HAYDEN Mullins insists his Colchester United players know they must produce a big reaction at Sutton United tonight.

The U's head to Gander Green Lane for the second time in the space of a fortnight aiming to bounce back from their 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Barrow, last weekend.

Colchester produced a lacklustre performance in losing to the Bluebirds, to slump to their fourth successive league defeat.

Mullins has called on his team to produce a much-improved performance at high-flying Sutton - and claim a much-needed win.

Mullins said: “We’ll be tuned in for that game, there’s no doubt about that.

“There needs to be a reaction and I think the players know that.

“The biggest disappointment was the defeat and the performance - some of the performance for large periods of that has got to change, because it wasn’t good enough."

Gazette:

Colchester were beaten 2-1 at Sutton earlier this month, in the Papa John's Trophy.

However, the U's have more options for tonight's game, with a number of new signings in their ranks and the return of the likes of Frank Nouble and Miles Welch-Hayes.

Mullins said: “When we played them a couple of weeks ago, we were really under strength.

“Now we’re back to where we should be, in terms of players.

“The bench was a lot better (against Barrow) and you can look round and see players who can make an impact.

“I thought Noah (Chilvers) did that at times and really got the game going.

“It was Noubs’ (Frank Nouble) first appearance for a long time too and that can really give you a different dimension.

“With Frank being back, Emyr (Huws) signing and a few bodies being back we’re quite strong now, which is good."

Gazette:

Corie Andrews (pictured above) is hoping to make his third successive start for Colchester, having joined them on loan from AFC Wimbledon.

The U's will be hoping to supply him with some fire-power, after failing to hit the target in more than three hours of league football.

Mullins added: “Corie has come in and settled into the group really well.

“We were disappointed he didn’t get the chances (against Barrow) that we wanted.

“We’ve got to start creating them as a unit and as a team and being more on the front foot."