COLCHESTER United embark on their Leasings.com Trophy campaign tonight when they travel to play League One side Gillingham.

The U's are in Group A of this season's competition, along with Ipswich Town and Spurs under-21s.

To abide with the competition's rules for EFL clubs to field 'full-strength sides', Colchester boss John McGreal must include at least four players in his starting line-up which satisfy at least one section of the league's criteria for 'qualifying players' in the competition - or else the U's will face a £5,000 fine.

Colchester must start with four players who feature in the list of ten outfield players to have started the most first-team games this season and/or have made 40 or more first-team career appearances.

U's boss McGreal will have to change his starting line-up at Gillingham whatever happens, with Luke Gambin and Brandon Comley both away on international duty.

That could give the likes of youngsters Noah Chilvers, Cameron James, Andre Hasanally and Ollie Kensdale the chance to shine, along with new loan signings Theo Robinson and Brendan Wiredu.

Defender Omar Sowunmi is also available again, after a quad injury.

Meanwhile, Gillingham boss Steve Evans has stated he will make changes to his starting line-up, ahead of tonight's game.

Evans said: “We’ll change it around.

"There’s no point in telling the Gillingham public it’s going to be the strongest starting XI, because it won’t be.

"We’ve got players that need minutes.”