COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal has mixed feelings about his side’s enforced two-week break.

With the U’s already out of this season’s FA Cup, it means they have no fixture on Saturday.

On one hand McGreal is disappointed, given the confidence and momentum now pumping through his squad after back-to-back victories against Cheltenham Town and Crewe Alexandra.

However, on the other, he knows the gap between games gives some of his players a well-earned breather, particularly those coming back from injury.

“I wish we were going again tonight, because that’s where we’re driving to be,” said the U’s boss.

“We want to be trying to win games of football and we’re now doing it.

“We’d love to play another game but it does give the other boys who are injured time to get back in.

“We have a little bit of a break now and the boys will need it, because they’ve put in a hell of a shift in addition to two long journeys.

“We’ll look after them, because there’s a few tired limbs and boys just coming back from injury as well.

“We wrapped them in cotton wool after the Cheltenham game and we’ll do that again, because the boys will need the break. They’ll get a little reward and they’ll enjoy it but then we go again.”

With key players now back from injury, McGreal believes his side now have healthy competition for places.

“Drey (Wright) has missed out on two starts in the last two games but came on, influenced the game and scored a goal,” said the U’s boss, referring to Saturday’s emphatic 4-0 victory against Crewe at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

“That’s what we need. We need that competition throughout the squad, which we haven’t had of late.

“The last two games have worked out really well for us but we have still have a ton of work to do.”

Colchester’s next League Two match is at Mansfield Town on December 10.