MANAGER James Rowberry insisted it was individual errors rather than tactics that cost Newport County AFC after they were beaten in a must-win clash against Colchester United.

The Exiles would have moved back into the League Two play-off spots with victory against the U’s but instead they suffered a 2-1 defeat, their fourth on the spin at Rodney Parade.

Dom Telford ended a 10-game drought to earn a 1-0 lead at half-time but strikes by John Akinde and Noah Chilvers turned things around.

“It’s disappointing, ultimately we let ourselves down with individual errors that cost us the goals,” said Rowberry.

“Tactically they didn’t break us down, tactically they didn’t do anything to hurt us, it was just individual errors that cost us.

“Our first half was excellent and our second half was not excellent. In many ways that is the story of my time here, we haven’t been able to put two halves together and have that total dominance with ball control.

“We didn’t do that and ultimately it wasn’t good enough tonight.”

South Wales Argus: LEVELLER: John Akinde celebratesLEVELLER: John Akinde celebrates

Rowberry said the second half wasn’t good enough but denied he was slow to react, with his changes only coming after the lead had been lost.

“No, because it was individual errors that cost us, it’s not tactics,” he said.

“Ultimately any time you lose it will always be ‘you needed to change this earlier’, ‘you could have done that earlier’, ‘you should have made that sub’.

“It’s easy to say when you have lost but I have made subs when we have won that I wish I hadn’t. You always reflect, think ‘what if’ and want to do better but it wasn’t to do with tactics, it was to do with mistakes.”

County now need a miracle to even stay in the running for the play-offs by the time they welcome Rochdale to Rodney Parade on final day.

They still have a mathematical chance but that could be ended before they next take to the pitch at third-placed Port Vale on Monday, May 2.

“You never know what will happen and we still have points to play for. I never give up hope on anything because you see crazy things in football,” said Rowberry.

“I will know at 5pm tomorrow where we will be at, while there is that glimmer of hope I will hold onto it.“There are slim hopes but we are building towards what is hopefully a bright future for this club. I am responsible for that and will keep driving that forward.”