David Artell’s Crewe Alexandra provide the opposition for John McGreal’s Super U’s at Gresty Road .

Colchester partially recovered from their mauling at the hands of Pompey with a victory over Mansfield Town on Tuesday evening to keep them within touching distance of the play offs.

JM knows however that a place in the top seven can only be secured if our Away record can be improved upon. Four victories so far are a poor return and must be bettered and in truth with Crewe, Notts County, Morecambe and Orient to play away from the fortress, we should be looking to obtain another 9 points from these games.

The home games on paper are more challenging, but Luton, Stevenage, Doncaster, Plymouth and Yeovil will not be relishing a game at the WHCS and this must be very much to our advantage.

Owen Garvan is unlikely to return this weekend and so JM is likely to name an unchanged team for the Railwaymen. Thirteen first teamers out injured must be approaching a record, but in reality, only four are sorely missed from the current team, (Kent, Eastman, Guthrie and Slater) because the majority of those injured have been out for virtually the whole season.

Next season, it will seem like we have signed a new squad of players!!!

Crewe previously had the Indian sign over Colchester with an unbeaten record for over 20 years at Layer Road and the WHCS before their 4-0 defeat earlier in the season. Many years ago, I watched Colchester win 4-1 at Gresty Road with Perry Groves scoring a spectacular goal. Any win tomorrow would suffice, but with Goal Difference likely to play a part at the end of the season, I would welcome more goals in the For column in the League Two table.

Therefore:

Walker

James Elokobi Briggs

Wright Murray Lapslie Szmodics

Pyke Porter Dickenson

Subs:
Barnes, Vincent-Young, Wynter, Kinsella, Edge, Fosu, Bonne

The table currently looks like this:

Doncaster 37 75
Plymouth 37 69
Pompey 37 65
Carlisle 37 59
Luton 36 58
Stevenage 37 58
Exeter 37 57
Blackpool 37 54
COL U 37 54

Consistency is now required because every win is vital to hone in on those Play Off positions. What has been unhelpful this week is resurrecting the transfer rumour concerning Brennan Dickenson. It would also seem that JM has been pedalling the story. Yes, we all know that once a player emerges the sharks come circling and in this case, it is our Suffolk fiends who have been and still remain interested.

Dickenson is a quality player who will undoubtedly play at a higher level one day, but it does not need to be Ipswich, he can do a lot better. In the meantime, however the Academy system is producing some home-grown talent at Colchester.

None more so than the current U23’s who defeated Sunderland to reach the Quarter Finals of the Premier League Cup. Dean Brill also saved a last minute penalty. A superb achievement by the team and well deserved.

In the meantime, the First Team need to take a leaf out of their book and secure a win at Crewe.

Safe journey to the travelling faithful.

Up the U’s

Photo: Action Images

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