U's looking to finish pre-season on a high (From Essex County Standard)

U's looking to finish pre-season on a high

9:00am Friday 10th August 2012 in Sport By Simon Spurgeon

Colchester United will look for a bright finish as they round off their pre-season campaign with a trip to Bishop’s Stortford tomorrow.

The Blue Square Bet South side will provide the last opposition for the U’s ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Yeovil Town for the first round of the Capital One Cup.

And manager John Ward is likely to use the final warm-up game to continue testing his squad options.

He said: “In our pre-season games, I haven’t tried to be too clever, but I have just wanted to see what people can do over 90 minutes.

“Because we don’t have a big group, I have wanted to see what people can do in, not strange positions, but in a variety of positions.

“They can give us alternatives we need when we start the season.”

Ward admitted he was likely to take some of the younger members of his squad to Yeovil on Tuesday, but he isn’t taking the cup competitions lightly this year.

“We haven’t had a good cup run since I have been here and it would be nice to get one,” added the U’s boss.

“If we could get a bigger club here at home or away it will give us another game like a couple we’ve had in pre-season.”

Ward was pleased to have not picked up any injuries in Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat by Championship side Ipswich Town and he was particularly happy to see new signing Clinton Morrison open his goalscoring account in the Colchester shirt.

He said: “It was good for Clinton to get that first goal.

“He was a little bit behind coming into the group and has had some catching up to do.

“That’s why he got the full 90 minutes and it’s always nice to get a goal as a striker, especially in front of the home fans.

“Hopefully that sets him up nicely for the start of the season."

See Friday's Gazette for more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news.