We're improving at both ends of pitch – and Colchester win proved it

By mbeardmore

We are all buzzing after last weekend's win over Colchester United, which I thought was a good performance from the lads.

We were all up for it from the start and I thought we thoroughly deserved the victory.

Clayton Ince kept us in the game in the opening minutes with a couple of good saves and he is a great asset to us between the sticks.

I think his confidence got knocked a bit at Hartlepool a couple of weeks ago, with the clearance that led to a goal.

But he's a great shot stopper and as for set pieces and balls floated into the box you know that nine times out of ten he will collect them, which is always good news for any back four.

Chris Hutchings has come in and told us he wants the wide players to be more positive and get more balls into the box, which has contributed to some of the good football we have been playing.

Sofiene Zaaboub, in particular, has benefited from that strategy and that's what happens when a new manager comes in. It's a new book, an open book, for everyone and Sofi has certainly taken his chance.

We've also got four good strikers now itching to get in the team and Troy Deeney has really responded with a glut of goals.

Troy has improved an awful lot this season. He's a very popular character in the dressing room and he's added goals to his game, which is the main thing because his workrate has always been great.

We are three games unbeaten now and we take that run to Northampton Town on Saturday.

It will be a tough game as they are good at home but we want to keep our run going.