Colchester United attacker Matt Jay currently out of favour

That's the view of U's head coach Ben Garner, who admits things have not yet 'clicked' for the attacker since his move to North Essex from boyhood club Exeter City on a two-and-a-half year deal, in January.

Jay has made only three league appearances for Colchester so far this season, all as a substitute.

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And the 27-year-old, who made more than 200 appearances for Exeter after progressing through the youth ranks at St James Park, has been omitted from the U's last three matchday squads, for League Two games.

Garner said: "It hasn't quite clicked for MJ since coming to the club, for different reasons.

"He's still here and working hard every day and trying to prove himself and force his way into the team.

"Fantastic attitude and really good around the place - I really like him as a character but it just hasn't quite worked, for football reasons at the moment and other players have done well, especially in that midfield area.

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"He's working hard and training well and waiting for an opportunity, should that come.

"But we have to make an assessment each week of what we think is right, in terms of the team and the squad.

"We've got a lot of hungry players here and players that are training well and trying to prove themselves to get into the squad and into the team."

Jay has found himself down the reckoning for Colchester so far, this season.

In total, the League Two promotion winner has made 21 league appearances for the U's since his arrival at the turn of the year but 14 of those have been as a substitute.

Jay's only start for Colchester this season was earlier this month in their 5-0 home defeat to Spurs under-21s, in their EFL Trophy Group D opener.