COLCHESTER United forward Michael Folivi is likely to be out for ‘weeks rather than months’ after suffering a hamstring injury.

The 22-year-old was forced off after suffering the injury in the first half of the U’s goal-less draw with Cheltenham Town, last week.

Folivi left the JobServe Community Stadium on crutches and it had been feared that the U’s attacker would be faced with a long lay-off.

However, Colchester are optimistic that the injury is not as bad as first feared and that the former Watford youngster will return within a number of weeks.

Colchester boss Steve Ball said: “The pain has reduced a lot from the initial pain he suffered in the game.

“He left the game on crutches and the thought was that it could be a really bad tear.

"But the pain has got considerably eased and I would hope that it would be weeks, rather than months.”

Folivi has made 13 appearances for Colchester since joining them on a free transfer, in November.

He has scored four goals in that time and had started the U’s last three games, prior to his injury.

Meanwhile, U’s head coach Ball says Paris Cowan-Hall deserved his game-time when he appeared as a second-half substitute against Cheltenham.

The 30-year-old has struggled for first-team game time this season but came on as an 85th-minute substitute in Colchester’s draw, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Ball said: “With team selection, I’m going to look at games and how we are as a team.

“The angle for me at the minute was a little bit more physical and solid.

“I made the change with ten minutes to go with Paris coming on.

“He’s trained exceptionally well and those levels have never dropped.

“He’s a great professional and I felt that with the game the other night, he deserved to be picked.”

Cowan-Hall, who has more than 200 league appearances during the course of his career, has made just one start for Colchester this season, in the EFL Trophy against West Ham United under-21s.

The former Wycombe Wanderers promotion winner, who has made only two league starts for Colchester since joining them in July 2019, has found first-team opportunities few and far between for the U’s so far this season.