COLCHESTER United are finding it hard to shrug off the habit of losing, but in Josh Thompson they seem to have unearthed a real gem.

Thompson delivered a man-of-the-match performance in last weekend’s narrow 1-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers, just five days after signing a permanent contract with the U’s.

The 21-year-old had already showed enough potential, during an initial loan spell from fellow League 1 side Portsmouth, to suggest he could become an established centre-half in League One.

Thompson certainly believes that the U’s, despite a terrible run of eight straight defeats, have too much quality, and resolve, to suffer relegation.

“We are not in a great position,” said Thompson.

“But if we weren’t getting the results and weren’t playing well, that would be a lot worse. Instead, we are playing well.

“I don’t feel like I’m joining a sinking ship. I don’t think anyone who watched this game [at Doncaster] can say they were watching a team in the position we are in.

“The fans were clapping at the end, they clapped us off, so they can see what we are doing.

“We are not a club who deserves to be down there.

“We will turn it around. We will make it turn around,” added Thompson.

The U’s face a crunch home game against fellow strugglers Scunthorpe United this Saturday afternoon.

Another defeat would see Joe Dunne’s men establish an unwanted new club record of nine straight losses. It would also condemn the U’s to the relegation zone.