There is little doubt that Colchester United have shown this season that they are capable of challenging for a top-seven finish.

But their laboured first-half performance against Grimsby Town perhaps added weight to the argument that they need to seize the opportunity and freshen up the squad in the coming days, in readiness for a sustained promotion push in the final three months of the campaign.

The U’s now find themselves five points adrift of the League Two play-off places and seven points off the automatic promotion positions, with 17 games remaining.

After an impressive end to 2017, it has not been a productive January so far for John McGreal’s side.

A return of three points from a possible 15 has been disappointing, especially given the success Colchester achieved in December which earned McGreal a League Two Manager of the Month nomination.

The U's head coach acknowledged in his programme notes for the Grimsby game the need for his side to return to the “high standards” they had set in the final few months of last year.

But that did not really happen and with eight days remaining until the transfer window closes, perhaps now is the time for them to inject some extra vitality into the squad.

McGreal admitted last week that Colchester had already missed out on some of their transfer targets in this window, who had chosen to go elsewhere.

It might not be easy for the U’s to persuade some players to join them, especially with their financial hand this month weakened by their surprise early FA Cup exit.

But this time last year, the arrival of Sean Murray, Rekeil Pyke and Dean Brill in the final days of the window seemed to give everyone a lift and the injection of fresh faces this time around has the potential to do the same.

At least there is one player already in the Colchester squad whose recent impact has the feel of a new signing.

After experiencing a tortuous time with injury in his first year with the club, Courtney Senior is now making up for lost time and showing his undoubted talent.

The attacker’s eye-catching two recent substitute appearances for the U’s could well earn him a first-ever league start at Port Vale, on Saturday.