Colchester United will leave it late before making a decision on captain Chris Porter’s fitness for their game against Oldham Athletic tonight.

Porter has missed Colchester’s last two matches with an ankle injury, after suffering a knock in the first half of their 2-2 opening-day draw with Blackpool.

And the U’s will delay any decision on the experienced striker’s fitness until the last possible moment, to give him the best possible chance of facing the Latics.

With Porter’s ankle injury proving troublesome and Dan Holman having been loaned out to National League side Woking for a month, the U’s attacking options have been reduced.

Nevertheless, U’s boss Tony Humes says Macauley Bonne can step up to the plate – and that reinforcements are on the way.

Humes said: “We’re still talking and we’re hopeful we’ll get somewhere.

“It’s about people looking at different options, now we’re getting towards the end of the transfer window.

“We’re looking and we’re trying to bring somebody in as soon as possible.

“But we have to be patient to wait for someone to come in and make us better.

“We’re looking to bring one in but while Chris Porter has been out, Macauley Bonne has come in and done well.

“He scored his goal at Peterborough and the more he plays, the better he will be.”

Colchester missed out on another transfer target when former loanee Jacob Murphy joined League One rivals Coventry City on a season-long loan.

The U’s had been hoping to entice the skilful Norwich City winger back on loan, following his successful spell at the Weston Homes Community Stadium at the end of last season.

“Jacob was one of our options but the decision has been made for him to go on loan to Coventry,” said Humes, who confirmed that former Oldham defender George Elokobi will be part of the U’s squad tonight.

“We showed our interest but the decision has been made.

“We’ll still speak to the other players who we’ve targeted and hopefully bring in someone over the next two weeks.”

For all of the latest Colchester United news, see the Daily Gazette.