U's manager Joe Dunne spoke to BBC Radio Essex after his side's 2-0 win over Carlisle at Brunton Park, Dunne looking back on a three points earned which assured Colchester of avoiding relegation to League Two:
“Mission accomplished, we got the job done, we talked about getting the job done ourselves and I thought we were magnificent today. We had a gameplan which worked absolutely spot-on, we frustrated Carlisle, killed the game a bit and made sure that we were counter-attacking. We said at half-time we could go for it, we felt we could go for it and win the game. I am so pleased for all the players and staff who have worked extremely hard, the supporters who came up today. Now the hard work starts.
“We knew we had to stay in the game, we knew we had to play with two midfield players who would be combative. So, we went with Marcus Bean and Dave Wright to give us the experience, I thought Billy Clifford was picking up a lot of ball but he just needed to execute the pass a little bit quicker. The first goal was a very good move that led to the finish, two headers. We have worked hard this week in training, our focus has been good and I am so pleased for everybody.
“I thought we controlled the first-half, we gave away one or two silly free-kicks in the final third, we spoke about not doing that. I just felt that the game developed into exactly what we wanted it to, it was similar nearly enough to the Notts County game where the game cancelled itself out. We went for it and it is two clean sheets in a row, so eventually it doesn’t matter what other teams have done, we have done it ourselves.
“I said to Mark Kinsella on the sidelines that our first goal reminded me of John van’ t Schip’s header in 1988 against the Republic of Ireland when he span it in. To be fair I turned around and put my head in my hands when Billy Clifford hit the crossbar, and when I turned back around the ball was in the back of the net and I still don’t know how Gavin Massey did it. But, I don’t care how he did it and it was a good move for the goal.
“We had been talking all week in making sure we put everything to bed after last Saturday, we put everything to bed after half past ten on Monday morning. Then the rest of the week we trained with double sessions on Monday, we worked extremely hard on Tuesday and we have been in all week. We managed the journey yesterday, we had a stop halfway and I am just so pleased with the effort the players have put in and that is everybody who has played, who hasn’t played. Because, it was a life changing day and gladly we have come out of it intact."
“We don’t score many off set-pieces, we thought second phase today would help if we kept it alive. We did keep it alive for the second goal and the goalkeeper helped us a bit coming for it, but Tom Eastman did very well to finish it because he has generated some power on it, there wasn’t a lot of speed on the ball. So, he has had to use his neck muscles and I think once that went in that was it, we all knew it.
“The fans never gave up, they kept believing, they have had their doubts along the way, we have had a lot of ups and downs. But, we have all stuck together and we have taken it on the shoulders. It has been a steep learning curve for me, I took over when we were down the bottom and we finished in a higher position. We have come away from home under immense duress and we have won 2-0 and we are obviously delighted, but there has to be a loser and obviously commiserations to Scunthorpe.
“It could have been us but we now look forward to next season, our planning starts straight away, so we move on. I have had a lot of moments myself along the way, we have made a lot of sacrifices along the way and that is what has to happen. I am a new manager and I have got a young family and they come first, but they have had to come second for a lot of it. I just want to go home now and see them and enjoy the summer.
“I am just happy we are still in League One and I will deal with what I have got to deal with in terms of players and what targets I want to bring in. The fact we have stayed in this division today helps me and we are not far off, our club is going in the right direction. The determination of the chairman (Robbie Cowling) to do a three day bike ride to get here rubbed off on us and I even offered him to do the pre-match team talk on the back of it.
“I am pleased for him, he has done a hell of a lot for the club and he deserves a bit of credit, and we deserve a lot of credit for what we have done today. We have got a break now and we have earned it, we don’t want to celebrate being down at the bottom of the league but we will certainly celebrate our League One status. We have all taken the rollercoaster ride together and gladly we have all got off safely.”