Gavin Massey has had to be “patient” for virtually the whole of this season, and he is prepared to bide his time a little longer.

Massey has been restricted to just a dozen appearances this term, due to a troublesome hamstring injury, and has been completely out of action for the last 10 weeks.

But Colchester United’s flying winger is on his way back, slowly, having featured for 45 minutes during Wednesday afternoon’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich Town under-21s at Kesgrave School.

Now the eager Massey is ready to return to league action, targeting a possible place on the substitutes’ bench for the U’s next game, which will be at home to Rotherham next weekend following the postponement of today’s trip to Peterborough due to a waterlogged pitch.

However, he knows that he faces a fight on his hands, to break into the U’s starting line-up, especially as Joe Dunne’s men have taken an impressive haul of 13 points from a possible 18 in their last six games.

“I’ve got to fight to get my place back,” admitted Massey.

“The team is doing fantastic at the moment, so I have to be patient and fight.

“I know what I can do, but I’ve just got to be patient and hopefully that opportunity will occur.

“Patience has been the key for me all season. I’ve only played about 12 or 13 games, which is frustrating for me. I’m not a stranger to patience, so if I have to wait a few games to make my return, then fine.

“There are still a lot of games left, and I hope to start a few of them. I just want to get back to the form that I was showing last season.

“I’ve got to build up my confidence again,” added Massey.

The ex-Watford 21-year-old, who initially had two spells on loan with the U’s, before making the move permanent in the summer of 2012, first tweaked his hamstring during the 4-1 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on September 3.

However, Massey was able to keep playing with the injury, on-and-off, until he limped off the pitch early in the second half of the 1-1 draw at Preston on November 23.

He has not played a competitive match since.

“It’s been a long lay-off, and I’ve just had to make sure that I got it right,” continued Massey.

“Hamstrings usually feel a lot better even though they are not 100%. That’s how I felt, when I proper tore it against Preston.

“I had a scan and they confirmed it was a grade two and that I needed a long lay-off. It’s been 10 to 12 weeks, and I’ve worked with the physio coach for the last three weeks.

“I now just want to make up for lost time, after having such high hopes for the season. Those hopes haven’t gone to plan, but I can’t dwell on that, and the team is in a good position and flying anyway.

“I’m itching to get back into league action, if I am on the bench and the gaffer brings me on.

“But Sanchez (Watt) is back, he is flying and he is scoring goals, and Dom (Dominic Vose) has been real class since he’s come in.

“So there is competition for places. That makes us all work harder fighting for that one shirt.”