CHRIS LUCKETTI is looking forward to another reunion with his old club Sheffield United.

But there’s plenty on the Town skipper’s agenda before the Carling Cup second-round tie against the club he left in the close-season – starting with tomorrow’s trip to Colchester United.

It marks a return to League I business after Tuesday night’s 4-0 cup drubbing of derby rivals Bradford City.

And Lucketti, who helped Town down Sheffield United 2-1 in a friendly a fortnight ago, is out to lead a big improvement on last Saturday’s 1-1 opening-day draw against Stockport County.

But he knows it won’t be easy against the Essex club, relegated from the Championship last season and eager to mark the first competitive match at their new 10,000 all-seater Weston Homes Community Stadium with a win.

“One of the objectives against Bradford was to improve on the display against Stockport, because we certainly weren’t great last Saturday,” said the 36-year-old, who is just starting his second spell at Town.

“We were all happy with Tuesday’s performance, and it was great to get our first win of the season, especially against our local rivals.

“It was a tight first half, and the manager was keen for us to up the tempo in the second, which I thought we did from the off.

“Jon Worthington’s opening goal came at a great time for us, and it seemed to settle us down nicely.”

Lucketti rated Robbie Williams’ effort, direct from a free-kick, the best of the night, but he also had praise for two-goal Gary Roberts.

“Gary is a great player, and when you face him in training, you see how tricky and hard to mark he is,” added Lucketti.

“He’s done really well since he’s been here, and he’s the kind of player our fans will love.”

Of his central defensive partnership with Andy Butler, freshly recruited from Scunthorpe United, Lucketti said: “We get on well together off the pitch, and we seem to read each other well on it.

“These things take time, but it’s coming along nicely, and keeping a clean sheet against Bradford was a lift for all the team.

“Now we have to follow it up when we take on Colchester.

“Having a good cup run generates money and provides excitement for the fans, but the league is our priority, and so far we’ve only got the one point.

“We have to build on the performance against Bradford, but we know Colchester will provide a really tough test.”

Geraint Williams’ side went down 4-2 at Hartlepool in their first League I game but bounced back to beat Gillingham 1-0 in their Carling Cup clash at Priestfield.

Matt Heath netted for United, whose main close-season recruit was Cheltenham striker Steven Gillespie, snapped up for a club-record £400,000-plus fee.

Colchester: Gerken, White, Reid, Heath, Ifil, Yeates, Hammond, Izzet, Wordsworth, Platt, Gillespie, Vernon, Elito, Lockwood, Jackson, Coyne, Wasiu, Cousins, Batchelor.

Town: Glennon, Holdsworth, Unsworth, Skarz, Williams, Lucketti, Butler, N Clarke, Flynn, Worthington, Goodwin, Roberts, Collins, Cadamarteri, Booth, Beckett, Parker, Kamara, Smithies.

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire).