COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal is adamant his players have the character to bounce back from Saturday’s heavy defeat against Portsmouth.

The injury-hit U’s were left licking their wounds after a 4-0 reverse, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

However, McGreal (pictured) says his players have responded to “unbelievable hits” during the course of the season - and is expecting another positive reaction in tonight’s League Two encounter at home to Mansfield Town.

“We’ve got ourselves in a great position - we’ve worked ever so hard and we can’t let it go now,” said the U’s boss, whose side are tenth in the table and three points behind seventh-placed Exeter City.

“We have to keep working hard and try and go again with another tough game on Tuesday.

“They’re a great group of lads – we’ve got them until the end of the season and we’ll see what we can build on.

“The boys will be up for the game – I know that because they’ve shown great character throughout the season.

“They’ve taken unbelievable hits this year and kept going so I fully expect that again.

“I’ll be looking for a good reaction, against a good solid team in Mansfield.

“We’ll pick the boys up and it’s another opportunity to win three points – if that gives us any closer (to the play-offs) then great.

“As long as we’ve got an opportunity to be in and around it, we’ll give it a go.

“There’s a few who were hurting afterwards from the performance but we’ll go again.”

Colchester will check on the fitness of Richard Brindley, who has missed the last three games with a calf injury.

However, none of the club’s other injured players are expected to return.

McGreal said the situation in terms of injuries was behind his thinking in taking Sammie Szmodics off at half-time on Saturday.

Tarique Fosu replaced him and the U’s boss said: “Szmods has had 15 minutes in four months and we can’t kill him, as much as we want to give him the 90 minutes.

“We can’t afford to lose any more boys and that was more about just getting minutes and having a bit of a run.”