Darren Sarll has jumped to the defence of Joe Fryer after a mistake from his young goalkeeper in the build-up led to Colchester United’s equaliser against Stevenage.

Fryer came for a ball played the left-hand side of the box and didn’t get there and from the pull back Mikael Mandron fired into the top corner.

But Sarll made sure that any finger of blame was kept well away from the on-loan Middlesbrough stopper.

He said: “Of course [I’m disappointed with the goal conceded] but there’s so much praise for Joe for his save in the first-half that keeps it a 0-0.

“It’s an honest error on the day by someone who isn’t going to make too many of them; he’s the best goalkeeper in our league.

“The good thing is that this side is learning while still picking stockpiling points and while we do that, I’ll be ok.

“This is the type of point we’ll look back on in 10 months and think it was a good result.

“We can still get our seven out of 10 performance and a point but I thought our seven out of 10 was better than there’s.

Mandron’s strike cancelled out a second goal of the season for Danny Newton.

And Sarll is delighted for his new man, and with the work rate he produced.

He said: “He is certainly working hard to make up for his time in the amateur game and two in two will give him great belief that he belongs in the football league.

“I think Matt [Godden] only believed that when he got his first goal at Luton but Danny is off to a great start.

“We have to be careful with him. The intensity of the football league will be different to what he is used to and he will need breaks.

“But I thought his work ethic was great. We’ve still got to shine him up and that will only come with time on the training pitch.

“We’re delighted with his contribution.”