Brown admitted he was disappointed with his Colchester United side’s response to conceding goals following their 2-0 reverse against Newport County this afternoon.

Goals in each half from Joss Labadie and Padraig Amond condemned the U’s to defeat at the JobServe Community Stadium and left them seven points above the League Two drop zone.

It was a disappointing afternoon for Colchester, whose misery was compounded when Frank Nouble was sent off in the second half after picking up two bookings in quick succession.

U’s interim first-team coach Brown said: “If I’m honest, I didn’t think that there was a great deal in the game in the first half.

“Our approach and the way that we went and high pressed them was successful without really getting any end product and I didn’t think they got through us too many times.

“If I’m ultra-critical, we could have stopped a couple more crosses in the first half that got through but I didn’t really think they hurt us.

“We switched off with the two midfield runners and that has cost us.

“But you’re going to go behind in football matches and it’s the reaction after that, that was disappointing.

“There was nothing in the game.

“You have to give Newport credit; we highlighted that kind of quality before the game as one of their strengths.

“It was disappointing to go behind but it’s about how you react, when you do go behind.

“You want a reaction – you want a lift, you want voices, you want leaders to get back into the game of football.

“I thought we lacked quality at times in the final third which maybe let us down and even in the second half, there was nothing in the game.

“It was a real poor challenge by Clamps in the corner when he’s no need to tackle and he’s just inviting pressure into the box.

“You go 2-0 down and then it is a massive uphill struggle and when you’re down to ten.”

Nouble received his marching orders just before Newport added a second goal, after picking up two yellow cards in the space of a few minutes.

The on-loan forward was dismissed in the 76th minute for a foul on Liam Shephard and a trip on Josh Sheehan.

Nouble will now miss Colchester’s trip to play Harrogate Town, on Tuesday night.

Brown added: “It’s about managing the game, managing your own individual performances, keeping your head in certain instances.

“I didn’t see the second booking for Frank, if I’m honest – I was getting the ball.

“There’s got to be a bit of common season – yes, don’t give the referee or the fourth official a decision to make but there was no malice in it.

“It was disappointing and Frank is going to be a miss for one game at least and these are just things you could do without in a situation that you find yourself in, when you are trying to pick points up.”