Doug Loft looks set to retain his place for Colchester United’s crunch home match against Plymouth on Saturday.

Loft started his first match since a 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth on August 20, after a near eight-month struggle against injury, in the 1-1 draw at Morecambe on Easter Monday.

Ex-Gillingham midfielder Loft replaced Tom Lapslie, who missed out with a sore shoulder sustained during the 1-1 draw with Doncaster on Good Friday.

Lapslie could well sit out this weekend as well, but Loft impressed on his comeback at the Globe Arena and is desperate to be involved in the U’s exciting late dash for the play-offs.

“We’ve had to look after Doug (Loft) in training,” explained boss John McGreal, following this morning’s training session at Florence Park, Tiptree.

“We had hoped to get 45 or 60 minutes out of him, at Morecambe, and yet he ended up staying on for 78 minutes.

“Tom (Lapslie) has had an X-ray on his shoulder, and I would say that he is still struggling.

“The shoulder was too sore and quite swollen before the Morecambe game, so he did not travel.

“Knowing Tom, he will want to play against Plymouth, but we want to risk him then missing the last couple of games as a result,” added McGreal.

The U’s are just two points adrift of the top seven, with three matches remaining,.