Birmingham City's players are looking to the future after starting the post-Upson era in confident mood.
After becoming only the second team in six months to come away from Layer Road with a point, there was widespread shock in the visitors' dressing room when the Blues players heard about Matthew Upson's calf injury, sustained in West Ham's defeat at Villa Park.
There was also the disappointment of dropping out of the top two for the first time in two months, thanks to Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion both winning away. But it did not mask Blues' thrill at such an encouraging result, particularly after losing at home to Southend United in midweek and then going a goal down on Saturday.
Blues, who still have two games in hand on all of their promotion rivals, responded over the final half-hour with a show that hinted at a real return to top form, capped by Stephen Clemence's equaliser.
The recalled midfielder was the first to admit that it is time for everyone to move on from the Upson issue. "It's disappointing for us as Matty''s a great player," said Clemence. "He's an England international and we'd love to still have him here.
"We came to the club at the same time [Clemence moving from Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight before Upson in 2003], he's a good friend of mine and I wish him all the best but he felt it was time to go and try something new. And you have to say that we did not miss him.
"Radhi Jaidi and Martin Taylor were superb, just as they were at the start of our run before Matty came back into the team after injury. As long as they keep up that sort of form, there will be no problems."
Jaidi's central defensive partner, Martin Taylor, also agreed that the events of the past week had been forgotten. "The mood was fine," he said. "The atmosphere was good, the lads were geed up and there were no problems. Everyone was in the right frame of mind.
"Transfers happen in football but, as players, you just stick together, train hard, come out on the Saturday and do your job.
"We performed for the first third of the season without Matt Upson, so it was not really an issue. It's never about individuals, it's about being a team and, if we keep doing that, we know we've got a chance of promotion."
Manager Steve Bruce was certainly grateful for the form of Jahdi and Taylor against Colchester's 26-goal strikeforce of Chris Iwelumo and Jamie Cureton. "They were fantastic," he said. "The two centre-halves were terrific and that gave us a platform."
Bruce also paid tribute to young goalkeeper Colin Doyle, who came in for only his second league start. He replaced Maik Taylor, axed after conceding three goals at home to Reading in the FA Cup a week earlier, then the shock midweek home defeat to Southend.
"Maik has been a fantastic servant to the club and played really well for years," said Bruce. "But we have conceded three goals twice in the last week and I thought maybe a change was needed.
"Colin has been knocking on the door and I thought he deserved his chance. I had to make the decision as the manager and I thought the young kid did very well."
Birmingham City striker Cameron Jerome was called into the England Under-21 squad last night for the match against Spain at Pride Park tomorrow.
Under-21s manager Stuart Pearce has been hit by three withdrawals through injury from the squad. Blackburn striker Matt Derbyshire has been forced out along with Wigan full-back Leighton Baines and Middlesbrough midfielder Lee Cattermole.
