COLCHESTER Rugby Club skipper Liam Pickett insists they will not be taking anything for granted when they travel to play Luton tomorrow.

The promotion-chasing Blacks travel to Bedfordshire on a high following their excellent 28-10 victory over London One North promotion rivals North Walsham Vikings at Mill Road, last weekend.

The impressive win means second-placed Colchester now lie seven points ahead of North Walsham, who are in third place.

Next up, they visit a struggling Luton side who currently lie second from bottom in the table but Pickett says they will not be complacent.

Pickett said: “We certainly can’t take the Luton game as a given.

“The teams towards the bottom this season tend to have their full strength sides out for home games and we have to perform.”

Colchester are chasing a return to the National League, after a two-year absence.

With nine games to go they are in pole position to clinch at least a play-off spot, awarded to the team that finishes second.

Colchester still boast a number of players who turned out for them in the National League and Pickett says there is a determination to return to that level.

“Since we came down, all of the boys have wanted to get back up as quickly as possible,” said Pickett, who is currently enjoying his fourth season as Colchester’s first-team captain.

“The first season in the National League we did OK and finished mid-table but we had a lot of injuries in the second season and ended up coming down, even though we were competing against every side we played.

“We were there or thereabouts but we couldn’t get as many wins as we’d have liked.

“Last year, we rebuilt and this year, we’ve replaced the players that we needed to.

“The National League Three is much more competitive week in, week out and they are always very tough games.

“In London One North, there’s a gap between the top and the bottom teams in the division.

“When I started playing first team rugby, a lot of the guys who are playing now were the young guns coming through.

“We used to be known as a small, mobile team but we’ve grown up as a more powerful unit - we’re now more well-rounded as an experienced team.”

Colchester played in front of a bumper Mill Road crowd against North Walsham last weekend and Pickett is hoping for more of the same, between now and the end of the campaign.

He added: “It’s always great to play in front of a big home crowd.

“I think North Walsham brought close to 100 supporters themselves and it just gees you up so much and adds to the excitement.”