Colchester United will be desperate to end their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy hoodoo tonight.

The U’s head into their second-round clash with Gillingham having not tasted victory in the competition for nearly six years.

Colchester have failed to win in five attempts in the Football League Trophy, with their last success coming in a 1-0 triumph at Bournemouth in November 2008.

Sam Williams, who was on loan from Aston Villa, netted the U’s winner at Dean Court that night, to help them progress to the area semi-finals where they were beaten at Luton Town.

But wins have been hard to come by for Colchester in the JPT, since then.

The U’s have fallen at the first hurdle in the competition in each of the last five seasons.

And sadly, Colchester’s woeful cup form is not just reserved to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

The U’s have not managed a win in any cup competition in their previous eight attempts.

Their last cup triumph came back in 2011 against Crewe Alexandra, when they won 4-1 at Gresty Road in the FA Cup first round.

Colchester’s cup form at the Weston Homes Community Stadium has been pretty average, too.

Their last home cup win came against non-league minnows Swindon Supermarine, following a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup second round in November 2010.

But they have gone nearly four years without a home cup victory, since then.

Indeed, they have only tasted two wins in the knockout competitions since moving to the Community Stadium from Layer Road, in 2008.

Speaking in the summer, U’s chairman Robbie Cowling openly stated his desire to see the club fare better in the cups this season.

He said: “I’d really like to see us have longer cup runs, this season.

“It would help us on a lot of levels and that obviously, includes financial.

“It’s also good for the fans and we haven’t had so many cup runs, over recent years.”

For a three-page preview of the U's game with Gillingham, see today's Daily Gazette.