Head in the hands time for Steven Gillespie

JOHN Ward has dismissed U’s fans who chanted ‘Ward out’ near the end of Saturday’s dismal 2-1 home defeat to League One bottom club Chesterfield.

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The Colchester boss was subjected to barracking by a section of home fans at the Weston Homes Commmunity Stadium after the U’s became the first team to lose to Chesterfield in the league for 17 matches.

Supporters chanted for the manager’s head and then sung ‘what a load of rubbish’ at the end of some pretty shocking fare – which still could have resulted in a point had Ian Henderson not spurned a golden late chance.

Of the chants, Ward said: “Arsene Wenger is not very good at the moment. (Andre) Villas-Boas is probably not very good at the moment. I think it is a trend that football manager’s tend to get it.

“I like Ian Henderson and he will play again next week, but he misses a chance and it is my fault. It is the way of the world and it comes with the job.

“I asked them (the players) to be patient with their football and they did with the chance at the end with Ian, but he couldn’t take it – which would have altered this conversation and everyone’s views of the situation.

Steven Gillespie equalised 36-year-old Jack Lester’s sixth minute opener but Chesterfield won when Josh Thompson nodded in what proved to be the winner in the final minute of the first half.

And the U’s striker said: “We conceded a bit of a sloppy first goal, but Jack Lester has played at a much higher level than this. His legs might be on the way out but he knows the positions and he scored a good header – he has done that throughout his career.

“I managed to score a goal and from there, we were much the better side. We just took a killer blow for their second.”