Colchester United’s long-suffering supporters deserve medals – they have not seen their side win a league game for 128 days, and have only watched their team pick up one point from their last 11 away games.

It can be tough on the road, as those 10 defeats and one draw (1-1 at Oldham) confirm, but it’s been nearly as bad on home turf, with no league victory since a 2-1 success over Port Vale on October 20.

Manager Kevin Keen, who is yet to mastermind a U’s league win in 10 attempts, since his appointment on December 22, admits that it has been “hard” trying to turn around the club’s fortunes.

But the 48-year-old has a message for U’s fans – stick with the team.

“I thought our fans were really, really good again,” insisted Keen, with reference to the 118 hardy-souls who made the trip to Bury for last Saturday’s 5-2 defeat.

Keen continued: “They’ve been fantastic supporting a team that is really, really struggling, and one that has not won a game for a long, long time.

“Travelling up to Bury, and seeing us go in front by two goals, they must have been hoping that this was finally going to be the day. But then to end up losing 5-2 was really disappointing for them.

“But I urge them to keep supporting. In the long run, I’m sure the club will be better for it, at the end of the day.”

It was a very young and inexperienced back four that finished last Saturday’s defeat at Gigg Lane, including Jamie Harney, who was introduced as a 35th minute substitute to fill the hole left by Tom Eastman (sent off). It was the 19-year-old’s first appearance for 15 months.

In fact, it was only Harney’s second league outing, following another difficult experience coming on as a second-half substitute in a 6-0 drubbing at MK Dons in November, 2014.

Keen said: “It was a tough challenge, against experienced strikers, but a great challenge for him. It was a big ask.”

The U’s entertain fourth-from-bottom Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.