HAYDEN Mullins has been nominated for the Sky Bet League Two Manager of the Month award for April.

The Colchester United interim head coach has been shortlisted for the accolade after doing an excellent job since taking the helm, at the end of March.

He stepped up from his assistant manager role to take over from Wayne Brown with the U's sitting four points clear of the bottom two, with eight matches left.

Mullins' calming influence inspired a 0-0 draw at promotion-chasing Bolton Wanderers, in his first game in charge.

He followed that up with a draw against Barrow and despite losing 5-2 at Oldham Athletic, the U's bounced back with vital home wins over relegation rivals Walsall and Southend.

A narrow 1-0 defeat at now-promoted Cheltenham Town followed but Colchester's victory over Salford City last weekend sealed their place in the Football League, for next season.

Mullins, who has been assisted by Paul Tisdale, has helped Colchester secure 11 points from a possible 21 in the seven games he has been in charge.

He will be hoping to guide the U's to victory in their final game of the season at play-off hopefuls Tranmere Rovers, this weekend.

Mullins is up against Salford City boss Gary Bowyer, the Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke and Michael Duff, who has just guided Cheltenham to promotion to League One.

Former Colchester forward Ian Henderson is among the quartet nominated for the League Two Player of the Month award for April.

The Salford striker is in the running, along with Port Vale midfielder Tom Conlon, Paul Mullin of Cambridge United and another ex-U's player, Cheltenham Town's Ben Tozer.

The Sky Bet Manager of the Month judging panel comprises former Barnsley manager Danny Wilson, Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman; EFL Communications Director Mark Rowan, and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.

All winners will be announced on Friday.