George Elokobi says Colchester United can expect a “big challenge” from Steve Evans’ Mansfield Town side at Field Mill tomorrow.

But the powerful defender believes the U’s have the quality to maintain their winning form in League Two, this weekend.

Elokobi has had first-hand experience of playing against Evans’ teams, having faced the Scot’s Rotherham United side during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 30-year-old centre-back is expecting Mansfield to present a tough test – but is convinced a hard-working performance can help Colchester extend their winning run to three matches.

Elokobi said: “The Mansfield game is going to be a different one to the last two games and it’s a massive game for us.

“The last two results have been really positive for us as a club and as a squad.

“We’ll go into the Mansfield game like we have with the last two games and work even harder, because it’s a tough away game and we have to make sure that we’re as professional as we can be.

“It’ll be a big challenge because I’ve played against a Steve Evans team and I know what to expect - I’ll let the boys know that.

“It’s going to be one of those games where we have to head balls and defend our box but when the ball is on the floor, we have to try and play and make sure we dominate the possession and go from there.

“I know exactly what kind of gaffer he is and we also have Richard Brindley in the changing room who knows that first hand.

“He’ll give us as much information as possible and I will too, from my time against his teams.

“It’s not going to be easy – we know he (Steve Evans) will be animated on the touchline like he always is but that’s part and parcel of football.

“I think they’ll be quite direct and it’s up to us to defend our box and protect Sam Walker as much as we can.

“I’m visualising in my head that it will be one of those games where we have to defend balls into our box and we will need to put our bodies on the line.

“We may have to take one or two knocks on our cheekbones or our heads but that’s what this league is all about and you have to be man enough to take that.

“When we have the ball, I know we have the quality to beat any team in our league.”

Colchester head into the match two points below Mansfield in the table and fully refreshed, having not had a game last weekend.

“The break has given everyone a chance to regroup, especially with the experienced players that we had out,” added Elokobi, who has started Colchester’s last two matches having been out of favour earlier in the season.

“The gap between the play-off and relegation places isn’t that big.

“If we can put a run together as a team, we’re going to be looking more at the play-offs than relegation.

“We know that we have the quality in the training ground and we have goals in the team.

“Now it’s about making sure we don’t concede and everyone is doing their job all over the pitch like we have, over the last two games.”