HARRY Pell admits he is still not over Colchester United’s agonising play-off defeat - five months on from that heartbreaking night at Exeter City.

The U’s return to St James Park for the first time tonight since their painful 3-1 semi-final extra-time reverse at the hands of the Grecians, last season.

Both clubs are busy staging another promotion push this season, with the sides residing in the League Two play-off positions heading into the clash (kick-off 7pm).

And skipper Pell says he would love to help Colchester pick up a win tonight and boost their hopes of going all the way, this season.

“I don’t think we owe them something – it’s one where we owe ourselves something,” said Pell.

“I’m still not over it from last year, I’m not going to lie.

“We’ll go there and try and win the game.

“Away from home, we know that our form needs to be better and that’s what we’re trying to do.

“We need to be hard to beat and our home form speaks for itself.

“We do need to start picking up a few more wins, away from home.”

Colchester will have plenty of attacking options to choose from, heading into tonight’s game.

U’s boss Steve Ball brought Luke Norris, Callum Harriott, Michael Folivi and Josh Bohui off the bench all to good effect in the U’s 1-1 draw at Mansfield Town, last Friday.

Pell added: “All of the boys came off the bench and made a big impact and I think that’s where our squad is quite strong.

“That’s what we’re most definitely going to need.

“I really like the fact that this year you look over to the bench and you see someone with the quality of Callum Harriott.

“I’m really happy for Nos, who has come on and scored.

“Jevani (Brown) has got all of the praise recently and rightly so and I have no doubt that he’ll keep banging in the goals.

“But if we can get another striker like Nos keep banging them in with Jevani which he’s more than capable of doing, it’ll be good for the team.

“I know Nos really well – I’ve worked with him for a good couple of years and I’m really close with him.

“He’ll be banging on the gaffer’s door, don’t worry about that.

“That’s a problem that the gaffer’s going to have to have and I’m sure he’ll really enjoy facing that, because if you’ve got two strikers with the quality of Luke Norris and Jevani Brown and also the likes of Mike (Folivi) and Callum (Harriott) around them, it’s only going to be good for the team.”