The struggling Bluebirds halted a six-match losing streak with victory at Holker Street to make it a dream start for Maamria, who has taken over from Paul Gallagher as head coach.

Skipper Niall Canavan scored the 85th-minute winner, firing home from close range after the ball had been headed back across goal following a free-kick into the box.

Maamria, whose side moved five points clear of the League Two relegation zone, said: “There were so many good performances out there and it was a total team performance.

“I think even the subs when they come on made a huge difference for us and helped us see the game out.

“I’m asking and demanding that this will be a stage for us now and we have to do the basics right.

“We will come short sometimes but as long as we give everything we’ve got in every game, the results will look after themselves.

“I think today we got that result, because of the work that the boys produced throughout the game.

“I’m working on the mentality and attitude of the players all the time because if you get those things right, the rest I think will follow.

“It starts from me and the energy that I bring in – I’ve got to lift everybody and it’s good for the fans to see that huge win.”

A furious Colchester boss Danny Cowley told his players their first-half performance was not up to standard.

The visitors improved after half-time and almost equalised straight after Canavan’s goal when Teddy Bishop’s shot was saved by Wyll Stanway, but ultimately left empty-handed.

Cowley said: “I’m pretty much as angry and disappointed as I’ve been as manager of this football club.

“We only had one shot on target the whole game.

“We waste the first half and don’t play with anywhere near the energy and intensity and enthusiasm that we would expect from one of our teams.

“We play a team who had lost their last six and played in a three-game week and the game was there for the taking and we just had to take it and we didn’t.

“We plodded along, went through the motions, wasted the first half, got in at half-time, spoke with the group and had a big reaction and we were much better in the second half and totally pushed the game.

“But we should have done that from the first minute because when you play teams like this and you don’t, you make it a short game and when that happens the chances of success can come down to the variable of luck.”