Colchester United keeper Sam Walker, who has kept 10 clean-sheets this season, is genuinely excited about the U’s play-off prospects this season.

Walker has had to endure some pressure-situations over the previous four seasons, most of them featuring tussles at the wrong end of the table, but now the 25-year-old former Chelsea trainee is looking forward to some big games against fellow promotion candidates over the closing weeks of this term.

Fifth-placed Luton Town are the visitors to the Weston Homes Community Stadium today, with fourth-placed Stevenage, leaders Doncaster Rovers and second-placed Plymouth all due to visit next month.

U’s stalwart Walker, an ever-present in League Two this season, can hardly wait.

“It’s a really exciting end to the season for us, especially for the guys that have been around the club for a little while, like me, Easty (Tom Eastman) and Wynts (Alex Wynter), people like that,” enthused Walker.

“We’ve always been fighting for our lives, and we managed to avoid relegation for two or three years before unfortunately being relegated at the end of last season.

“It’s nice to be in this position, and hopefully we can have an exciting and prosperous end to the campaign.

“I’m quite happy with the position we are in, because there were times during our (13-game winless) run in September and October when this position looked a long way off.

“I think we did fantastically well over December and January. We’ve levelled off a little since then, but to still be in with a chance of making the play-offs, despite the poor run we’ve had and also the injury list, can’t go unsaid. We’ve done well to be where we are, and now we have a final push to make it all count.

“We have five really exciting home games, including four of the top five at home, and the last day of the season (at home to Yeovil) is always a good day.

“Hopefully by then we will either be in the play-offs, or perhaps need to win the last game to make the play-offs.

“We have done well in these sort of games in the past. It’s the business end of the season, and the pressure is on.

“Ideally, I’d like to win the next six in a row and be in the play-offs, but I’d take being involved in the mix in the final weekend.”