ALISTAIR Smith insists Colchester United will head into big back-to-back home games in confident mood after a productive Easter period.

The U’s followed up their victory over Newport County with a creditable draw at Tranmere Rovers, on Easter Monday.

Colchester have now switched their focus to a home clash with title hopefuls Wrexham this weekend, followed by the visit of another promotion-chasing side in Stockport County next week.

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Smith believes they will head into the games in good heart, as they battle to stay in League Two.

Smith said: “If you’re coming away from home and getting a point, it’s always a good thing because you could leave with zero.

“It’s a point gained and we can’t look at it any other way.

“We can’t look at the other teams and we’ve got to keep taking care of our games.

“If you start looking at what other teams are doing, you take your eye off the ball, so we’re really just focusing on us.

Gazette: Alistair Smith

“We took four points from the Easter weekend, a busy schedule and long trip to Tranmere and we go into the home games with loads of confidence.

“We go into Saturday’s game looking to win and take nothing other than three points.”

Smith scored a stunning equaliser for Colchester at Tranmere, less than a minute after they had fallen behind to Kieron Morris’s seventh-minute strike.

“It’s something that I know I’ve got in my locker,” said Smith, who is on loan from League One side Lincoln City.

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“It’s been a while since I’ve scored a goal like that, so it was a really nice feeling.

“It felt really good when it left my foot and it was nice to see it nestle in.

“It’s something I know I can do and I felt I was unlucky against Newport when I hit the underside of the bar and in the second half, the keeper made a really good save from one of my shots, too so I knew it was coming.”

Colchester had to soak up pressure from Tranmere in the opening half hour of the 1-1 draw, before improving before half-time and in the second half.

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Smith added: “Sometimes in certain games, you work it out later than others.

“You can’t come away and expect to dominate 90 minutes.

“Usually, we start really well but it seemed like we were really on the back foot.

“My goal might have settled us into the game and it felt like a big moment at the time.

Gazette:

“As soon as we worked it out in the second half, we got a lot more control.

“We passed the ball and I think we always look a better side when we do that.

“When you do that, you build confidence in yourself and in the team.

“I think we just edged it and were the better side and we have to capitalise on that.”