COLCHESTER United's new manager, Paul Lambert, knows that results need to improve quickly, even though less than a quarter of the season has been played, writes Carl Marston.

Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United's new manager, Paul Lambert, knows that results need to improve quickly, even though less than a quarter of the season has been played, writes Carl Marston.

Lambert is set to have a full-strength squad at his disposal for tomorrow's League One test at Stockport County.

The only doubt surrounds club record signing Steven Gillespie, who returned to training yesterday after a hamstring injury.

“There is still a country mile to go in terms of the league this season,” insisted Scotsman Lambert at yesterday's press conference.

“But we need to start winning soon. I'd certainly rather get a good result over a good performance at Stockport.

“Stockport is a tough place to go. They won promotion last season and have now got a few wins under their belt. They ended the promotion hopes of my old club Wycombe, and the majority of their personnel is the same.

“You always do your homework on the opposition, but we need to have belief in ourselves. I saw a lot of games in League One while I was out of work, so I know what's going on at this level.

“People say that we have had problems defensively, but it's the whole team that has to take responsibility for keeping the ball out of the back of the net.

“It's a team game, and you need your team-mates alongside you,” added Lambert.

Ex-Wycombe boss Lambert has already added two former Wycombe colleagues to his back-room staff - assistant manager Ian Culverhouse and youth development manager Gary Karsa.

Tomorrow's hosts Stockport are bang in form. Jim Gannon's men have moved up to 10th in the table, seven points ahead of Colchester, after an unbeaten league run spanning six games.