1 day Ago
TOM Flanagan insists Colchester United are ready to go right to the wire in their pursuit of League Two promotion. The U’s head to Gillingham tonight sitting four points adrift of the play-off places with seven games remaining, after suffering back-to-back defeats. Colchester are aiming to close the gap on the top seven with a win at Priestfield and skipper Flanagan says they are prepared to go the distance, in their pursuit of a first promotion since 2006.
READ MORE: What Gareth Ainsworth is keen to see ahead of U's clash Flanagan said: “We’ve got a target amongst ourselves and we’re going to take that to the very, very last day. “We’ve got plenty of points to play for, so we’ll take the positives. “We’ve got a certain amount of points that we’ve got to get to and if that means we do it on the last day, we do it on the last day.
“We’re taking it down to the wire. “We had a tough start to the season and we’ve worked really, really hard to get where we are now. “We’re all enjoying it and obviously we’ve got some boys who have never been in this position but some boys who have and that’s a positive for us.
(Image: STEVE BRADING) “I’ve played seasons before when your season is over by this point and you’re not going down and you’re not going up but we’re really chasing something. “We’ve got something to look forward and no-one is planning any holidays or anything like that. “It’s still in our hands because of the fixtures we’ve got and as long as it’s in our hands, we’ll do what we can.
“We feel like we can do it and we feel like we’re one of the stronger teams in the league. “We’re a good team and we need to remember it and keep it all in check and keep building towards the ultimate goal.” READ MORE: Colchester fan Si Collinson gives his views on the U's Colchester tonight take on a Gillingham side who will be managed at home for the first time by new boss Gareth Ainsworth.
“Gillingham will be a tough game,” continued Flanagan, who made 15 appearances for the Gills on loan from MK Dons in the 2012-13 season. “It’s going to be the third time this season we go to a ground for a manager’s first home game and those little things are going against us. “But we put in a good performance against them at home and we need to do the same, away from home.
“For half the season so far, we’re the best team in the league and that’s what we need to keep remembering. (Image: STEVE BRADING) “I think last Saturday [at Bradford], our balance between arrogance and confidence was a bit out of kilter and that ultimately cost us a bit of a harsh result. “We looked good against Grimsby and I thought we played well in the first half.
“Ultimately, the result is a bad one for us in what we’re trying to do. “It just means that we have to win one more. “Some of the teams who are sitting very near the top of the table have come here and I’ve come away thinking ‘they’re not very good at all’.
“But to be fair to Grimsby, I thought they came here and played really well. “They’re one of the best teams we’ve played here and that’s credit to them but I think it’s credit to us as well. READ MORE: Togetherness is key for Danny Cowley in play-off pursuit “Teams are doing so much homework on us – they kind of know what we’re going to do before we do it sometimes.
“That’s credit to how we’ve been playing and how much attention teams pay us. “It’s fine margins and we were just on the wrong side of it, unfortunately. “I think when we look back on it, we’ll be a little bit disappointed with the way that we started the second half.
It’s not really like us.” Colchester are looking to get back to winning ways, following their 2-1 home defeat against Grimsby Town, last Friday. The Mariners’ late winner came after the ball had bounced up horribly at Flanagan off the uneven JobServe Community Stadium pitch, eventually leading to Evan Khouri netting.
(Image: STEVE BRADING) Flanagan added: “It’s difficult – it takes a little bounce up and it’s one of those things. “It’s a freak thing that’s disappointing on the night and I’m sure it’ll happen again this season and hopefully, we’ll be on the end to take it off someone’s toes and score ourselves. “Hopefully, it evens itself out but we’ll wait and see.
“We haven’t really commented on the pitch or paid it too much attention because it’s not going to change; it is what it is. “It’s kind of credit to us how well we deal with it. “We’re trying to control the controllables and it’s uncontrollable so we’ll just move on.
“It never gets said in the dressing room by the manager, it never gets said in meetings leading up. “When we go out there, we know what we’re going onto and we just crack on with it.”.
