COLCHESTER United boss Hayden Mullins believes his 'stubborn' team have looked a tougher side to beat in the early weeks of the League Two season.

The U’s completed their opening month’s fixtures with a creditable 1-1 draw at Rochdale, on Friday night.

Colchester, who lie a point off the play-off places in the early table, are unbeaten in their last three games and have lost only one of their opening five matches, following an encouraging August.

Now head coach Mullins wants the U’s to build on the momentum they have started when they host Sutton United, next weekend.

Mullins said: “We’re happy with what we’ve been doing.

“We’re unbeaten away from home, which is good and we look tough and hard to beat.

“We were a little bit disappointed with getting a draw (at Rochdale).

“But we’ve picked up another point to add to our tally and we’ve got a good home game against Sutton coming up.

“If we do well in that and we build on the momentum that we’ve gained in the last few games, I’m sure we’ll be OK.

“We look a tough side and one that’s hard to break down – we look like we’re drilled and we know what we’re doing.

“I’ve said to the players that a lot of the sides that face us this year are going to come up against a stubborn team.

“We don’t concede many and that comes from hard work and the pressing and the effort that we put in.

“It all stems from that and the boys ahead of the back four put in a lot of effort, trying to stop the ball at source.

“It’s those boys that we need to credit as well as the back four.

“I’m happy with the way we’re going about things, at the moment.”

Mullins says he wants to see his side be ‘brave and aggressive’ on the road, this season.

Colchester had to battle for their point at Rochdale, with Jimmy Keohane's strike cancelling out Max Taylor's first-half own goal.

Colchester are yet to be beaten on their travels so far in the league and the U’s boss wants his side to attack their opponents, in every game.

“We’re a team that’s got to play on the front foot,” added Mullins.

“I think if we sit off and invite pressure, it’ll be a long evening for us.

“We want to try and be on the front foot and we did that.

“The reaction from the goal saw us with another half chance.

“We’ve got to be brave and aggressive in what we’re doing.

“We’ve got to be front footed and we’ve got to go and attack sides, especially away from home.

“We’ve shown that in our last two away games.

“We were fortunate to take the lead (at Rochdale) but we went 2-0 up at Oldham and we want to be aggressive and attack the game.

“It’s good when the boys are sat in the dressing room and they’re not happy with a point, away from home.

“They’re unhappy with drawing the game and that shows you where we’ve come and what kind of group we’ve got in the dressing room.”