Colchester United boss John McGreal knows full well that his side must “get better results at home,” if they are to sustain a promotion push during the last third of the season.

The U’s have won two of their last three games on the road, at Port Vale (3-0) and Northampton Town (4-0), to stay in touch with the top seven.

But they would have been higher than their eight position, a point adrift of the play-offs, if they had not see their home form take a dip over the last couple of months.

Since the narrow 1-0 win over Sol Campbell’s Macclesfield Town at the start of December, the U’s have failed to win any of their last four home matches, suffering defeats at the hands of Stevenage and Mansfield, and drawing against Morecambe and Notts County.

They will hope to rectify that poor recent record, when Cheltenham Town visit this afternoon.

The Robins have won their last two matches, at home to Macclesfield and Yeovil, but they have been wallowing in the lower reaches of the division for much of the season.

“We need to get better results at home, than we have managed of late,” admitted McGreal.

“There are still 15 matches left, so there is everything to play for, and it doesn’t really matter that we are seven points clear of Tranmere (in 10th), because that sort of gap can soon be made up – anyone can beat anyone, in this division.

“Bottom club Notts County held (leaders) Lincoln to a 1-1 draw last weekend, and there was a furore when we didn’t beat Notts County (3-3 draw) last month.

“No one has a given right to get points in this league, and I think it’s going to be another tight finish to the season.

“January has been our only poor month so far (four points gained from a possible 15). We have started February well, but we can’t take our eye off the ball, because otherwise we will get our pockets picked.

“We want to build on the momentum of last weekend’s 4-0 win at Northampton. Our performance was excellent that day, but there are still one or two things that we need to tidy up.

“We got our rewards at Northampton, but there is still room for improvement.”

Cheltenham are eight points clear of the relegation zone.