LONG-SERVING defender Tom Eastman is currently at the 'top of his game' according to Colchester United boss John McGreal.

The consistent U's centre-back has been in outstanding form over recent weeks, helping his side keep three successive clean sheets in League Two.

Eastman, who has played more than 300 league and cup games for Colchester since joining them back in 2011 from Ipswich Town, has been a rock at the heart of the U's defence alongside skipper Luke Prosser.

And Colchester boss and former centre-back McGreal says the popular defender deserves all the praise he gets.

McGreal said: “Tom’s at the top of his game.

“He deserves the plaudits that he gets at the minute, because he’s getting them because of his performances.

“He’s got to keep on top of it and stay injury free which he does tend to do, touch wood.

"He’s in a good defensive vein of form and long may that continue."

Meanwhile, U's boss McGreal says new signing Brendan Wiredu is capable of playing for them in either defence or midfield.

Wiredu joined Colchester last week on loan from Championship club Charlton Athletic, until January.

The 19-year-old made his U's debut in their Leasings.com Trophy win at Gillingham last week, where he started at right-back before switching to a midfield role later in the game at Priestfield.

“We just felt as though we needed Brendan as a full-back/midfielder but looking how he performed the other night (against Gillingham), it was more a case of him as a midfielder/full-back," said McGreal.

“When we pushed him into midfield, he seemed to do particularly well, as well.

“He gives us an extra body, in and around it.

“He comes from a great club in Charlton who have a great reputation for bringing kids through.

“They’ve done a great job with Brendan and now it’s a case of him getting in at first-team level.

“He was on loan at Bromley last season, so he’s played in the division below and it’s obviously the next step for his development as well.

“We were looking at the full-back position.

“Jacko (Ryan Jackson) had a little bit of hamstring tightness over the last couple of weeks and we don’t feel as though we’ve got anything beneath to cover that area.

“You’ve got Cameron James but he’s been playing a little bit in midfield, as well."