Colchester United are battling to retain their League One status, with three months of the season remaining.

Their current position is perilous but their successful survival mission last year might give them suitable inspiration that they can still avoid relegation.

Kevin Keen’s side are currently bottom of the table and eight points adrift of safety, with 17 games of the campaign remaining.

It is without doubt a hazardous situation for the U’s but while their predicament was admittedly a little less concerning at the same stage last season, the manner in which they pulled away from danger can offer them encouragement.

With the same amount of games remaining last term, Colchester were fourth from bottom and four points adrift of safety.

Their goal difference was a more favourable minus 15 (it is currently minus 32) but at the same time last season, they too had lost back-to-back games and were still reeling from their 3-2 home loss at the hands of relegation rivals Crewe Alexandra.

After that though, Tony Humes’ side won two of their next three games – against Oldham Athletic and Bristol City – and those points ultimately proved crucial in them staying in the division.

Colchester won seven, drew three and lost seven of their remaining 17 games, last season.

That secured them 24 points which proved enough to keep them in the division, albeit after a dramatic and memorable final-day win over promotion-chasing Preston North End at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Keen says Colchester realistically need around 29 points to stay in League One, this season – the equivalent of at least nine wins.

So where will they come from?

Undoubtedly, the U’s next two home games – against sides residing in the bottom eight positions in the table – are likely to prove pivotal in deciding their fate.

But assuming Colchester do beat both Swindon Town and Chesterfield in the coming seven days, their task will still be a tough one.

There are still plenty of games remaining for the U’s but they must start winning – and soon – if they are to give themselves a realistic chance of staying in the division.

Perhaps the addition of one or two loanees might help boost Colchester’s hopes.

The arrival of Bongani Khumalo on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the final six weeks of the previous campaign undoubtedly played a big part in the U’s staying in the division.

Colchester lost only two of their games with Khumalo in the team and if Keen can pull a similar rabbit out of the bag in the coming days, it could make a vital difference in the club’s attempts to retain their third-tier status for a ninth successive season.

COLCHESTER UNITED’S REMAINING FIXTURES:

FEBRUARY 13 – SWINDON (H)

FEBRUARY 16 – CHESTERFIELD (H)

FEBRUARY 20 – BURY (A)

FEBRUARY 27 – SHREWSBURY (H)

MARCH 1 – BRADFORD CITY (A)

MARCH 5 – PORT VALE (A)

MARCH 12 – WIGAN ATHLETIC (H)

MARCH 19 – WALSALL (A)

MARCH 25 – DONCASTER ROVERS (H)

MARCH 29 – COVENTRY CITY (A)

APRIL 2 – MILLWALL (H)

APRIL 9 – BLACKPOOL (A)

APRIL 16 – PETERBOROUGH UNITED (H)

APRIL 19 – CREWE ALEXANDRA (A)

APRIL 23 – BURTON ALBION (H)

APRIL 30 – BARNSLEY (A)

MAY 8 – ROCHDALE (H)

LEAGUE ONE TABLE – FEBRUARY 10, 2015

P W D L F A GD Pts

1 Bristol City 28 18 7 3 53 23 +30 61

2 Swindon Town 29 17 6 6 55 29 +26 57

3 MK Dons 29 16 8 5 60 27 +33 56

4 Preston 29 15 8 6 44 28 +16 53

5 Oldham Athletic 29 11 10 8 41 40 +1 43

6 Sheffield United 27 12 6 9 36 31 +5 42

7 Chesterfield 29 11 9 9 42 38 +4 42

8 Bradford City 28 11 8 9 37 33 +4 41

9 Fleetwood Town 30 11 8 11 30 30 0 41

10 Walsall 29 10 10 9 32 31 +1 40

11 Doncaster Rvrs 28 10 9 9 33 33 0 39

12 Rochdale 27 11 5 11 49 38 +11 38

13 Peterborough 29 11 5 13 36 37 -1 38

14 Notts County 29 10 8 11 31 35 -4 38

15 Gillingham 30 10 8 12 40 45 -5 38

16 Port Vale 30 10 6 14 37 45 -8 36

17 Barnsley 29 10 5 14 38 43 -5 35

18 Crewe 29 10 5 14 29 51 -22 35

19 Scunthorpe Utd 27 9 7 11 38 43 -5 34

20 Coventry City 30 7 11 12 30 41 -11 32

21 Colchester Utd 29 7 7 15 35 50 -15 28

22 Yeovil Town 30 7 7 16 23 42 -19 28

23 Crawley Town 30 6 9 15 27 54 -27 27

24 Leyton Orient 28 6 8 14 35 44 -9 26