Colchester United leading scorer Sammie Szmodics has been backed to get back on the scoring trail by boss John McGreal, ahead of their vital clash with Notts County on Saturday.

Szmodics has hit 12 goals for the U’s in League Two this season including a bumper haul of five in December but has not found the net since scoring his side’s consolation goal in a 3-1 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers, in January.

The former Stanway School pupil was sidelined after Christmas with a back injury but has been a regular starter for Colchester over recent weeks.

McGreal says Szmodics continues to be a ‘thorn in the side of the opposition’ – and says the 22-year-old wears the U’s badge with pride.

McGreal said: “What you’ll get with Sam is that if he’s not scoring goals, he’ll still be a threat and a thorn in the side of the opposition.

“He assisted for our first goal at Forest Green and missed a penalty against Luton, so it’s not as if he’s not getting his opportunities.

“He had another opportunity at Forest Green which he felt he should have scored from.

“But if you’re not scoring or assisting, a given must be that you work hard for the team and I don’t take anything less.

“When you wear the badge, you try and wear it with a bit of pride and that’s the least that the fans, myself and Steve (Ball) will ask of you and I think Sam does that with abundance.

“He’s a threat and he’s a really fit boy.

“If he puts the hard work in, he will get his rewards and it proved to be the case earlier in the season.

“Strikers do go through their little barren spells and I’m sure once he gets that one, a couple of goals might come along quite quickly and hopefully that will be the case on Saturday.”