Colchester United SA chairman Jon Burns gives his U's views

With the hopes and prayers of the fans dashed that this quartet of home games would bring some measure of relief and enjoyment, we are all looking to the final one of the set against Port Vale tomorrow for the boost we need.

Port Vale being a team that are challenging for a play-off point, in very good form themselves and despite being draw specialists themselves of late, they will be sniffing all of the points against our struggling team.

May I firstly say that credit is due to the support shown by the singing section of the South Stand this past week. They have done their level best to vocally support the players on the pitch and long may it continue.

Praise is also due to all of the U’s fans coming along during these difficult days. It is hard to see your faces when things are going badly but you keep on coming back. In it until the bitter end perhaps?

Although when looking at the table, it does now look like several other clubs are also nervous of the bitter end as we approach the last two months of the season.

Discounting Scunthorpe as being a little too far away perhaps, there is a group of teams above them who are also not in the best of form.

It is close down there, with Barrow and Stevenage, managed by last year’s saviour of course, now being pulled into the mix.

It is going to be right old battle to avoid the drop and the U’s will have to work harder and think better to make sure they survive.

A decent result against Port Vale would be a start and then pull out all of the stops at Scunthorpe next Saturday. This will be a crucial game for us and we must not be lulled into the false impression that it will be easy just because they are a little bit adrift at the foot of the table.

I am hopeful that there will be a strong number of U’s fans there to support them. For our part we have committed to taking two coaches and there are still seats left. If that is of interest, please have a look at the CUSA website and get in touch.

Then will follow the ten-game run in for the U’s. The away trips that we conclude with are long ones which are also painfully placed within the midweek and also early on Good Friday.

Altogether tough days and nights out on paper. How dearly would we love to have smiles on our faces during the journeys home, and in addition please not let us head to Hartlepool for the final test needing a point or more.

As if we had not already had our fair share of kicks to the stomach this season, the fans had to endure an injury-time equaliser on Tuesday night. Within minutes of taking all three points, after coming back from conceding the first goal yet again.

It would have been a massive confidence boost. A few positives starting with Owura Edwards (pictured below), who I am very much warming to and who was on very fine form against Orient.

He deserved his goal and for his work his deserved the win that almost was.

In addition, the U’s looking a much better outfit with two forwards on the pitch. The recent desire to have an attacking midfielder in the ten position is a misfit for me and too defensive against teams we are looking to beat.

My negatives surround the absence of Tom Eastman and Brendon Wiredu, guys who are always the first names in my imaginary U’s starting XI each week.

There are obviously stories behind the scenes that account for their omission. Might even be an injury for all I know. Whatever it is, I hope that it is sorted out sooner rather than later.

All focus on Port Vale now and finding a way to give all of us a good Saturday night. Thanks for your support as always and please keep fighting U’s.