TARIQUE Fosu wants to play his part in a promotion push after extending his stay at Colchester United.

The 21-year-old Reading winger has agreed a new loan deal keeping him at the club until the end of the season.

Between now and then, he wants to help the U’s continue their explosive form and book their place back in League One.

“We’re on a roll,” he said.

“Everyone’s on a high and I feel we can go on and push for promotion. We’ve just got to keep it up.

“From my point of view, I want to get as much experience as possible and this is a good club to be at.

“It was always in my mind to stay and it’s a good club with good people here.

“I started well and then picked up a little injury.

“I’ve been in and out since then but have worked hard to get myself back in the team.

“I’ve scored a few goals and hopefully I can do that again this year.

“I’ve been coming on from the bench and making an impact, so if I keep on working hard and being productive hopefully I’ll get myself back in the side.

“All I can do when I come on is try and affect the game and help the team.

“I’m always ready to play, whether I start or come off the bench.

“It’s about working hard and as long as I get on the pitch and keep performing I don’t really mind (what my role is).”

Fosu has already enjoyed one promotion from League Two, during his time with Accrington Stanley.

And based on that experience, he says he and his team-mates must keep their standards high in every game, regardless of their opposition.

They face a potential banana skin tomorrow at a bottom-of-the-table Newport County, who are without a win in ten league and cup matches, since November 19.

But Fosu insists there are no soft touches in the division.

“We’ll go into this game with the same mentality as last week.

“We mustn’t get too excited and have to approach each game the same as any other.

“You might go into a game expecting it to be easy and then get beaten.

“But if we approach every one with the right mentality then we’ll keep on winning.

“It’s a difficult league and the teams at the bottom are giving the teams at the top a challenge.”

Fosu, who has chipped in with three goals, most recently in Colchester’s 4-2 victory at Stevenage on New Year’s Eve, believes he has improved during his short stay at U’s.

He says he has become stronger mentally and learned a lot in that respect during the club’s miserable win-less run from mid-September until November.

“I’m improved mentally, in terms of dealing with the ups and downs, and keeping self-belief,” he said.

“There are a few experienced lads in the team so I’m learning from them.

“I’d never been in that position (near the bottom of the table) before, so it was quite tough to deal with.

“It was frustrating at times but we always knew we had good players and that our luck would turn.

“We hadn’t lost our belief during the poor run.

“The gaffer was always saying we were going to win the next game.

“Now we’re playing some great football against decent opponents, like on Saturday when we outplayed Carlisle.

“Now we must approach tomorrow’s game like we did last week and try and outplay them.”