John McGreal says he will be looking for the right response from his players when they travel to play Crawley Town tonight.

The U’s produced a disappointing display in losing 2-1 at home to Accrington Stanley last weekend but have an immediate chance to bounce back when they travel to the Broadfield Stadium, for their latest League Two clash.

Colchester are yet to lose two successive league games this season and head coach McGreal wants to see a reaction from his players.

McGreal said: “We want a response and that’s the football business that we’re in.

“When you lose a game, another one comes along quite quickly.

“I think it’s a good thing that we have to go again.

“Some of the players will be low and some will be high but this is now the building of the footballer at the club.

“It’s about regrouping and getting going again and getting the team ethic that we didn’t really see in the second half (against Accrington Stanley) which we had seen in the first nine games.

“We’ll look to eradicate what happened against Accrington and try and put it right.”

Brennan Dickenson could return to Colchester’s starting line-up for their second trip to the Broadfield Stadium in less than a month, following their Checkatrade Trophy defeat at the venue four weeks ago.

Dickenson appeared as a second-half substitute in the U’s defeat against Accrington, after suffering from a tight hamstring in the days building up to the game.

The former Gillingham wide man’s last start came at left-back – but McGreal sees him predominantly as a winger.

“I don’t think Brennan playing at left-back will be a regular thing,” said the U’s boss.

“We brought him in as a winger and it was just about how the game finished against Blackpool, which was a great second-half performance.

“It’s good that he can play in both positions but we do predominantly see him as a left winger.”

Colchester will check on the fitness of a number of players, ahead of the Crawley clash.

Dickenson will be assessed along with Drey Wright, Sammie Szmodics and Kurtis Guthrie.

Tom Lapslie is definitely out while Owen Garvan, Matt Briggs, Doug Loft and Louis Dunne remain sidelined.