Colchester United boss Steve Wignall took a good hard look at the Division Two table today and declared himself "very happy".

His team's latest 2-1 win over bottom of the table Wycombe Wanderers has elevated Wignall's adventurous Layer Road squad into tenth spot, only five points from the promotion play-off places with almost a quarter of the League programme gone.

Now the ambitious U's boss "can't wait" to get stuck into the second quarter of the season.

Wignall said: "Anyone who thought Colchester United were not serious about getting up into the Second Division had better think again.

"My initial yardstick for the season was to see where we were in the division after the first ten matches and how our form was holding up - I'm ecstatic."

But he was quick to point out: "The season is about 46 games not ten!

"We've got away to the great start I was looking for and with a little more luck in the games against Stoke and Fulham our situation could have been even better. We might even have been in the top five.

"My early goal was to be in the top half of the table, but now we must make sure we don't pull a fetlock.

"There are many bigger clubs below us and we have got where we are with a lot of hard work and endeavour.

"But I'm always hungry and looking for better.

"I've given the lads who won us promotion last season a chance to show me what they are made of in the Second Division and they haven't let me down."

Two of those lads, Steve Forbes and stand-in skipper David "Mr Consistency" Gregory, scored the all important goals that carried the U's to victory over Wycombe at Layer Road on Saturday - Gregory's goal a vital last-minute penalty.

"My players showed a lot of character to come back strongly from a goal behind to achieve the win we deserved," said Wignall.

"I was always confident, even when we were behind, but we knew the game was a potential banana skin because Wycombe were due a result."

Winger Ian Hathaway, signed from Torquay before the start of last season, has joined Ryman League premier Division club Aldershot Town on a month's loan.

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