Colchester United defender Fiacre Kelleher wants more ruthless streak

The shot-shy U’s have failed to find the net in eight and a half hours of football, having not scored in their last five matches.

Colchester’s recent lack of goals has resulted in them being dragged back towards the League Two relegation zone, with ten games remaining.

And defender Kelleher, who has scored twice since joining the U’s from Bradford City in January, says it is up to everyone to be more ruthless, in front of goal.

Kelleher said: “We really need to put the ball in the back of the net.

“That’s the only way you can put it really.

“It’ll come eventually and the way that we’ve been playing (against Stockport), I thought it was a lot more enjoyable and a lot more exciting.

“We got into some good areas and we’re just missing that cutting edge, at the minute.

“Everybody has a part to play in putting the ball in the net and we all need to be a bit more ruthless in front of goal.

“That’s everybody, not just Hops or Chily or MJ – everybody has a big part to play in it along with myself from set pieces.”

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Colchester’s players have a full week on the training pitch ahead of their short trip to play leaders Leyton Orient, this weekend.

It means new boss Ben Garner will have more time to work with his squad, having officially taken charge last week.

“He’s come in and his enthusiasm has really rubbed off on everybody,” said Kelleher.

“Training has been taken to a new level over the last few days and I think the intensity has been really high.

“We’re getting used to him and he’s getting used to us and hopefully in the next few weeks, we’ll really start to reap the rewards.

“We’d worked on a few different ways of playing out during the week and I thought for the most part, it worked alright.

“We had one or two incidents where we lost it and we had to close it quick to minimize their chance but in the whole, I thought we played out really well and obviously when you do it and they come and press you, you break those lines and you have more of a chance of then getting a good chance on goal.

“I enjoy the responsibility of being on the ball – I just like to be involved in the game really.

“I feel that sometimes when you go back to front, you’re not involved a whole lot.

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“It doesn’t suit us when we have those certain players like Newby and MJ and Chily who all like to pass the ball and run at people and create chances.

“I think the style of play that we’re introducing is definitely going to help certain players like that.”

Kelleher admits Colchester must tighten up defending set pieces, after they conceded from another dead ball situation against Stockport County, last weekend.

He added: “I thought we were in the game for good periods.

“We created some good chances and had a lot of possession again but we really need to iron out these set pieces, because it’s all that’s between us and getting the win.

“We gave away a cheap corner and we have to be a bit more streetwise and put that in the corner for a throw-in, rather than taking the easy option and putting it out for a corner.

“Stockport are a big side and we have to not give them a chance to put it in the box really.

“I felt like I was double marked, with somebody behind my back and somebody in front of me and it’s a little bit harder to get that free run at the ball.

“The other side of it is that if there’s two on me, someone else should be free.

“The amount of times it was on the edge of their box and there were ten bodies left to get through.

“We can probably learn a thing from that as well.

“I think sometimes we need to do something similar but of course, they had a lead to defend as well so it makes that easier for them.”