COLCHESTER United take on League Two leaders Mansfield Town tomorrow lunchtime, aiming to secure a vital win in their battle to stay in the Football League.

The U's game will be screened live on Sky Sports, kick-off 12.30pm.

Colchester's matches are not regularly screened on live TV but they have still had their fair share of success in front of the cameras, over recent years.

Here are five televised games from recent years where Colchester have impressed in front of a national audience.

1 COLCHESTER UNITED 1 PRESTON NORTH END 0 (May 3, 2015)

THE Sky Sports cameras were in place as Colchester United beat promotion-chasing Preston North End 1-0 on a dramatic day at the JobServe Community Stadium to stay in League One - against all the odds.

George Moncur's 82nd-minute strike gave Colchester victory, helping them clamber out of the relegation zone.

Colchester knew that they needed to not only beat Preston - who had gone 18 matches unbeaten and knew a win would secure them automatic promotion to the Championship - but also hope three other results went their way.

Gazette:

Tony Humes' side produced a superb performance but for a while, it looked like their season would end in disappointment after Chris Porter missed a penalty.

But with eight minutes to go, George Moncur popped up to score a dramatic winner for the U's and keep them up in the most dramatic of circumstances, sending the majority of the 8,413 crowd into raptures.

Gazette:

2 COLCHESTER UNITED 1 EXETER CITY 0 (June 20, 2020)

COHEN Bramall scored a fine free-kick to give Colchester United a 1-0 first-leg victory over Exeter City in their League Two play-off at the JobServe Community Stadium. 

Played out in front of the Sky Sports cameras but in a near-empty stadium due to Covid restrictions, the U's claimed victory to take a narrow advantage to Exeter for their second leg, where they were beaten to miss out on the play-off final.

3 AFC SUDBURY 0 COLCHESTER UNITED 4 (November 5, 2021)

Gazette:

COLCHESTER United avoided any FA Cup fireworks on Bonfire Night following a comfortable 4-0 first-round victory at non-league neighbours AFC Sudbury.

The U's eased through against their Pitching In Isthmian League division north neighbours in the televised tie, thanks to goals from Brendan Wiredu, Freddie Sears, Sylvester Jasper and substitute Shawn McCoulsky.

AFC Sudbury, of the eighth tier, put up a fight against the League Two visitors in front of the live BBC TV cameras but Colchester's class showed, as they booked their place in the second round.

Gazette:

4 COLCHESTER UNITED 2 SOUTHEND UNITED 0 (February 8, 2010)

THE Essex derby between Colchester and Southend in front of the live Sky Sports cameras will probably be remembered as the 'Adam Barrett' game.

Anthony Wordsworth scored twice as Colchester on a treacherous JobServe Community Stadium pitch.

Skipper Barrett was left embarrassed when in his attempts to clear a weak Wordsworth strike, his foot stuck in the sand close to the goal and the ball dribbled over the line.

Wordsworth added to his tally from close range after half-time after Southend had failed to clear a corner, as the U's claimed a derby win.

Gazette:

5 SOUTHAMPTON 1 COLCHESTER UNITED 2 (March 16, 2007)

JAMIE CURETON scored twice as Colchester United were victorious over Southampton in front of the Sky Sports cameras, at St Mary's.

Cureton netted in the fourth minute for the U's and although Marek Saganowski equalised in the 26th minute, Cureton struck again a minute later to restore the visitors' lead against a Saints side managed by former Colchester boss George Burley and including a young Gareth Bale.

That was the way it stayed, as Geraint Williams' side continued their magnificent first-ever season in the Championship.