Colchester United general manager Tim Waddington says their crowds at the Weston Homes Community Stadium have been as they had expected so far, this season.

The U’s are hoping for one of their biggest home attendances of the League Two season this weekend when they host fellow play-off hopefuls Luton Town.

Colchester have averaged 3,662 at home this season but have experienced contrasting gates so far, this month.

Their clash with promotion-chasing Portsmouth on March 11 drew a bumper crowd of 6,504, their second-largest attendance of the season.

But their meeting with Mansfield Town three days later attracted a measly turnout of 2,526, their lowest home league crowd of the season.

However, with mouth-watering home games still to come against the likes of Luton, Stevenage and Doncaster Rovers, the U’s are set to welcome some bigger attendances to the stadium in the coming weeks, before the curtain comes down on another season.

Waddington told the Daily Gazette: “I think the home crowds are where we expected them to be at this stage, with some big games still to come.

“I’m pleased – I think with relegation you expect a bit of a dip but they’re around what we anticipated.”

Colchester head into the Luton clash on Saturday lying four points off the top seven in League Two, with just eight games left.

Five of those fixtures are at the Weston Homes Community Stadium and Waddington says it is something that the U’s should embrace.

“Our run now in terms of home games is brutal and there are some tough games but what a difference we can make by winning those games,” he said.

“We’ve had 13 or 14 players out injured so the fact that we are where we are is quite remarkable.

“We’ve been desperately unlucky on that front – we’ve looked at all the possible reasons behind it but I think the simple truth is that we’ve been unfortunate.

“The injuries will have an impact and they’ve been a blow but the mindset is that it gives an opportunity for others to impress and prove their worth.”

Meanwhile, Waddington says Colchester’s success in the Premier League Cup this season has helped bring the club’s academy work to the fore.

Wayne Brown’s youngsters have progressed to a quarter-final meeting with Portsmouth, after seeing off the likes of Manchester City, Hull City and Sunderland in the competition.

He added: “We’re trying to do a lot more with our season-ticket holders in terms of connecting them with the academy.

“I think the recent Premier League Cup matches have helped with that and have added a different dimension.

“To finish above Manchester City and Derby County in that group was a fantastic achievement.

“The success we’ve had in that competition helps to form that pathway and there’s nothing better than having players like Alex Gilbey and now the likes of Sammie Szmodics coming through.

“Credit to the academy for bringing these boys through.

“There’s a connection between supporters and academy players and we’ve seen it with clubs like Crewe Alexandra, in the past.”