Tom Eastman has two main goals this season – to keep Colchester United in League One, and to go the whole campaign without missing a game.

Centre-half Eastman admits that it’s a “massive week” coming up for the U’s, as they bid to clamber away from the bottom four with back-to-back home games against the only two clubs below them, Crawley and Yeovil.

And on a personal note, Eastman is keen to extend a fantastic sequence of games this season that has seen him play every minute of every game, no mean feat.

The third-from-bottom U’s entertain Crawley Town this afternoon, before welcoming basement dwellers Yeovil to the Weston Homes Community Stadium next Tuesday evening.

“It’s a massive week, with three big games coming up,” said Eastman, who was also referring to the following weekend’s trip to Gillingham.

“We haven’t won in our last three, so it’s a big week and an important time of the season.

“There aren’t many games left (11), and with two home games coming up hopefully we can get some points on the board.”

The U’s have only won four of their 17 home games this term, drawing two and losing the other 11 – a woeful record.

Eastman confessed: “We’ve been hit-and-miss at home, though we did beat top-of-the-league Bristol City (3-2).

“Crawley, like us, will be feeling it’s a good chance to pick up three points. I’m not sure how they will come out and play, though they might try and be a bit more solid, playing away from home.

“At their place, it was one we should have definitely won, especially as we hit the post a few times in that game.

“But Crawley are a very different team now, with lots of new players, and they’ve picked up of late,” added Eastman, with reference to the goalless draw at Broadfield Stadium on December 28.

Clacton-born Eastman has already rattled up 125 league games for the U’s, since his short move along the A12 from his first club, Ipswich Town, in the summer of 2011.

In addition, he had six games on loan at tomorrow’s opponents, Crawley, in the autumn of 2011 before he broke into the U’s team.

Niggling injuries have prevented him from being ever-present in his previous three seasons, but to date he has started all 40 league and cup games this season, without being substituted.

“ I think it’s the most I have played, throughout my career,” explained Eastman.

“Personally, I feel quite good, despite playing all of these games. I can get through games without feeling too bad, especially as I’m still quite young (23).

“I don’t really feel much different to the start of the season. If I was 10 years older, perhaps I’d be feeling different by now.

“One of my goals would be to go all season playing every game, which would be a big achievement.

“I’ve missed a few games with injury over recent seasons, but I’ve been lucky to keep injury-free this season.”

Eastman is again set to partner Bristol City loanee Karleigh Osborne at the back against Crawley.