Colchester frontman Gavin Massey spoke to his club's official website ahead of his side's League One clash against Carlisle at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this evening, Massey saying the game comes with a different kind of pressure for the U’s:
“Obviously, last time we played Carlisle it was to stay up and this one is a different one because we could go top of the league. It shows how we have come along as a team and to pick up a win or anything to go top of the league is a good incentive, if we can pick up a win it is going to be massive. We are a lot more confident now and it is a different type of pressure and we felt it a bit more last season. This one is a good pressure and hopefully we can relish it.
“We have to maintain our run and we don’t have anything to fear, we are not too worried about who is going to come back into Carlisle’s side or anything. We have to concentrate on our own game, play our own football, and we know that if we get that right then we are going to cause problems for a lot of teams this season. The boys have been enjoying their football in the last three games, there is a different type of football in the way we play.
“We are getting the ball down and the boys are loving that, obviously there are going to have to be times where we revert back to the way we played in the second half of last season. But, with our new style we can cause problems. We knew the bad times last season and we don’t want to go back there, but we always know how to win a hard game dirty now. So, we have got that in the bag as well but if we can just keep playing how we are then it will be good.
“I think we look strong and we feel strong during the matches, I think we feel comfortable with a tight lead, I feel that we are going to score more rather than the opposition score. That is what we have got to do and put the game to bed as attackers with our opportunities. The boys feel confident, the 1-0 victories were tight but it is good for us that we are getting clean sheets, so it is good for us, the clean sheets are a credit to the whole team.”
The U's had a full strength squad to choose from in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United, but tonight boss Joe Dunne has a couple of unnamed illness concerns alongside two injury problems. Striker Freddie Sears having a slight groin strain, while winger Sanchez Watt has recently undergone treatment on an ankle injury.
The referee for this evening’s match is Gavin Ward from Leatherhead in Surrey and he will be assisted down the lines by two Kent men in Ian Cooper from Rochester and Ian Fissenden from Gillingham. Meanwhile the fourth official is Gary Jerden from Grays in Essex.