COLCHESTER United interim head coach Hayden Mullins admits he has some tough decisions to make ahead of their vital game against Walsall.

The U’s head into their crucial home fixture against the Saddlers needing a win to ease their League Two relegation fears.

Mullins was pleased with the manner of his side’s second-half performance in their 5-2 defeat at Oldham Athletic, in their last game.

Jevani Brown, Noah Chilvers, Michael Folivi, Ben Stevenson and Omar Sowunmi all came off the bench after the break and played their part in an improved display, at Boundary Park.

Boss Mullins says he has difficult choices to make, ahead of the Walsall game.

Mullins said: “The boys who came off the bench at Oldham did fantastic.

“They do give you a decision to make and that’s what you want.

“You want the whole squad to be pulling in the same direction and chomping at the bit to get on.

“The hardest part of the job is leaving people out and it’s always the toughest.

“You see them in training every day and you see them giving everything they’ve got and it’s hard to just pick an XI.

“It’s testament to those boys who came off the bench and put the performances in to try and help us get back in the game, which they did.

“We were inches away from maybe getting a draw.

“It’s given me a decision to make and it’s not an easy one.”

Mullins says that despite their predicament, the mood within the Colchester camp is upbeat this week, ahead of their crucial back-to-back home games at the JobServe Community Stadium.

After taking on Walsall on Saturday teatime, the U’s host fellow strugglers Southend United in a huge Essex derby, next Tuesday.

“It’s about us being positive,” said Mullins, who spoke to the media at the club’s Florence Park training ground today.

“We’ve had a very good couple of days’ training and the mood again today was very positive and bright and that’s the way we want to try and keep it going into the game.

“The mood’s been good – it’s been good to have a clear week and get the game out of our system.

“We approached that (Oldham) game in a way where we thought we could go and get a result.

“The first three goals came from three set plays - a penalty and a free-kick and a corner.

“Then we opened it up and went chasing it and we got done on the counter attack.

“The boys know where we are.

“We’ve had a chat about the Oldham game, we’ve addressed a few of the bits and pieces and it’s been good – we’ve had a good week.

“It’s always going to play on the players’ minds, talk about us going away from home and not scoring for a while.

“The two goals we scored at Oldham and the performance that we put in, in the second half was very positive.

“The reaction from the players was very good as well.

“The two late goals we conceded were on the counter attack when we were going for the goal – we get back to 3-2 and we have to try and get back into the game.

“We’ve looked at the goals we’ve conceded but in the second half, there were so many positives and we looked such a threat going forward, at times.

“So we’ve looked at it, taken the positives away from it, spoken to the boys about it and we’re happy with the threats that we’ve got.”