Colchester United head coach John McGreal admits his side’s Checkatrade Trophy defeat at the hands of Gillingham has given him “food for thought” ahead of their weekend clash with Mansfield Town.

The U’s head coach was disappointed with his team’s performance against the League One strugglers, after they fell to a 1-0 defeat in the Group B match at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

McGreal made six changes to his starting line-up for the game against the Gills and switched to a different formation.

And ahead of the U’s meeting with Mansfield in League Two, the U’s boss says the game has given him plenty to ponder.

McGreal said: “It gives me food for thought for Saturday and also confirms one or two things, too.

“We’ve moved one or two things around but we put a really strong team out – we haven’t just gone with under-23s.

“We should be doing a lot better than that and that’s a position where if it’s a poor game, you come away with a point and see what happens with the penalties.

“Players are knocking on my door wanting to play and have opportunities.

“One of the positives was I thought Sanmi Odelusi came in and did particularly well and put in a good shift.

“But it was an error of judgement at the end that gave them a free shot and there were one or two opportunities we gave them in the first half to put balls into our box from dead ball situations.

“We have to tidy up on those dead ball situations.”

Kurtis Guthrie played the opening 45 minutes of Colchester’s defeat against Gillingham, as he continues his return from a long-term ankle injury.

Guthrie came on as a substitute for the final few minutes of the U’s 1-0 win at Yeovil Town last weekend but boss McGreal has warned they must be wary not to rush the forward back too soon.

“We’ve got to be careful with Kurtis,” he added.

“We’re also trying to win a game of football but we know that with Kurtis in the team, he’s a goal threat.

“The goals will come, once he’s a lot fitter.”