SAMMIE Szmodics has revealed Colchester United’s players are putting in some extra hard graft in training this week in a bid to cure their goal shortage.

The U’s have struggled to find the net over recent games and have managed just one goal in their last five League Two games, drawing a blank in four of them.

The last goal scored by a Colchester attacker was Frank Nouble’s fine strike in their 3-0 triumph over Newport County, on March 9.

And despite having 11 shots on goal and earning 17 corners against Oldham Athletic last weekend, they were unable to hit the target in the 2-0 defeat.

However, U’s leading scorer Szmodics is confident that they can get back on the goal trail at Bury this weekend – and insists they will be putting in the hours at Florence Park this week to ensure it happens.

Szmodics said: “It’s tough but only we can put it right – we have to keep working hard and keep practising our finishing in training.

“Once one goes in, they all do.”

Colchester lie two points off the League Two play-off places with five games to go, ahead of this weekend’s trip to automatic promotion-hopefuls Bury.

The U’s have lost four of their last five matches but Szmodics insists they can turn things around.

“We know we’re better than this and we have five games to put it right,” said the former Stanway School pupil.

“We’re two points off the play-offs – Exeter have a game in hand but we just have to keep going.

“It’s a frustrating time but I think the only thing that’s going to get us out of this little rut is hard work.

“If the game isn’t going your way, you still have to work as hard as you can.

“We’re such a tight knit group and we’ll put it right.

“I know it’s a cliché but we go again and we’re looking forward to the Bury game already.

“We can beat anyone in this league – that’s a fact.

“Bury lost to Carlisle and have lost three on the bounce, so what better place to go.

“Our home form hasn’t been the best but we’ve been grinding out results away and now we’re looking forward to the game.

“Bury are challenging for automatic and we’re going for play-offs, so bring it on.

“The only people who can put it right are us in that changing room and we’ll stick together and keep going.”