Colchester United striker Joe Taylor 'learning all the time'

That’s the view of Colchester United head coach Ben Garner, after the bustling young striker had to be withdrawn early in the second half in their last two games for fear of him being sent off.

Taylor has made a positive impact for the U’s since joining them on a season-long loan from Premier League side, Luton Town.

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The 20-year-old has scored four times already for Colchester but yellow cards in games at Walsall and Gillingham left him walking a disciplinary tightrope and led to him being replaced early in the second half, in both matches.

Garner said: “We don’t want to take away from Joe’s passion and love of the game.

“It’s just a bit of an education.

“He’s got to get used to the officiating at this level and how that works and some of the new rules and we’re all adjusting to that a little bit.

“In the last two games, it’s got to the point where there’s been a danger of a red card and it’s meant that he’s had to be taken off, for his own benefit.

“Joe’s learning all the time.

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“He’s not played too much senior football and he’ll be learning very quickly.

“He’s shown what he’s capable of doing for us and we just need to keep working with him and be patient.

“I think he’s a very strong signing who will do well for us but it’s our job to educate him and develop him, at the same time.”

Meanwhile, Garner has reiterated Colchester United need a 'mentality shift' if they are to challenge near the top of League Two.

The U's have struggled against relegation in each of their last three seasons and are hoping to claim their first home win of the season tomorrow, when they face Tranmere Rovers.

“We’ve set levels, targets, challenges," said Garner.

“It’s now about consistency – we showed what we’re capable of at Gillingham and we didn’t hit those levels at Walsall.

“I think it’s a mentality shift and drive from the whole club.

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“If you look over the past three to four years as a football club, we’ve been in the bottom six of League Two, pretty much all of that time.

“We have to change that; we have to change that in terms of the mentality of everyone here at the club and what we’re doing and where we’re trying to take the club, not least of all with the players performing on the pitch.

“I’m confident that we’ll get there and there’s been a lot of changes that will impact what we do.

“But we need to see that now on the pitch and in a consistent manner, on a weekly basis."