Jabo Ibehre has been sitting out training sessions in a bid to continue spearheading Colchester United’s attack.

But the U’s leading goalscorer faces a race to be fit to face his former club MK Dons tomorrow.

Ibehre has not trained with the rest of the Colchester squad for a week after being hampered by hamstring and hip injuries.

And as a result, the 30-year-old has been playing through the pain barrier over recent weeks.

He was substituted midway through the second half of the U’s 2-1 home defeat against Crewe Alexandra, on Sunday.

U’s boss Joe Dunne said: “Jabo was struggling at half-time (against Crewe).

“He had a sore hamstring and we have to be careful - there’s another half of the season to go.

“It was a real serious risk if he had continued.

“When it’s half-time and he stops playing, he stiffens up.

“He hasn’t trained with us for a week now and that’s the way we’ve been ushering him through it.

“We have to be very careful with him and we’ll see how he is for the MK Dons game.”

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