The problem of how to beat sides scrapping for their lives will have been occupying the thoughts of Colchester United’s players on their long trip to the West Country.

The promotion-chasing U’s will be looking for a good points return from two games against sides who are deep in relegation trouble as they face Plymouth Argyle tomorrow in npower League One and then Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.

They found out to their cost last year that sides at the bottom of the table can pose a different set of problems to the unwary team at the top.

U’s keeper Ben Williams said: “They are fighting for their lives and those games generally are a lot harder.

“They aren’t as open and a lot of the time the team you are playing will just be looking for a draw.

“That one point may be vital for them and we saw last season that sometimes you can get denied a victory, which can cost you in the end."

See the Essex County Standard this week for the full version of this story, all the latest news and exclusive views on the U's.