NOW or never.

Colchester United manager Geraint Williams has admitted that the club's Coca-Cola Championship status is resting on the outcome of tonight's basement battle with Sheffield Wednesday.

With ten games to go, seven points separate the U's and the Owls in the bottom three of the table.

And while he declined to label the clash a six-pointer, Williams knows his side have to beat their fellow strugglers at Layer Road tonight if they are to retain any hope of avoiding the drop.

He said: "Tonight is our biggest game of the season.

"Our season hinges on it and it's a massive game for us.

"We have to have the same kind of attitude as we showed against Palace and put in a good performance.

"If we don't win the game, then we will have given ourselves an awful lot to do.

"We haven't won enough games and it's getting late in the day now.

"But we're confident of winning tonight and it's another opportunity for us."