COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal has hinted youngster Kwame Poku could be close to earning his first league start.

The talented 18-year-old has appeared as a substitute in each of the U's last two League Two games, having made his professional debut in the Leasings.com Trophy win at Gillingham earlier this month.

Poku, who joined Colchester from Worthing at the end of last season, impressed in the latter stages of the 1-0 defeat at Forest Green Rovers last weekend.

And ahead of tonight's trip to play Swindon Town, boss McGreal admits the young attacker is very much in contention.

McGreal said: “Kwame’s name is on everyone’s lips at the minute and rightly so.

“He’s getting his game time and we’re just drip feeding him at the minute.

“He’s come in and he’s hit the ground running.

“No-one had really heard of him before but now a lot of people are talking about him already, which is really pleasing on his behalf.

“He’s done particularly well and he’ll definitely be in my thoughts, come Tuesday."

McGreal was pleased with the contribution of all three of his substitutes against Forest Green, with Brendan Wiredu and Theo Robinson also in contention to start tonight.

“The subs have picked the heat up particularly well and it’s credit to them," said McGreal.

"The young boys who came on gave us a right shot in the arm.

“We’ll analyse the Forest Green game and see what we’ve got.

“We’ll have a debrief of the game and then we’ll try and move on quickly, ready for the Swindon game."

Brandon Comley is in the running to return to Colchester's starting line-up tonight.

The 23-year-old midfielder has missed the U's last two games, after going on international duty with Montserrat.

“He came in (last Friday) and was really fatigued," said McGreal.

“Gams (Luke Gambin) is a little bit different in that he’s been in Europe whereas Coms has been the other side of the world so we thought it was best for him to miss this one out."

Meanwhile, boss McGreal has revealed the reason for Jevani Brown's absence against Forest Green.

The former Cambridge United attacker was not even on the bench at the New Lawn, despite travelling with the squad to Gloucestershire.

McGreal added: “Jevani is one of the players who has to improve.

“I’ll have a chat with him (on Sunday) but these boys who have been coming on like Kwame (Poku) and Brendan (Wiredu) have been playing particularly well.

“I can only have so many subs on the bench and people have to miss out."