COLCHESTER United host Mansfield Town this afternoon, looking to make it back-to-back wins.
From likely line-ups to key men and the referee, all you need to know can be found below ahead of the League Two clash at the JobServe Community Stadium (kick-off 3pm).
Team news
Colchester will have Arthur Read available after his wrist injury sustained against Tranmere was not as bad as first feared.
Striker Tom Hopper has an outside chance of making the squad after injury but is more likely to feature against Tottenham Hotspur under-21s, on Tuesday night.
However, Fiacre Kelleher, Owura Edwards, Nico Lawrence, Tom Dallison and Ellis Iandolo are all sidelined.
Predicted line-ups
Colchester: Goodman, Egbo, Mitchell, Hall, Read, McGeehan, Kazeem, Fevrier, Chilvers, Taylor, Tovide
Mansfield: Pym, Brunt, Bowery, MacDonald, Flint, Lewis, Maris, Kellior-Dunn, Reed, Akins, Gale
Colchester head coach Ben Garner on Mansfield game:
“Mansfield normally have a really competitive budget in the division and Nigel is a really experienced manager who’s been successful at this level previously.
“They were in the play-offs two seasons ago and just missed out, last season and they’ve strengthened their squad again now.
“So I think they’re as good as a squad as there is in the division.
“Like us, they’ve got a few injuries at the moment and it’ll be a tough test but it’s one that we’re looking forward to.”
Opposition view
Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough told the Stags website: “They (Colchester) survived relegation [last season]. They’ll be looking to do much better than that this year.
“They invested heavily last January and a little bit in the summer and they’ve just had an outstanding display at home to Tranmere.
“I think they had 27 shots on Saturday, so I think it’ll be a different proposition than it was a few months ago.”
Key battle
Joe Taylor will be hoping to add to his five goals already so far this season, for Colchester.
He is set to come up against vastly-experienced centre-back Aiden Flint, who joined Mansfield from Sheffield Wednesday earlier this summer.
Last meeting
Mansfield ran out 2-0 winners at Colchester when the two sides met at the JobServe Community Stadium on the final day of last season.
Riley Harbottle and James Gale were on target for the Stags but it was not enough to clinch them a play-off place.
Referee
The man in the middle today is Andy Davies.
Odds
Colchester are 13/5 to claim victory today, according to bookmakers Paddy Power. A draw is 13/5 while a Mansfield win is 19/20.
League Two fixtures, today (3pm unless stated): Accrington Stanley v Sutton United, AFC Wimbledon v Crewe Alexandra, Bradford City v Harrogate Town, Colchester United v Mansfield Town, Crawley Town v Tranmere Rovers, Forest Green Rovers v Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham v Morecambe, Milton Keynes Dons v Stockport County, Newport County v Barrow, Swindon Town v Walsall, Wrexham v Grimsby Town.
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