MACCLESFIELD Town are now my favourite second team in the whole wide world after they kindly beat Exeter on Tuesday night.

Every little helps and that’s despite Sol Campbell’s men being yet at another football club struggling to pay wages.

This weekend's opponents Bury are also in trouble but their court case has been adjourned until after the season has ended, so any potential points benefit to the U’s is now very unlikely.

I’ll take any gift from fellow clubs if it means the U’s have a better chance of making the play-offs.

Our yo-yo performances have been frustrating and disappointing but until someone cuts that string then there is still hope.

Somehow though the U’s have got to turn one win in five form around into something like three or four wins in five, to have a realistic chance.

Bury might cough up points again given their financial plight and if the U’s work hard enough, while Grimsby and Yeovil are on long winless runs so there’s a positive.

MK Dons and Lincoln are the sticky bits but I can remember a fantastically stirring U’s performance to beat the Dons at their place, a few months ago.

It’s all about confidence, nerves, character and attitude for the U’s these next few games. They need to find some quickly.

The training ground can help but it is in matches where they need to show that they can cope with the pressure and it’s a shame that it looks like they feel so much more pressure at home.

The first half last Saturday being a case in point. Oldham's first goal looked soft and as for the present that followed, that pain has been replayed all over social media this week.

Even with a vastly-improved second half and a flood of U’s forwards on the pitch, the well-drilled Oldham defence stood firm to hold onto the lead that had been granted them.

Our goals have somehow dried up just at the crucial part of the season and that’s why I'd like to see some changes going forward tomorrow.

Nouble, Mandron and Dickenson have to start after being left out last week before coming on and making a difference.

It’s certainly not a time to worry about other players noses getting put out of joint.

It’s a time for courage and that’s what the U’s fans will need to see at Bury and then again when we’re at home to Grimsby on Good Friday.

Safe journey to all of the supporters heading to Gigg Lane on Saturday morning and please do your best to help the team come back with all three points.

Jon Burns, Colchester United Supporters Association chairman