On-loan Luton striker Joe Taylor reunited with Matt Etherington

The U’s leading scorer previously worked under Etherington at Peterborough United, where the Colchester interim boss was under-21 coach.

Taylor scored the first goal of Etherington’s temporary reign when he netted Colchester’s opener in their 3-2 triumph at Grimsby Town, on Tuesday night.

The on-loan Luton Town striker says he is enjoying working under Etherington, following his elevation to interim first-team boss from under-21 lead coach on Monday after Ben Garner’s dismissal.

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Taylor said: “I worked with Matty previously at Peterborough and we’ve always had a really good working relationship.

“He understands me and I understand what he wants from me.

“I think it’s the perfect fit for myself and I think the other boys have liked the way that he’s put his own little stamp on the team.

“He’s a brilliant coach and I do think that given the chance, he can really do something special.

“I know that he believes in me and he was the one who gave me my chance week in, week out at Peterborough.

“As long as I’ve got the backing of the manager, he’ll get 110 per cent out of me each week.”

Taylor says Colchester’s players have had little time to dwell on Garner’s dismissal last weekend.

The U’s head to Accrington Stanley this weekend looking to build on their morale-boosting win at Grimsby, which followed a four-match losing run in League Two.

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“It’s difficult when a manager goes but the good thing for us was that we had such a good turnaround and we didn’t have time to dwell on it,” said Taylor.

“We had to switch straight into game mode and bounce back from a poor result against Harrogate.

“It’s difficult when a manager leaves but we had to switch it to game mode and get ready to travel.

“Accrington are on fire at the minute but we know that if we’re performing as best as we can, then we will pick up results.

“We’ve shown that in our previous results, going to Gillingham and Grimsby and winning and beating Notts County and Tranmere, at home.

“The Grimsby result was one that we needed given the previous results which obviously weren’t as good as we’d hoped.

“We know it’s going to be tough at Accrington but as long as we go there and execute the game plan as well as we did at Grimsby, I’m sure we can win it.”

Taylor got back on the scoresheet for Colchester after scoring their opener in their 3-2 win at Grimsby, on Tuesday night.

It was his first goal in seven games for the U’s and having made a prolific start to his loan spell with the U’s, the young striker admits it was good to get back on the goal trail.

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Taylor added: “It was nice to get back on the scoresheet.

“I’d be lying if I said not scoring wasn’t playing on my mind but as a forward, you just have to keep making those runs and keep getting into those positions and then eventually, something will fall.

“It was difficult having got off to such a great start and scoring as many goals as I did.

“One game became two games and two became three games and it was starting to play on my mind a little bit.

“But I was still making the runs and getting into the positions; it was either good saves or getting clean contact on it but I was very happy to get on the scoresheet.

“Coming on loan here, I set myself goals but it’s only October and there are still plenty more goals to score.

“I work on my finishing every day and for every player, there’s always something you can work on.”