THEY say you should only concentrate on yourselves.

But it was impossible for Colchester United fans not to reflect on events elsewhere, in the immediate aftermath of their creditable – and important - point at fourth-placed Stevenage.

The U’s 1-1 draw was a notable result given the position of their high-flying hosts, who are striving to achieve their own aims and objectives this season.

It was fully deserved, too and for the second successive away match, Ben Garner’s side went toe-to-toe away from home with a side targeting automatic promotion.

Nevertheless, it was a pretty deflating feeling to learn of the favourable results elsewhere for those other teams battling for League Two survival.

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Hartlepool United’s crushing 4-1 triumph at Grimsby Town, Harrogate Town recovering a two-goal deficit and scoring a last-gasp equaliser to draw 2-2 with AFC Wimbledon and Rochdale’s 4-2 victory over Walsall were sadly not the kind of scorelines Colchester and their supporters would have wanted to hear.

The U’s could also have done without Crawley Town holding ten-man Bradford City to a goal-less draw, too.

All in all, yesterday’s results have dragged Colchester even closer to the drop zone, with six games remaining.

The U’s fate remains in their own hands.

But they lie just one point above the bottom two, piling even greater importance on their vital home clash with Crewe Alexandra, on Easter Monday.

Gazette:

It is generally unusual for managers and players to add any further significance to a particular fixture, when they speak to the media.

But for both U’s boss Garner and defender Connor Hall, who netted their opener at Stevenage, there was no hesitation in highlighting the Alex game as a huge encounter.

With the stakes so high at this stage of the season, perhaps there’s no point masking the true importance of the games to be played.

Colchester head into the Crewe game on the back of a four-game unbeaten run.

Admittedly, all of those four games have been draws but it is, at least, a platform from which to build.

Gazette:

So too is the U’s defensive solidity; they have conceded only two goals, in their last three games.

But as we all know, it’s at the other end that Colchester must improve; a measly return of four goals in the last nine games tells its own story.

Boss Garner must also somehow a winning formula at the JobServe Community Stadium, where the U’s have struggled badly over recent months and have not won in eight attempts.

However, Colchester can take plenty of encouragement from their performance and result at Stevenage, where they showed commendable character to dig in and claim something from the contest, after conceding just after half-time.

Such spirit will be required in abundance in the U’s final six games this season, if they are to remain an EFL club.