It will be an upbeat and confident Colchester United squad that travels to Cheltenham Town for their first-round Carabao Cup tie, tomorrow night.

It's still very early days but even the most cynical U's supporter would find it hard not to be positive about the feel-good factor eminating around the team, right now.

If Colchester's draw at promotion favourites Notts County on the opening day of the new League Two season was encouraging, the manner in which John McGreal’s dismantled Port Vale in their first home game of the campaign on Saturday was exciting to say the least.

Indeed, it was a thoroughly comprehensive performance, in all areas.

Defensively, Colchester were strong and kept a second successive clean sheet, after seamlessly switching to four at the back.

Harry Pell and Tom Lapslie were once again effective in central midfield, snuffing out Vale’s creative threat.

And in attack, the U’s were at times a joy to watch, with the excellent two goals they scored in the first half a case in point.

Their slick interchange of passing in the final third, particularly in the first half, was superb at times.

The only downside – if there was one – was that they did not make more of the clearcut opportunities they had.

Nevertheless, this is a positive start to the season for Colchester and one that offers genuine encouragement that a sustained promotion challenge could be on the cards.

McGreal admits there is still plenty of room for improvement from his side, pointing to their second-half performance against Vale where they were not quite as effective as they were in their first-half display.

There is undoubtedly more to come but the better balance between physicality and flair in the side this season is already showing through.

The arrival of Pell and Frank Nouble this summer have added brawn to this Colchester side.

And with Aaron Collins and Luke Norris having boosted the U’s attacking options, it was a fruitful summer of recruitment for the U’s.

With Colchester’s flexibility in adapting to formation changes already showing through, things are looking good.

The key is for them to perform consistently and ensure that their promising start to the campaign is not a flash in the pan.

After all, it is not the first time they have taken four points from a possible six in their opening two games, under McGreal.

Colchester did the same in his first season in charge, following up a 1-1 draw at Hartlepool United with a 2-0 home victory over Cambridge United.

Indeed, the start of the 2016-17 yielded seven points from a possible nine but the U’s ended up just missing out on the play-offs, that year.

How McGreal and his players would love to fulfil their potential and make that step further, this season.