COLCHESTER United interim head coach Hayden Mullins was delighted to secure the club’s League Two status for another season following their 1-0 win over Salford City.

Josh Bohui came off the bench to score the U’s winner just after the midway point in the second half at the JobServe Community Stadium, with the visitors finishing the game with only nine men after two red cards.

Colchester’s win means that Southend United have joined Grimsby Town in being relegation to the National League.

Mullins said: “We always believed that we’d be OK but this division and football is not always straight forward.

“We had to get the group into a place where we got them believing in themselves, in the way we want to play.

“It’s always tough playing under pressure – you approach games every week and you know you can’t give anything away.

“A defeat here and a draw there and it can almost be a really, really bad place to work next week.

“It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it.

“The Bolton away game – the first one – was a tough one and I enjoyed it.

“I know it’s easy saying that but the performances and some of the wins at home have been really good.

“Home is a place where you have to make it tough.

“We want to make it high tempo and get after teams here and we try to set up and really get the whole team pressing and getting after the opposition and when we do that, we’re a tough team to play against and it’s tough to come here and play against us.”

Salford had Di’Shon Bernard sent off in the 32nd minute after he was booked twice in the first half for fouls on Noah Chilvers and Ben Stevenson.

And Ammies substitute Ash Hunter was shown a straight red card for dissent in stoppage time.

“There was a couple of niggly ones,” said Mullins.

“The first booking (for Bernard) was the tackle on Ben and the second was for a pull back on Noah, so I don’t think he can have any complaints.

“It nearly ruined the game for us and we sort of sat off and sat off and there was no space in behind.

“It nearly became a non-event but lucky we came away with a goal.

“We knew that a draw would be enough but we didn’t want to settle for that – we wanted to try and win the game.

“Salford are a good side, an experienced side and they banked it off and dropped really deep.

“They were on the edge of their own 18-yard box and there was no space in behind and that was the area we were trying to target – we were trying to target their high line and get in behind them and when they do drop off, try to play in front of them.

“It became a little bit tough so we got Josh (Bohui) who’s a bit more attacking on for Noah (Chilvers) so we could have two attacking threats in wide areas.

“It’s a great finish – credit to him and he’s taken his chance really well.”