COLCHESTER United skipper Luke Prosser insists they will be striving for automatic promotion in the second half of the League Two season.

The U’s head into 2020 in sixth position, five points off the top-three positions after embarking on a ten-match unbeaten run.

John McGreal’s side visit bottom club Stevenage today and skipper Prosser says they must continue chalking up results, if they want to achieve their target of a first promotion since 2006.

Prosser said: “Every year I’ve been here, people say play-offs but we’ve got a good enough dressing room to finish in the top three and that is definitely our aim.

“We’ve beaten the likes of Swindon away and had a good cup run so it’s just a case of having consistency.

“You’re going to find in League Two that the most consistent teams are going to find themselves in the top three.

“Listen, we’ve been consistent in going unbeaten in ten games but we need to pick more wins up.

“It’s a new year so let’s kick on.

“It wasn’t a bad year last year and we’ve been on a good run, so long may it continue.”

Colchester were held to a 1-1 draw by Crawley Town on New Year’s Day, with Ollie Palmer cancelling out Frank Nouble’s opener for the hosts.

“Hopefully we’ll take our disappointment out on Stevenage, on Saturday and hopefully get the three points,” said Prosser.

“If we do that, then (Crawley) doesn’t look a bad result.

“I know you look at where they are in the league to where we are but two points a game, you’re up there come the end of the season.

“Ideally, you win your home games and maybe nick a point or three points away – we’re just going to have to do it around the other way on Saturday!

“We’ll always go into a game to win, regardless of where a team is in the league.

“They’ve just appointed a new manager (Graham Westley) and they’ve tightened it up at the back, so they’re going to be a very, very tough outfit and we have to break them down.

“We’ll be going for the three points.

“We’re a good team and we’re on a good run.

“It’s been a good couple of games for us and we won’t get too down (over the Crawley result) – we can’t because there’s another game very soon.

“It’s a massive game and we’ll kick back on again.”