Freddie Sears believes Colchester United’s new-found defensive solidity has been a key reason for their upturn in fortunes under Tony Humes.

The U’s have kept four clean sheets in their last five matches since Humes’ appointment as the club’s new manager, at the start of the month.

The only goals Colchester have conceded since Humes took charge came in a frantic six-minute spell at the end of their clash with Sheffield United, when they conceded three times to lose 3-2.

But aside from that blip the U’s back four has been watertight over recent games - and leading goalscorer Sears believes the whole side have been defending well.

He said: “Our defence has been unbelievable over the last five games.

“We have four clean sheets out of five and really it should be five out of five, after the Sheffield United game.

“They’ve been very solid and when they’re like that you know that even if you don’t manage to score, you’ll more than likely take a point.

“Over the last couple of seasons, we’ve looked like conceding and sometimes they've been poor, sloppy goals.

“But Tony and Richard (Hall) have come in and put a real stamp on being solid and everyone getting into shape.

“You could tell (at Crewe) that we didn’t want to concede, which is fair play to the defence but it also comes from the midfielders and attackers as well.

“Tony and Richard set it out pretty early on after they came in to be more solid.

“Their main message was to do that but keep the quality going forward and I think we’ve done that."

Sears bagged his fifth goal of the season in Colchester’s 3-0 triumph at Crewe Alexandra, last weekend.

The former West Ham United striker says he is pleased with the way he has started the season – and is eying more goals in the coming weeks.

“It’s five in ten for me now and I’m really pleased with that,” added Sears, who was Colchester’s top goalscorer last season.

“If I’m honest, I could have had seven or eight but that’s a positive for me and the team, the fact that I want to do better and score more goals.

“But I’ll take that for a good start.

“Normally it’s hard getting off the mark but I’ve kind of hit a run of form early on and it’s going really well.”

For all of the latest Colchester United news, see the Daily Gazette.