John McGreal had predicted that this season would be a rollercoaster ride for Colchester United and their supporters.

His forecast has certainly been a pretty accurate one, so far.

Playing in a different division with a host of new players and a manager still fresh to Football League management was always going to take some getting used to.

But even the U’s head coach might be surprised by the sheer level of changeability that he and his players have experienced, in the opening two months of the campaign.

Barely a quarter of the season has elapsed, but Colchester have already had their fair share of ups and downs.

The U’s had made an excellent start, one that saw McGreal shortlisted for the Manager of the Month award for August and Brennan Dickenson nominated for the Player of the Month accolade.

But McGreal never got carried away, even after an impressive opening month which saw them secure ten points from their first five games.

He was realistic enough to know that there were plenty of challenges that lay ahead and only a few weeks on, his realism has been proved right.

After all, Colchester now find themselves in a mid-table position and without a win in five league matches, following a drab goal-less home draw with bottom club Newport County.

Such a performance beret of creativity was a far cry from the enterprising, inventive attacking football that the U’s had shown only a matter of weeks ago.

But just like they had hit the ground running, Colchester are now in the middle of a blip, certainly not helped by injuries to key players.

The likes of Dickenson and Tom Lapslie played their part in the U’s impressive start and their absence in particular has hit them hard, over recent weeks.

There is no reason to panic and there are plenty of things to be encouraged by.

But difficult challenges lie ahead this month, particularly away from home. Colchester’s next two matches on their travels against the division’s top-two sides, Doncaster Rovers and leaders Plymouth Argyle.

The U’s now lie six points off the top three and while time is still on their side, they must nevertheless find a way of turning their form around, if they are not to lose further ground in the promotion race.