Colchester United manager, Tony Humes, is under no illusions about the importance of tonight’s game, against visiting Notts County.

It it not quite a must-win match, but a victory – which would be only the U’s fifth home success of the season – would do them a power of good going into the last eight weeks of the season.

“It’s a big game for us, and also a huge game for Notts County, who are on a spiral,” insisted Humes.

“Of course it’s going to be tough, because they will be battling not to lose it. We have to take our chances, when they come along.

“I thought we were more than a match for Doncaster (2-0 defeat), and we should have got something out of the game. It was frustrating.

“But we can’t be too down about that result, because this is a huge game against Notts County.

“It’s a great opportunity to pull them even closer to us. If we win that game, then we go just one point behind them.

“There’s an awful lot of football to go, but we have to build on recent performances. We have got to keep that belief.”

Left-back Matt Briggs is set to return after illness, with Alex Wynter likely to switch to right-back.

Midfielders Tom Lapslie and Sammie Szmodics are both rated as touch-and-go, after missing Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Doncaster through injury.