Cole Kpekawa admits Colchester United’s players are fully aware that their trip to play Newport County tonight is a “must-win” game.

The U’s head to Rodney Parade looking for a big performance, following a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against Carlisle United, last Saturday.

Colchester lie 16th in the League Two ahead of successive away games at Newport and then Coventry City, this weekend.

And Kpekawa, who is hoping to retain his place in the U’s starting line-up against the sixth-placed Exiles, says it is imperative they bounce back with a result.

Kpekawa told the Daily Gazette: “It’s very important that we respond tonight.

“Winning at Yeovil in our last away game was a massive away win and hopefully, we can go to Newport, do a job on them and then step on from there.

“A win is a must tonight – everyone knows that and hopefully we can get the victory.”

Kpekawa’s appearance against Carlisle was his first league start for Colchester since their 3-0 loss at Luton Town, nearly two months ago.

The former QPR defender has struggled to nail down a place in John McGreal’s starting line-up but earned a recall, after Ryan Inniss was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

“I was happy to play against Carlisle and hopefully I can keep my place,” said Kpekawa, who joined Colchester from Barnsley in the summer.

“Ryan got injured and I hope he’s OK soon because he’s my team-mate, at the end of the day.

“But I was happy to play and get some minutes under my belt and hopefully I can carry on doing that.

“I did OK (against Carlisle) but you always feel that you can do better.

“It was the first game back for me in the league for a while and it was a case of getting back into things and getting my fitness and minutes under my belt.

“That’s all that matters for me – the result didn’t go our way which I was upset about but now we move on to the Newport game.

“You want to play regularly as a professional and get your mojo and when you’re not doing that, it’s a bit annoying.

“But at the end of the day, it’s the gaffer’s decision and you have to keep training hard and working hard and hopefully, the gaffer picks you.

“I was ill for about a week through food poisoning and that put me out of the team for a little bit.

“A lot of things happen like injuries and stuff but I’m here, I’m fit and I’m ready to go and when the gaffer wants me, I’m here.

“Starting in the Checkatrade Trophy (against Gillingham) was a big game for me because I hadn’t played for a while before that.

“I was glad to play in the league – the result unfortunately didn’t go our way but now we push on to try and get a result (against Newport).”