COLCHESTER RUFC coach Anthony O’Riordan believes his side have hit the top at just the right time.

The Mill Road side’s 53-10 victory against Ruislip last Saturday saw them topple season-long leaders Eton Manor from London League division north’s top spot.

Colchester’s bonus-point win, coupled with Manor’s 17-11 defeat at third-placed Letchworth Garden City, saw them open up a two-point gap at the head of the division.

It was Colchester’s 11th straight bonus point win and O’Riordan knows that his team must carry on in the same vein.

But he does not think their lofty position will affect his team as they prepare for a trip to fourth-placed Chingford today.

O’Riordan said: “I don’t see being the leaders as pressure. The boys are in a positive mood.

“They have been putting in steady performances week after week.

“Going top is a boost to morale and it is reaping the rewards of the displays that the players have been putting in.

“And we deserve to be top of the league.”

The Colchester first team coach also believes that taking over at the top now is a boost for his side. He added: “It has come at the right time, just before Christmas.

“We have two big games coming up against Chingford and Brentford and we need to maintain what we have been doing.

“Saturday’s win was our 11th consecutive bonus point win.

“I think it is the most accrued by any side in the country at level six at this stage of the season.

“And it is important to keep the bonus points coming to put pressure on teams like Eton Manor, Letchworth Garden City and Chingford.

“We are not on top of the division by fluke results, we have been consistent.

“I said before that the pressure was on Eton Manor because they were leaders and I don’t think we will feel that pressure.

“If you over analyse and over think things just because you are on top it can lead to paralysing your perfomances.

“We are gaining the benefits of how we manage the team and the rotation of the squad.

“Not one first team player has played every game and we are able to blood some of the younger players like Harry Gozzett.

“We just have to carry on in the same way.”