When was the last time Colchester United boasted so many attacking players at the top of their game?

You’d probably have to go back a few years to find out, perhaps to the halcyon days of their first-ever Championship season when the likes of Jamie Cureton and Chris Iwelumo were hitting the net on a regular basis at Layer Road.

They say that you can never have enough good strikers and the U’s are certainly blessed in that area at the moment.

Freddie Sears is one of League One’s leading goalscorers, Rhys Healey has bagged four goals in five league games and Gavin Massey has seemingly also found his shooting boots.

Add to that the threat of the likes of Sanchez Watt and George Moncur and Colchester have certainly looked a potent force under boss Tony Humes.

The U’s had struggled in front of goal under former manager Joe Dunne this season, scoring five times in as many games.

But now the goals are flying in on a regular basis.

Colchester have scored 21 times in the league this season, 16 of which have come in Humes’ ten games in charge.

That has seemingly justified the U’s decision to allow Jabo Ibehre, the club’s second-highest goalscorer last season, to leave for Oldham Athletic on loan.

One word of caution, though – the shelf is looking full at present but there is a danger it may not look quite as prosperous come January.

Sears is out of contract at the end of the season and if Colchester cannot persuade him to sign a new deal, there is a chance they may accept a fee for him in the next transfer window rather than risk losing him for nothing in the summer.

Healey’s loan deal from Cardiff City runs until December but boss Humes has already stressed to his Bluebirds counterpart Russell Slade that he would like to keep the teenager for as long as possible.

Ideally, it would be great to see both Sears and Healey banging in the goals for Colchester for the rest of the season.

If that happens, who knows where the U’s might end up?

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