Gillingham’s win at Colchester United on New Year’s Day has cost the opposition boss his job.

Colchester made the announcement that head coach Matty Ethertington had been sacked just hours after their defeat to Gillingham.

Scott Malone scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for the Gills.

Ehterington was already under pressure prior to the New Year’s Day match after a run of seven defeats in eight. One more against the Gills led to the Colchester board making their decision.

A short statement from the club said that “following this afternoon’s defeat against Gillingham, Colchester United have relieved Matty Etherington of his duties as Head Coach.”

His final defeat came against a former Tottenham teammate in Stephen Clemence.

The pair were at Spurs and played nine games together during their time at White Hart Lane.

Eherington said in his post-match conference: “It is quality in the final areas that was missing and ultimately ends up in a defeat, a deflection for their goal. It looked like he was going to cross the ball and it goes in at the near post.

“There were some tired legs. Gillingham had a period up to their goal where they were pushing us and carrying a threatened after the goal we were the dominant team. We were let down by that bit of quality.”

Colchester are five points off the relegation places after the defeat to the Gills. Clemence’s side are now just a point off the top seven.