Colchester United head coach John McGreal admits they have drawn too many games in League Two, this season.

Colchester had shared the points in 13 of their games so far, including in their last two away fixtures.

Only Mansfield Town and Newport County have drawn more games in the fourth tier so far and McGreal admits that has been a hindrance.

“We’ve drawn too many games and that’s been the story of the season, along with not scoring enough goals,” said McGreal.

“We have the seventh or eighth best defensive record in the league and we’re looking for areas to try and improve.

“It’s a young, developing group and we’ve definitely improved – it’s just about us trying to find a way to win which we haven’t been able to do over the last couple of games.

“This season, it’s been about key moments in games where we should be scoring goals and taking a lot of confidence from that.

“We haven’t had that killer instinct but we still have eight games to go and lots of points to play for, which we’ll strive to get.”

Colchester head to Stevenage tomorrow looking to secure their first win in six matches, in League Two.

The U's have scored just once in their last five matches and the run has left them nine points off the play-off places, with eight games remaining.

McGreal said: “It’s surprised me that this run has come at this stage, as we’ve always been in and around it.

“We turned around the run we had last year and we’re trying ever so hard to do the same, this time but it’s through no lack of effort.

“We need to find a win.

“I thought we were very sound defensively at Morecambe and solid but when we get in around that attacking third, it’s about what else we’ve got.

“We need that little bit more creativity while also at the same time being defensively sound.

“We’ve done a lot of work in training about it and different phases of play in the attacking third but it’s then about them taking the bull by the horns and also having a bit of luck and confidence in that area.

“I’m sure once we get that goal, it will come because we’re a confident group even though the results haven’t been as good.

“The last two away performances have been very good.

“We need to take that element of fear out of it and have a go – if you miss, you miss."