Danny Cowley’s Colchester United looked to be catching up with the League Two play-off race but a series of injuries and illnesses have dented their hopes of a potential chance at joining the League One roster next season.
Jack Payne and Owura Edwards are the latest injuries to be added to a list that already included Harry Anderson, Samson Tovide, and Teddy Bishop as Colchester United drew 1-1 with Gillingham. However, the squad was further reduced by the outbreak of a virus in the camp taking out Lyle Taylor, Jamie McDonnell, and Kane Vincent-Young.
With just six-games remaining and a three-point gap to Grimsby Town, there is still an opportunity, especially with the poor recent form of Crewe Alexandra. Unfortunately for Colchester, they are winless in three and being hunted down by an impressive run of form by Chesterfield, who could well steal the final spot based on their current trajectory.
Danny Cowley Refuses to Give up on League Two Play-Off Hopes
Despite the injuries, the former Portsmouth and Lincoln City boss has refused to give up on the potential of a top-seven finish in a quote from Gazette News (Subscription Required):
“The cavalry are wounded at the moment but they’ve got to dust themselves down.
“We need them to come over the hill and we want to finish this season strong.
“We’re going to give this everything we’ve got.
“No matter what goes against us, we’re not giving up – we’re going to go right to the end and see where that takes us.”
On the illness that hit the squad
“The actual severity of the virus that the boys have had has been a lot worse than Covid.
“It’s got a gastro element to it but it’s fever, headache, flu symptoms. We did everything we could to try to stop it from spreading but the virus just feels airborne.
“Ellis Iandolo – wow. To do that off the back of a really bad virus.
“He didn’t get out of bed from Bradford, all the way through to the Sunday after we played Grimsby, so it was an incredible effort from him.
“Lyle was ill – he somehow made himself available but it was only if we were desperate.
“It felt like we were but it still didn’t feel like the right thing to do.”
On the Gillingham draw
“It’s been really tough for us and I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard to get a point in all my life.
“Is it the best we’ve played? Definitely not but I can’t remember being prouder of the team.
“I know it’s the best point of our season, with the amount that went against us.
“There’s no other team in this league that takes a point out of this game, I genuinely believe that.
“I thought Jack Tucker playing out of position was just immense.
“He was everywhere, headed everything, kicked everything, made the first pass – it was a monumental effort from him.
“But listen, this wasn’t about individuals – this was about a collective effort and everybody was brilliant with everything against us.”
On Payne and Edwards injuries
“Owura is just tightness but we can’t risk, because if you play a player with his explosive quality with a tight muscle, then there’s a real risk that they’re going to do something at worse so we’ve managed to get it at source and get it early,”
“We’re hopeful that it will settle down.
“Jack got a really nasty kick to his calf.
“It happened right in front of us.
“To be fair to him, he was trying to run it off thinking it was just dead leg but it was clear it wasn’t, when the boys have looked at it.”
On Tovide, Anderson, and Bishop
“Harry just says to me ‘give me ten days, I’ll be alright!’.
“But he’s in a brace at the moment, so we’ll see.
“He’s hard as nails but it’ll be as quick as he can.
“Samson did the warm-up (against Gillingham) so he’s getting closer.
“Teddy has been running and he’s getting closer.”
Can Colchester United Still Reach the Play-Offs?
Having navigated their way through a tricky campaign last season, this year was likely set to be one of growth and building. The squad that the Cowley brothers have put together is still in transition with some of the new players already showing their quality.
Very few people anticipated that they could be potential play-off candidates at this late stage of the season, but the remarkable work put in by the management duo has made it a realistic possibility. However, fate has seemingly turned against them and just at a vital stage of the season, when the squad is under the most pressure players have begun dropping like flies.
Danny Cowley has the experience to navigate such problems; it is just a question of whether the squad depth can provide him with the necessary tools to still overturn the odds.
It could be a tight end to the season!