PLYMOUTH Argyle manager Ryan Lowe has praised his Colchester United counterpart John McGreal ahead of tomorrow's top-six clash between the two sides.

The U's lie sixth in League Two heading into the big clash at the JobServe Community Stadium, five points off the sixth-placed Pilgrims who are unbeaten in six league matches.

Lowe said: “Colchester pose a different threat and it’s something we are looking forward to.

“They are a footballing team. I know the pitch has taken a bit of a battering but John McGreal is a fantastic manager.

“He does ever so well with his teams. They are always up and around the play-off areas.

“They will be looking to go one further than they did last season so we are not taking anything for granted.

“For us, we know where we are, we know what we have got to do.

“We know we have got to keep building, keep working hard and keep winning games.

"Colchester have got flying wingers. They have got good players all over the pitch.

"They are sixth in the table and they are there for a reason, because they are a good team and John McGreal plays the right way.

"He has got a good structure there, he's well organised and has been there a long time now.

"He knows the football club and the players know what he wants and what he demands.

"As I said, they missed out last season and he will be wanting to go one better this season, and why not because they are a good team."

Plymouth have won five of their last six matches, heading into the game at Colchester.

Lowe added: “I’m always happy when you are winning games. It’s good where we are in the league.

“We have got two games in hand on the top team and one game in hand on teams around us, but you have to win those games so we can’t get too carried away. They are not going to be easy."

Lowe is keeping his cards close to his chest over the availability of Plymouth Argyle pair Josh Grant and Antoni Sarcevic for the trip to Colchester.

Grant and Sarcevic were ruled out of the 1-0 victory over Newport County at Home Park last Saturday by calf and thigh injuries respectively.

After that game, Lowe said there was a 75-80 per cent chance of them being fit for the away game against Colchester.

The Pilgrims’ boss did not give much away though when he was asked about Grant and Sarcevic at his press conference before the Pilgrims’ long trip to Essex.

Striker Ryan Taylor is likely to be on the bench tomorrow after continuing his comeback from a foot injury by playing for 65 minutes in Plymouth's 5-2 Central League win at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.

Striker Dom Telford is in contention for a recall to the squad against Colchester.

Telford has not played since the 2-1 defeat by Swindon Town at Home Park on New Year’s Day because of a hamstring injury.