ONE final push.
Paul Lambert has called on his in-form Colchester United players to go all out for promotion, in the final ten games of the season.
The U’s head into tomorrow’s vital clash with Crewe Alexandra at the Weston Homes Community Stadium just five points off the Coca-Cola League One play-off places.
Colchester are in fine form at present, having embarked on a five-match unbeaten run.
And ahead of the visit of the struggling Railwaymen, boss Lambert wants his team to maintain their high standards between now and the end of the season.
He said: “It will depend on who holds their nerve.
“Some teams will be able to handle it and some won’t.
“We hope that everything goes our way in the next ten games so that we can give it one final push.
“Runs are very hard to sustain, but the lads here have been terrific.
“We have had a determination to hang in there for as long as we can.
“When we came into the club, it was flat.
“But we have a sustained reaction from the players.
“They just needed a bit of belief to get going. We’re five off the play-offs and there are still a lot of games to go, so it will be interesting to see how it all ends up.”
Victory tomorrow is imperative for Colchester, if they are to maintain their play-off hopes.
The U’s follow up their game against Crewe with tough-looking away trips to promotion-chasing Leicester City and Scunthorpe United.
However, Lambert is focused only on tomorrow’s match – and is wary of Crewe’s recent upturn in form.
“Crewe looked dead and buried but they have got themselves going,” said the U’s boss.
“We have had them watched a few times.
“They defended well at Southend United, got a free-kick and sat on it.
“The new manager has gone there and got a few wins and got them out of the trouble that they’re in.
“It will be a tough game for us but we’re going well ourselves at the moment.”
Colchester have been boosted on the injury front, ahead of tomorrow’s game.
Midfield trio Johnnie Jackson, Lewis Gobern and Mark Yeates are all back in training.
However, defender Paul Reid is still out with a knee injury.
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