Banter with Burns with Colchester United Supporters Association chairman Jon Burns

ANOTHER quiet and boring week for Colchester United fans then?

Nothing to see here folks, please move on in an orderly fashion. Quite simply so wrong on so many levels.

Not only did the U’s pick up their first three points of the season but they also thought they would extend their Carabao

Cup run by taking down Premier League opposition and in doing so, set themselves up with a plum home tie against another top-flight side.

There was also news that we’ve signed a Bristol City forward on loan but alas it was not to be Sammie Szmodics coming back to say hello. Almost a perfect week.

The U’s masterplan is promotion and after a stuttering start to the season it was good to see them put their nerves and tension to bed with a good performance against the Cobblers.

It was tidy football and reasonably dominant as all of our home games should be with the fans behind them.

The energy that Luke Gambin brought to the team when he came on added another dimension.

It delivered another well-taken penalty from Luke Norris and created so much more in a period where but for their keeper, the U’s could have been two or three more ahead before the final 15 minutes when Northampton threw everything at them.

It was a nice little confidence boost ahead of our trip to Palace, which I thought would give us at least a fighting chance of putting on a good show.

If you were there then you know exactly what I am talking about, but if you weren’t then please believe what your fellow fans are telling you.

The U’s were absolutely awesome. I reckon most of them spent the whole of Wednesday in bed resting, they worked so hard for each other.

I don’t really care for any Palace excuses about team changes. Just look at the names in their line-up and the subs they brought on and judge for yourselves.

Some of the football down the flanks involving Senior and Gambin was out of the world, going forward and also back in defence when helping out the full-backs.

Comley was just excellent in midfield, Prosser and Eastman, strong and commanding, Gerken utterly focused in making tremendous saves when called upon - for me, his fingertip save to deny Benteke was his finest.

My special mention has to go to Ryan Clampin and Noah Chilvers, with only a handful of first-team games between them.

Both with the U’s since before they reached double figures in terms of age. Simply fantastic and a credit to the U’s.

I would love to see the U’s play that freely and well every week.

Maybe League Two doesn’t give the space that we enjoyed last Tuesday but when it eventually does, on this evidence the U’s can purr as a team with the best of them.

And the almost best of them in Europe will be in Colchester next month for the third round. Watch out Spurs!

Before that though, time to revert to plan A and a trip to Oldham tomorrow looking to claim back to back league wins.

Good luck U’s and I wish a safe journey north to all those able to support them to three points.