CHRIS Iwelumo is on the verge of reaching another significant landmark, even though he has been playing second fiddle to his headline-grabbing strike-force partner, Jamie Cureton.

By Carl Marston

CHRIS Iwelumo is on the verge of reaching another significant landmark, even though he has been playing second fiddle to his headline-grabbing strike-force partner, Jamie Cureton.

Colchester United target man Iwelumo looks set to feature in every league match for the second successive season , a feat that was last achieved by Mark Kinsella.

Midfield maestro Kinsella was ever-present for the U's during the 1994-94 and 1994-95 seasons, when the Essex club were in the old Endsleigh League Division Three.

Iwelumo is therefore making sure that his name pops up again and again in the Colchester United record books.

And the landmarks do not end there, because the big Scotsman is poised to celebrated his 100th senior appearance for the U's, at Hull City this Saturday.

Iwelumo is in the form of his life. In fact, he has scored more goals during the last two years with the U's than he has managed during the rest of his career!

“These last two years have been great, because for a change I've known that even if I have a couple of bad games, I won't be dropped,” explained Iwelumo.

“That's why I've scored more goals for Colchester than all my other teams put together. The confidence is there, and I still have a chance of reaching 20 goals for the season.

“Our season is still very much alive as well. There's plenty to play for, and I think we could still sneak into the play-offs. We're on our best run of the season (four straight wins) and we've kicked on after our little blip.

“Jamie (Cureton) and I have a good relationship both on and off the pitch. Jamie's in great form, and I hope that he picks up the Golden Boot at the end of the season. He deserves it,” added Iwelumo.

Former Stoke and Brighton striker Iwelumo started all 46 league matches for Phil Parkinson's men last term, plundering 19 goals in all competitions to guarantee automatic promotion from League One.

A knee injury kept him on the bench for the first three games of this campaign, but the 28-year-old still has the distinction of appearing in all 42 of the U's league fixtures, 37 from the start and five as a substitute. He also started both the cup games.

Iwelumo and Cureton have already accumulated 39 goals between them this season, making them the most prolific strike-force in the Championship.

And while Cureton became the first Colchester player to reach 20 goals in a Football League season, since Tony Adcock in 1984-85, following his hat-trick in the 3-0 win at Southend on Good Friday, Iwelumo has an outside chance of following in his footsteps.

He chalked up his 17th goal of the season with the equaliser in the 2-1 win over Leeds United on Easter Monday, and he has four matches left to try and eke out another three goals.

The U's are currently just three points adrift of the play-offs. They travel to relegation-haunted Hull this Saturday, followed by clashes against leaders Sunderland (at home), Stoke (away) and Crystal Palace (home).