WAYNE Brown believes the mentality of his Colchester United players has changed for the better as they look to secure their League Two status.

The U’s have secure four victories in their last six games and head into their home clash with Stevenage tomorrow aiming to chalk up three straight league wins for the first time in four years.

Colchester are on the verge of sealing their EFL position for another season, having moved 11 points clear of the relegation zone with six games remaining.

U’s interim boss Brown has guided them to the brink of safety and has been pleased with what he has seen from his side, over recent weeks.

Brown said: “The mentality has changed and we always feel that we’re going to create, we always feel like we’re going to score.

“If you’ve got that mentality whilst also being solid, you’re always going to give yourself the best chance of winning games of football and getting points on the board.

“Where the lads are with regards to their quality, I expect us to win games of football, I expect us to get points on the board.

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“It’s not just our job – myself, Dave (Huzzey, pictured above) and Joe (Dunne) to do that.

“It’s a collective but with the quality that we have, the way that we’ve managed games of football, I think we’ve looked reasonably solid and we’ve always stayed in games of football and that was proven again at Harrogate.

“We found ourselves 1-0 down but we stayed in the game, we find a way and we keep trying to create opportunities to score goals.

“We did at Scunthorpe too, when we were 1-0 down.

“Consistency is the holy grail of football management, having a consistent team and consistent performances and consistent results.

“That’s what you’re in the job for but it’s not quite as easy as that to achieve that, especially when the lads were in the position that they were in when we came into the club, both mentally and physically.

“It has been a good response since we’ve been here but for me, that was probably never in any doubt.

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“We have had negative results and disappointing performances but for the last majority of the time, the lads have performed.

“They’ve looked solid, they’ve created opportunities to score goals and win games of football and that’s all you can ask.”

Colchester face a Stevenage side who are currently residing in the League Two relegation zone, with seven games remaining.

Steve Evans, who took over last month, has been tasked with guiding them to safety but U's interim boss Brown insists all of his focus is on Colchester.

Brown said: “It’s just another three points, just like Harrogate was, just like Tranmere was, just like Scunthorpe was.

“Stevenage find themselves in the position that they’re in; we find ourselves in the position that we’re in.

“I’ve got no interest in how big a game it is for Stevenage.

“It’s a big game for us and one where we need three points to hopefully achieve what we want to achieve when we came into the building, which was safety.

“Another three points will help the cause but it’s game by game.

“Our full focus is on Stevenage and trying to prepare a team to go and win a game of football.

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“If we do that, then the three points will go a long way for us to get safe but we haven’t achieved that and that has to be our full focus.

“They’re human beings.

“You can only control the controllables and they’re not robots.

“If they were, then it would be the easiest job in the world but it’s not.

“Sometimes that’s football at any level, even the big teams.

“Look at Chelsea against Real Madrid.

“They don’t turn up and that’s coming from the manager.

“So it happens at any level up and down the country and it’s about being adaptable, seeing things with a clear head and ultimately trying to get the best out of the group."

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Colchester will be hoping their leading goalscorer Freddie Sears will be able to add to his goal tally tomorrow.

The 32-year-old netted for the first time in two months in their 2-1 victory at Harrogate Town, last weekend.

“When any striker goes through a drought, you want that drought to come to an end as soon as possible," added Brown.

“Freddie keeps getting into good positions in games of football, in order to give himself the best chance of scoring goals.

“But what’s impressed me the most with Freddie is his work ethic.

“His game is not just about scoring goals; it’s about what he brings and what he gives to the team when he’s on the pitch.

“That’s never been in any doubt, with Freddie.

“All strikers go through it and hopefully, he’s broken that drought now and he can kick on in the next six games and bang a few more goals in."