David Wright, fresh from scoring his first goal in more than four years, recognises that Colchester United’s fate this season will be sealed by how they perform against their fellow League One strugglers.

Five of the U’s remaining eight fixtures are against clubs currently below them in the table, starting with today’s trip to lowly Notts County.

Each one of these five games will offer Joe Dunne’s men a chance to climb further away from the relegation zone – they are four points clear of the bottom four, going into the last five weeks of the season.

Midfielder Wright netted his first goal in a U’s shirt, during Tuesday night’s 4-2 defeat at Wolves, since his switch from Crystal Palace in January, 2013.

It was also the 33-year-old’s first goal for nearly four-and-a-half years, a barren run stretching back to his days at Ipswich Town.

Wright’s previous goal, before his close-range effort at Molineux, was a 66th minute winner for Ipswich in a 1-0 home victory over Derby County, on October 31, 2009.

There was a gap of 128 matches, and 53 months, between his goal against the Rams and his goal against Wolves.

“It’s been a while,” admitted Wright, with reference to his 72nd minute goal at Molineux, which reduced the deficit to 3-2.

“Someone texted me the actual years and months since my previous goal, so I’m aware of the stats.

“I just managed to read the situation. In the last few games, the manager has given me the license to get forward, which has really been the first time I’ve managed to do that since I signed for Colchester.

“The manager gives us the opportunity to rotate in the midfield, and that’s what we did. Fortunately, it paid off for me at Wolves.

“If (Freddie) Sears’ shot had gone in (hit the post on 86 minutes), then maybe I would have enjoyed my goal a bit more, because then obviously we would have got something out of the game.

“Unfortunately it hit the post, and then we conceded, so it was a bitter-sweet experience for me.

“But generally, it’s not my job to score goals. My job is to shore things up at the back,” added Wright.

Warrington-born Wright, who began his professional career at his first club Crewe in 1997, has targeted the U’s games against the relegation-haunted teams as the best chance of steering clear of trouble.

In addition to today’s hosts Notts County, the U’s have away games at Stevenage and his old club Crewe next month, in addition to home fixtures against Tranmere and Oldham.

“Five of the eight teams we have got left, are all from around us,” confirmed Wright.

“I would say they are the crucial ones, and that they will hold the future of the club in this league.

“In the last two games (at Wolves and the 2-2 home draw against Bristol City) we haven’t really turned up for the first 45 minutes.

“You can’t do that in football, because you are then always chasing the game. We have to make sure we put together a 90-minute performance at Notts County.”

Even though the U’s were humbled 4-0 by Notts County at the Community Stadium in mid-December, Wright does not believe revenge is top of the agenda.

“I don’t really look at it as us owing them one,” continued Wright.

“We did look at the video, and we learnt a lot from that game. But it’s a different situation now.”