Colchester United visit Crawley Town in League Two

The U’s head to the Broadfield Stadium lying a point adrift of safety in League Two with five games remaining but have games in hand on teams around them.

Colchester pushed high-flying Stockport County and Wrexham all the way in their last two matches and ahead of a game against another of the division’s promotion hopefuls, boss Cowley says it is in their own hands.

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Cowley said: “We control our destiny.

“We have 16 days, five games and I’m so excited about them.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity and a fantastic challenge.

“I think it’s going to test us as individuals and human beings and as football people and as a collective group.

“We’ve had the disappointment of losing twice in the last two games against Wrexham and Stockport.

“But against two top teams in the division, I thought we were significantly the better team for 60 minutes and against Stockport, who are the best team in the division by a significant distance, I thought we went toe to toe with them and barring a couple of mistakes, I think we win the game.”

Colchester take on a Crawley side who lie seventh in the table but have lost two of their last four matches.

“I think Scott Lindsey and Jamie Day have done a great job,” said Cowley.

“I think they’ve been really intelligent with their recruitment and recruited players that fit their game idea.

“I think they have total clarity over how they want to play – they’re going to come and try to take the ball off you and dominate the ball and they ask a lot of questions of your defensive structure and your organisation.

“We’ve watched their games recently and it’s no surprise that they’ve been on the run that they have been.

“At Wrexham, for 25 minutes they had all of the ball and then Wrexham do what they can do and go goal, goal in the space of a minute and all of a sudden, Crawley are 2-0 down and that gave Wrexham the control.

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“There’s a lot to respect, there’s a lot to admire and it’ll be a tough game for us but it’s a really great game for us.

“We’re a team that likes to play against possession-based teams – I think it can bring the best out in us and we really look forward to the challenge that it brings.”

Colchester will check on the fitness of winger Harry Anderson, who limped out of the Stockport defeat with a hamstring problem.

Cowley said: “The hamstring has settled down, which is good.

“Now we’re just waiting to see what the scan says.”

Striker Samson Tovide has had an injection in his ankle after secondary issues following surgery but is unlikely to be involved at Crawley.

Tovide suffered the ankle injury against Crawley last December and has only just returned from a three-month lay-off.

Cowley added: “Samson has done unbelievable to this point because he hasn’t trained, he’s just played because the ankle is where it is.

“He went to see a radiologist (on Wednesday) and he’s had an injection.

“There’s a pocket of inflammation around one of the tendons which I suppose has just happened off the back of the biomechanics in his foot placement changing ever so slightly, because of the operation and the metal work.

“It’s meant he’s overusing tendon now at the back which is now a bit angry and inflamed and hadn’t been used so much in the past.

“I’m not sure if he’ll be available for Saturday but he’ll definitely be a real positive for us, moving forward.”