Gareth McAuley has described Saturday's 'six-pointer' against rock-bottom Colchester United at the Walkers Stadium as "massive".

The Foxes sit 20th in the Championship table, just a point above the drop zone, after their disappointing 3-0 defeat at in-form Sheffield United.

James Beattie's seven-minute hat-trick did the damage but the scoreline could have been so different had referee Mike Pike not controversially awarded the Blades an early penalty and sent off stand-in captain Patrick Kisnorbo for an apparent professional foul.

Video replays suggested that there was no contact between advancing striker Billy Sharp and the Australian international, and manager Ian Holloway has insisted that the Foxes will appeal against the decision.

McAuley said: "At the time it didn't look like there was an awful lot, if any, contact and having since watched it back, it looked like a very harsh decision.

"Hopefully the referee will have a look at it and put things right because it was harsh giving the penalty but to send Paddy off as well was unjust."

However, the Northern Ireland international still believes that City should have been good enough to work their way back into the contest at Bramall Lane.

"The penalty and dismissal rocked us but after that we didn't regroup and they scored three goals in seven minutes. We really should have done better.

"We were at sixes and sevens for a while, lost our shape and conceded three soft goals so understandably we are very disappointed especially as we went there with nothing to fear.

"I also felt for the fans because they turned up in their numbers and despite seeing their side go three goals down early on, they kept on singing and were tremendous."

However, McAuley knows that there is no time to dwell with such an important home game against the U's on the horizon.

"What's done is done and we can't dwell on what might have been," he added.

"We've got a full week to prepare for what is a massive game against Colchester and we are determined to put things right in front of our own fans.

"We owe them a performance and the sooner we distance ourselves from the relegation zone the better."