Some Colchester United supporters might be forgiven for forgetting what it is like to see their team play at home, such has been the lack of football action at the Weston Homes Community Stadium since the turn of the year.

Over recent weeks, the U’s have been racking up the miles up and down the country on the road, having just completed three away games in succession in League Two.

John McGreal’s side lie four points off the play-off places, having lost only one of their last 11 games, with seven of those matches coming on their travels.

But in the coming weeks, it will be their home form that will be firmly in the spotlight.

After going more than a month without playing at the Community Stadium, the U’s will now embrace the prospect of having four of their next five games on home territory.

To kick off that run this weekend is a pivotal clash against fellow promotion hopefuls Barnet, who they are currently level on points with in the table.

They also have home fixtures coming up against old foes Wycombe Wanderers, who lie five points above them in the table and Crawley Town, who themselves will no doubt see a game against Colchester as a chance of clawing back some ground with them sitting six points above their hosts with a game in hand.

Sensibly, McGreal is reluctant to put too much emphasis on the U’s upcoming home fixtures and is taking one game at a time.

But the significance of how they fare at the Community Stadium will not be lost on the U’s boss.

Colchester have won their last four games there and will know that only three sides in the division have scored more goals than his side on home soil.

Indeed, just four sides – Doncaster Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Carlisle United and Wycombe who are all currently in the top six – have won more home league games.

The U’s form in the last three games has been solid if not spectacular but perhaps only the next three or four weeks will emphasise how important their point at Blackpool was.

Colchester have undoubtedly been solid at home and with 11 of their remaining 18 matches at the Community Stadium, it goes without saying that it is imperative that they continue to make their advantage count if they are to clinch at least a play-off place.