Colchester United manager Kevin Keen has revealed midfielder Alex Gilbey has been playing through the pain barrier in a bid to keep the club in League One.

The U’s midfielder was forced after half an hour in their 1-0 win at Blackpool last weekend with a groin injury and replaced by Tom Lapslie.

Gilbey, who looks set to leave Colchester in the summer, has been playing with the injury for some time but has been battling on, in his quest to try and help the club avoid relegation.

Keen said: “We’ll find out how Alex is over the next couple of days.

“He’s had it for a while and he’s tried to play with it but unfortunately, we just couldn’t get through it.

“That’s the sort of lad he is.

“The boy is out of contract at the end of the season but he’s desperate for this club to do well and stay in this league.”

Meanwhile, Keen has praised Colchester’s travelling fans for their support at Blackpool, at the weekend.

Nearly 250 U’s followers made the trip up to Bloomfield Road to see their side claim a third win in four matches and a third successive clean sheet.

“I thought that the fans were unbelievable, from the very first whistle,” said Keen, who confirmed that defender Leo Chambers is likely to be back in contention for their crucial home game against Peterborough United, this weekend.

“Even two or three minutes into the game, all I could hear is them.

“I could hear the drum and I could hear the singing and big credit to them for travelling this far – I thought that they were absolutely amazing.

“We need them again next week and to keep going.”