COLCHESTER United striker Freddie Sears says he is looking forward to returning to his former club Ipswich Town tonight.

The 31-year-old heads back to Portman Road with the U's in the Papa John's Trophy for the first time since departing Town, in the summer.

Sears, who has scored in each of his last three games, played more than 200 times for Ipswich over a six-and-a-half year period after joining them from Colchester, in 2015.

He scored 34 times for Town during that time and is now relishing the prospect of heading back to the Suffolk club, for tonight's final Group A game.

Sears said: "We played them in pre-season, so you see them again.

"It'll be good to go back and see some familiar faces and hopefully, we can get through in that as well."

Sears will be hoping to help Colchester make progress in a second cup competition in the space of a few days tonight.

A U's win will see them go through to the knockout stages of the Papa John's Trophy.

All four sides in Group A are currently level on three points, with Colchester having beaten West Ham United under-21s in their second group game in September.

Colchester booked their place in the FA Cup second round last weekend when they won 4-0 at Pitching In Isthmian League division north side AFC Sudbury.

Sears was on target in that match, scoring his sixth goal of the season against the U's Suffolk opponents.

Colchester will play host to either League One leaders Wigan Athletic or National League outfit Solihull Moors, in the next round.

The two sides will replay next week, after the first-round tie between them finished 0-0 last weekend.

Colchester are not in action, this weekend.

They have a free weekend, after their scheduled trip to play Forest Green Rovers was postponed due to international call-ups.

The U's next competitive fixture after tonight is their visit to play Stevenage in League Two, on November 20.