COLCHESTER United head coach Hayden Mullins admits his players will need to deal with AFC Sudbury's artificial surface in tomorrow's FA Cup clash.

The U's are preparing for their televised first-round tie against their Suffolk neighbours, who play on a 3G pitch at their MEL Group Stadium.

Colchester have been training on Needham Market's artificial pitch today, ahead of the hugely-anticipated match, which will be screened live on BBC2.

And boss Mullins says there will be no room for excuses about AFC Sudbury's surface, should they fall victim to a cup shock.

Mullins said: “I think a lot of the younger lads growing up now are used to a 4G pitch.

“But we’ll be getting a little bit more training time on it, because it does bounce differently – there’s no getting away from it with the rubber bits on the pitch.

“They’ll be used to it I’m sure and it’s their home pitch so it’s something that we’re going to have to deal with and try and overcome, on the night.

“We’re used to grass and it is a different surface – it is.

“The ball does bounce a little bit differently and it does roll and move a little bit differently.

“It’s not extreme but it’s not something we train on – we’ve been on grass all season but we will get a couple of sessions on it, have a little look at it and try and get a little bit used to it and how it is.

“But it’s not going to be an excuse for us, on the night – it definitely won’t be.

“We know what’s coming and we’ve known what’s coming since the draw.

“We won’t use anything as an excuse if we do get beat, that’s for sure."

AFC Sudbury currently lie fourth in Pitching In Isthmian League division north.

The Suds have won six, drawn one and lost only one of their opening eight league games, this season.

“We’ve had Sudbury watched a couple of times," said Mullins.

“If you ask me to give you a way that I think they’re going to go, I think that’ll be tough.

“They’re a young squad and they’ve got threats in their team and they have some good young players, so we’ll be preparing as well as we can do to try and deal with their threats and give them a problem on the night with ours.

“We have to try and focus on what we do and what we do well really and be professional.

“There’s a lot of bits that we’re going to be up against on the night and we know that we haven’t got much to gain from the tie.

“People are looking at it as a potential banana skin but if we win, there won’t be much said about it and we know that – we know the reason that the TV cameras are there.

“We need to try and take care of our side and try and hurt them.

“It’s going to be a tough game and I’m not expecting an easy game by any stretch of the imagination.

“We haven’t got much to gain, we know that.

“We know that all of the eyes will be on Sudbury and if they can turn us over.

“We know that the cameras are there for that reason and it’s good for our lads on the flipside because they get to show themselves off, in a national TV game and put their best foot forward."