COLCHESTER United manager Aidy Boothroyd admits he had a bit of a domestic row with his players at half-time against Walsall.

Stuart Watson

Boss let rip at them indoors

By Stuart Watson

COLCHESTER United manager Aidy Boothroyd admits he had a bit of a domestic row with his players at half-time against Walsall.

The previously watertight U's had looked as fragile as they have done under their new manager in the first half on Saturday and they could count themselves lucky to be level at 1-1 come the break.

As a result, the home side were in the dressing room for just a couple of minutes at the interval before Boothroyd sent them back out for a second warm-up of the afternoon.

Assistants Joe Dunne and John Ward then brought the players into an on-pitch huddle and, following extensive discussions, Colchester improved tenfold upon the restart.

“I did have a few words to say because we set high standards here,” admitted Boothroyd.

“It's like when you have an argument with your wife. You tend to come out, put a brave face on and pretend you've not had a row.

“I'm lucky that I can trust two very, very capable guys I work with (Dunne and Ward).

“Sometimes you have to gauge when it's right to be absent and went it's right to be present. This time I said what I had to say and got out the way.

“I thought Walsall were far better than us first half, but in the second half the guys got themselves together and there was only team that would go on and win it.

“I can pick holes in the performance, but we know we are not going to play well in every minute of every game. Thankfully we came through it.”

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings - the man whose boots Boothroyd used to clean as a player at Huddersfield - was left to rue defeat.

He said: “We have come away from a club doing well in the league knowing we should have got something.”

Boothroyd is now unbeaten in nine games as Colchester manager - the Essex side having now won four successive home games.

And with Leeds and MK Dons both losing on Saturday, the U's are back up to third in the League One table and are just two points off the league summit.

“It's nice to be back in third, but you don't win anything in November,” said Boothroyd. “We'll have a look at the table but that's nice just for now, we know we've got another tough game coming up.”