COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal says he was not prepared to take a gamble on the fitness of midfielder Tom Lapslie.

The midfielder has been captaining the side most of the season but was only among the substitutes for Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers.

It broke up a run of ten consecutive league starts for the 22-year-old.

However, McGreal said he was not prepared to take a risk as Lapslie had strained his quad during the warm-up before last week’s home defeat against Cheltenham Town.

“Tom hadn’t trained, apart from a little bit last Friday,” said the U’s boss.

“We’ve had players like Ryan Inniss and Kurtis Guthrie out and rather than lose him for another four to six weeks, we felt it was best to rest him.

“We all know what Tom is like – he wants to play every minute but when you do have a strain in your quad, you have to be careful with it.”

While Lapslie was an unused substitute, Luke Prosser made a welcome return to action as a 74th-minute replacement for Inniss.

It was his first League Two appearance since November 2016, following a long-term knee injury.

“Luke has been looking forward to coming back and he’s been a vocal person, in and around it,” said McGreal.

“I think his first touch was to head the ball but then it’s fallen to the lad (Luke O’Nien) and he’s smashed it into the top corner.

“When things go against you as they are at the minute, they go against you.

“It was also good to get Ryan back in (to the starting line-up) – he’s another vocal one that we need.

“We’re just hoping he’s OK, whether he’s hurt his legs or maybe his shoulder.”

Meanwhile, McGreal says he mulling over his options in terms of the left-wing back position.

Drey Wright started in the role, now that loanee Kyel Reid has returned to Coventry City.

However, the U’s options appear limited, with Kane Vincent-Young currently injured and Lewis Kinsella on loan at National League club Aldershot Town.

“It’s something we’ll look at, as we go along,” said McGreal.

“Drey’s gone in there and we know he can play well in those positions.

“I thought he travelled well with the ball and caused them one or two problems.

“We know if called upon, Drey will do a job there for us.”

Colchester suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since last September, when losing at Wycombe on Saturday.

They are without a win in four league games and, to pour salt into the wound, there was a moment of controversy when the Chairboys’ Nathan McGinley fouled striker Mikael Mandron.

The U’s striker was through on goal but the referee took no action, claiming the defender got the ball.

McGreal described it as a “horrendous decision” but explained his reasons for not protesting too strongly at the time.

“We have a certain code and we try and stay away from the referee,” he said.

“They’ve got a tough enough job as it is but when you get one as bad as that one was, the keeper had the ball and before you know it, it’s going to be in our defensive third.

“If we start running around the referee, it gives Wycombe another opportunity.”