Kurtis Guthrie says being part of a strike partnership is helping his form for Colchester United.

The 23-year-old, who has been for January's PFA Player of the Month award, is currently the U’s leading goalscorer, after bagging his tenth goal of the season in their 1-1 draw at Blackpool.

Guthrie and his regular strike partner Chris Porter have bagged 19 goals between them for Colchester so far this season.

And the former Forest Green Rovers striker says he is relishing being part of an attacking duo spearheading the U’s attack.

He said: “I like playing up front in a two. That’s my preferred role and I’ve been enjoying it, which I think I’ve shown in my last few performances.

“I have a few goalscoring targets but I keep them to myself.

“Every time I hit one, I tick it off and then make another one.”

Guthrie has helped Colchester move to within four points of the play-off positions in League Two, following a run of one defeat in 11 matches.

They head into their home game against Barnet at the Weston Homes Community Stadium on Saturday looking to close ground on the top-seven sides.

Guthrie suffered the disappointment of losing a National League play-off final last season, when his Forest Green side were beaten by Grimsby Town, at Wembley.

And with that still a painful memory, the former Accrington Stanley front-man said he would love nothing better than to secure a top-three finish with Colchester and help them to automatic promotion.

Guthrie said: “I’d personally like to get automatic promotion.

“The play-offs are good if you go up but I’ve seen the bad side of them, when you don’t get it.

“I think we’re more than capable of going up automatically.

“Clubs are going to have their dip in form, whereas we’ve had our dip early on.

“If we can now keep a consistent run of games, there’s no reason why we can’t do that.

“We have a lot of big games at home between now and the end of the season and if we can dictate play and play the type of game that we want to, then there’s no reason why we can’t finish in the top three, in my opinion.”