Long-time Colchester United supporter and South Stand season-ticket holder Si Collinson gives his views on the U's.

MY alarm goes off and I'm bleary-eyed.

It's 5am on a Saturday morning and that can only mean one thing - another away day following Colchester United.

Leaving my wife tucked up in bed - laughing at me in her sleep, I swear - I hit the road.

As everyone has already no doubt seen, it didn't quite go to plan.

In fact, that's an understatement as, in a very unexpected and extremely disappointing performance, we didn't get going.

With a delightful six-hour drive home through the pouring rain not helping my mood, it gave me a long time to try and wonder why, oh why, it went wrong.

For some reason, we never seem to be able to replicate our home form on the road, although this season is an improvement.

So why is this?

Well, I think it's a psychological frame of mind that we give the home team too much respect.

Instead of playing our way, we seem to give them a chance to shape the game.

It's a bit like going to someone else’s house.

When we're at home it's our rules, our way and we hold the cards as to what happens, to a point.

Yet on the road it's like we're too polite and instead of marching in and making it our own, we politely wait for them to offer the proverbial seat and are the nice house guests who don't want to outstay our welcome. What we need to do is arrive, kick our shoes off, throw ourselves on the sofa and take control of the remote.

Then there is the curse of the north.

Well, to be honest, anywhere above the Watford Gap we seem to be confined to disappointment this season, except Morecambe.

It's been a case of what ifs and if only.

Oldham is an example.

We were winning comfortably and, for some reason, let the win slip to a draw.

A key point it could yet be but still two points dropped.

From a fan point of view, this, I know, is a matter of opinion and each to their own, but no-one makes us go week in, week out.

One lad missed the bus and still made it via the train and a sizeable expense.

Two other loyal fans we were chatting to in the bar had managed to forget their tickets.

They simply bought replacements on the day, paying twice, such is the effort we all go to.

Come full-time and a 4-0 defeat.

There was the disappointing sight of a small number of the 114 who travelled giving the players stick.

Now I fully understand we pay to watch and they get paid to play so there is an argument that they should take it.

But you could see the players knew and were gutted.

Imagine having a bad day at work and then, as you walk out, people telling you so.

Not the way to motivate future productivity.

We're still third and need to go forward as one.

There's a bond between club, management, players and fans that has been lacking.

Let's put this down as a blip, bump or rock in the road, however you want to put it, and come next Saturday back the lads, not get on their back.

We sadly can't win them all.

As for the calls to give fans their money back, we take the gamble to travel and, as my good friend said, and I quote, "do we have to pay double if the lads win 6-0?"

Something to think about as we move forward to MK Dons on Saturday, which I'm pleased to note is firmly South of the Watford Gap.