Colchester United head coach John McGreal will check on the fitness of key duo Kurtis Guthrie and Craig Slater today, with the pair both carrying groin injuries.

The U's remain in the League Two play-off positions after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches, after their 1-1 draw at Newport County.

But they are now sweating over the fitness of Guthrie and Slater, who were both substituted near the end of the game at Rodney Parade.

Colchester will be hoping that the pair can shake off their injuries, ahead of their important trip to play fellow promotion-hopefuls Exeter City this weekend.

McGreal said: “Kurtis had been suffering with his groin throughout the week.

“(Craig) Slater is another one who we’ve been nursing and it’s a case of wrapping them up a little bit to see what Monday brings especially.

“The good thing is we have a full week now to get these boys right and prepare for Exeter.”

Chris Porter’s penalty cancelled out Josh Sheehan’s opener to earn Colchester a draw at Newport in a rather lacklustre encounter, not helped by the unpredictable Rodney Parade surface.

However, the U’s have not lost since November 19 and head coach McGreal was satisfied with a point that maintained their unbeaten run.

McGreal said: “We stood up to the test – we weren’t quite clicking in areas where we have done of late but the next best thing is to come away with a draw.

“The boys feel it was a job well done and a really solid performance.

“We knew they’d come at us and they’ve brought in a lot of new personnel over the last ten days.

“They’re fighting for their lives - credit to them, because they’ve put in a hell of a shift themselves.

“It was a hard fought point, especially after going a goal down.

“We’d all love to win every game but I’m a realist and you’re not going to win every game.

“It’s a point gained rather than two points lost.

“The most important thing is that when you want to be on a run, you have to keep the points ticking along and the next best thing is a draw.”

Colchester fell behind to Sheehan’s deflected strike but equalised 12 minutes later, through Porter’s penalty, after Kurtis Guthrie had been fouled in the area by Newport defender Darren Jones.

McGreal said: “The most pleasing aspect from our boys was coming from a goal down.

"That was probably the best part of our play in terms of our passing after we went that goal down."