COLCHESTER United boss Joe Dunne admitted his side are in “very serious trouble”.

The U’s relegation fears intensified after sliding to a fourth straight defeat this afternoon, going down 2-1 at home to Tranmere Rovers.

Freddie Sears scored the U’s goal late in the first half, cancelling out Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro’s opener.

But Ryan Lowe pounced to grab the visitors’ precious winner just after the hour-mark.

“We lost a match we should have won,” said a dejected Dunne.

“The players were really up for it and people could see that.

“We should have been three-up but continue to cause problems for ourselves.

“Our problems are self-inflicted.

“We’re running out of games and in very serious trouble.

“We’re down and being stamped on, but we haven’t been relegated yet.

“There are still lots of points left to play for and a couple of wins would still do it.

“Our character has to come through and we have to keep going.

“We haven’t dropped into the bottom four just yet and we have to keep fighting.

“We’re in a rut and it’s down to us to get out of it.

“Most teams we face will see us as an easy three points, because of the run we’re on.

“We need something dramatic to happen and we need a spark.”

For full coverage of today’s game, including more from Dunne and the thoughts of Dominic Vose, see Monday’s Daily Gazette.