WELL, that was the January transfer window folks.

The uncertainty of never quite knowing who will be leaving and who will be coming in is a distraction that the U’s can ill afford in their push for promotion.

It’s over now though, so time to settle down to playing and winning games.

Thankfully we did not lose any key players. Also thankfully, the U’s have secured three very decent additions to the squad.

Excellent business in my view and if first glances are anything to go by, they will all do very well for us.

None more so that Abo Eisa whose 45 minutes at Northampton was one of the best U’s debuts I can remember.

The goal and assist aside, he looked hugely comfortable on either wing and either foot and I loved that his first thought was that he wanted to attack the opposition every time he had the ball.

He’ll be a darling to the U’s fans if he keeps doing that.

Ben Stevenson purred through the midfield as we well know he can do. He’s a very good footballer and to have him here on a permanent deal is brilliant.

The sacrifice was to drop Tom Lapslie to the bench and that must have been a tough call.

I won’t deny that but for an outstanding game from goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin, Northampton would have been more in the game, because the more defensive-minded Tom was in his tracksuit.

It was perhaps a small gamble that happily worked.

Hard to judge a player on a ten-minute cameo but Callum Roberts has the demeanour of someone who wants to play and score goals, so I am looking forward to seeing more action from him sooner rather than later.

Hopefully the crunch tackle for the penalty he won has not damaged him. Likewise, let’s hope that the crunch on Senior that saw him limp off is only minor.

In a raft of good performances, star baker last Saturday was Sammie Szmodics by a distance.

He was absolutely everywhere and the Cobblers, with all of their physical might, just could not handle him. He looked recharged, almost as if we were playing an August game.

It was a top afternoon at Sixfields and there will be much anticipation that the U’s can now start the sort of run that will secure at least a top-seven finish or better.

It’s all about consistency, which is not a switch that you turn on and off.

It can be a mood though and the U’s were in that mood earlier on in the season.

Can they can rediscover it tomorrow against Cheltenham and then take to every game thereafter? With the new lads only improving our already good squad, then I think they can.

Up the U’s!

Jon Burns, Colchester United Supporters Association chairman