Colchester United fan Si Collinson gives his U's views

The challenge now is to set the Tranmere Rovers game as the minimum level expected and strive for it.

Clearly, we've been very hit and miss this season, with some good results and some shockers.

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We played so well to beat Gillingham and then let the hard work slip the following week, at Walsall.

It's clear we can play football and beating Gillingham at their place proved we can step up against stronger teams.

However this is all well and good in the odd game but unless we do it consistently, the hard work is for nothing and won't reach the heights we all crave.

We have another home game on Saturday, admittedly against an unbeaten Mansfield side, who will be a much tougher nut to crack.

That should not be seen as a negative but viewed as a game to stamp a marker down on the league and prove we are now at a strong level and will be there week in, week out.

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League Two is the strongest it has been in years, but then so is our squad.

There are no excuses as to why we should be struggling at the bottom.

Even injuries that have hampered us are backed up by strong replacement signings and our squad depth as improved over the summer window.

So come on lads prove me right for once and show we can be a team that is on top of their game week in, week out.

Tranmere came to town in poor form and with a manager who was clinging to his job.

Their fans were expecting the worst; when the team line-ups came out, the away following were predicting a U’s goal on ten minutes.

OK, so it took until the 11th minute for us to score, but you could see why they were thinking this way.

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Throughout the 90 minutes, we took them apart time and time again with slick movement, accurate passes and confidence.

The players were playing for each other and looked very much like the team we know they can be.

Tranmere, on the other hand, looked the complete opposite and offered nothing to give their fans anything to cheer.

I do feel for away fans when they see games like this; yes, it's great we're playing so well but after miles of travel to see a disappointing Colchester result, I can offer some sympathy and understanding of how they felt.

As a team, we set up well and all the new lads settled into the system seamlessly.

A massive well done to Zach Mitchell who looked a centre-back of calm, composed experience; no nerves or anything given his young age and the fact that it was his debut.

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Arthur Read was his normal assured self and the engine room of the midfield - let's all hope his arm injury is not as bad as it looked and he'll be back quickly.

Joe Taylor carried on his fine goalscoring run and young Bradley Ihionvien was on the scoresheet again – although John Akinde may feel a little robbed of the credit.

But the most impressive home player was, in my humble opinion, Jayden Fevrier, who has made the wing-back position his own.

Everywhere you look he's there, causing defences issues, taking on players and providing balls into dangerous areas.

He has just signed a new contract and as long as he carries on this pace of development, he will go far in the game.

A top player and one who is fast becoming a firm favourite of mine.

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While it was all positive from our point of view, other than the injury to Read, the same cannot be said for the visitors.

One of the first lessons I learnt in competitive football and something that I still hold dear today is that first and foremost, you have to give your all.

As long as you can walk off the pitch knowing that you did all you could and left it out there, then the first part of the job is done.

Not one of the Tranmere outfield players can honestly look a fan in the eye and say that was the case.

However, credit must be given to their goalkeeper Luke McGee, who played a blinder and stopped Colchester scoring four or five goals.

It's strange to praise an opposition player but given what was happening out in front of him, he deserves to be mentioned and given credit for his individual performance.

Up the U’s.