COLCHESTER United boss Aidy Boothroyd has hit back at Charlton counterpart Phil Parkinson's claims that the U's have spent big this season.The Addicks missed out on a chance to leapfrog Colchester back into third place in League One on Tuesday night when they lost 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Brighton.

Stuart Watson

COLCHESTER United boss Aidy Boothroyd has hit back at Charlton counterpart Phil Parkinson's claims that the U's have spent big this season.

The Addicks missed out on a chance to leapfrog Colchester back into third place in League One on Tuesday night when they lost 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Brighton.

And Parkinson - who controversially left the U's following their promotion to the Championship in 2005/6 - was quizzed about the promotion race on national radio this week.

“I heard Phil Parkinson saying we have spent a lot of money,” said Boothroyd.

“Well if we have then I'd like to know where it's gone. We are certainly still the poor relations, but we're the poor relations with attitude.”

Boothroyd's side have really turned up the heat on their promotion rivals in recent weeks by claiming four wins and a draw from their last five outings.

In contrast, the sides around them have been showing the potential to crack under the pressure as the final third of the season arrives.

Table-toppers Norwich have lost two of their last four games and have required late winners in the other two, second-place Leeds have won just twice in their last nine league outings, while fourth-place Charlton have just one win from their last seven.

“When I hear that our rivals have lost it makes me smile,” said Boothroyd. “I'm happy at their downfall, but at the end of the day we still have to keep picking up three points ourselves.

“We're work in progress and we'll be looking to peak from March onwards. I can only think of three or four games this season where we have been bang on it, but that's exciting for me because it means we can get better.

“There will be more twists and turns but we have just got to make sure we are still in with a chance come the final countdown.”

The U's, who had their home game against Brentford postponed on Tuesday night, face 10th-place Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium tomorrow.