Stevenage FC

Weather Forecast: Cloudy, 4°c

Referee: I Williamson (Berkshire)

Stevenage welcome Colchester United to The Lamex Stadium this Saturday afternoon in a vital League 1 fixture with both teams looking to grab a vital three points.

Sanchez Watt’s winner gave Colchester all three points in the previous meeting between the two sides back in October, ending 10-man Stevenage’s long unbeaten run. Watt scored with a fierce low shot from the edge of the penalty area after racing onto a pass from Jabo Ibehre. The winning goal came two minutes after Anthony Grant had been sent off for two bookable offences. Boro had chances to level but Filipe Morais saw a 30-yard shot saved by Mark Cousins and Bondz N’Gala hit the crossbar late on.

Boro: Arnold, Gray, Roberts, N’Gala, Charles, Tansey (Risser), Grant, Dunne, Akins (Shroot), Haber, Morais (Freeman)

 

Subs not used: Day, Rogers, Lopez

Stevenage could welcome back Greg Tansey and Marcus Haber into the starting eleven after both came off the bench at Scunthorpe. Filipe Morais could also feature after missing the last couple of games.

Colchester are likely to name a similar side to that which won 2-0 against Yeovil in midweek. Kem Izzet made his first competitive appearance in two months during an U21 match on Tuesday, following an ankle injury, but is unlikely to feature.

Colchester currently sit in 21st in League 1 after picking up 35 points from their 34 games so far.

Having been on a run of 11 defeats in 12 games, the U’s have responded with four wins in their last seven games with victories coming against Walsall (2-0), Portsmouth (3-2), Preston (1-0) and most recently Yeovil (2-0).

Their away form is the worst in League One with three wins, two draws and 11 defeats, during which they’ve scored 12 and conceded 30. The U’s have often conceded early and late in each half with 21 goals hitting the back of their net in the first or last five minutes of each half over the course of the season.

Sam Walker; Bradley Garmston, Magnus Okuonghae, Tom Eastman, Brian Wilson; Billy Clifford, Andy Bond, George Porter; Gavin Massey, Jabo Ibehre, Freddie Sears

Subs from: Josh Thompson, Clinton Morrison, David Wright, Mark Cousins, Marcus Bean, Alex Gilbey, Jack Compton

Freddie Sears is a man in-form with five goals in Colchester’s last eight games. The former West Ham youngster now has eight for the season and has formed a promising partnership with Jabo Ibehre who rejoined the Us on a permanent deal from MK Dons after a successful loan spell. Sears had a prolific record in the Hammers youth team and shot to prominence as an 18-year old when he scored the winner on his debut v Blackburn in 2008. A number of loan spells ensued for the 23-year old but having arrived permanently at Colchester last summer he has recently stated he is enjoying one of the best spells on his career.

• The referee for this game will be Iain Williamson from Berkshire who hasn’t taken charge of a Boro game since October 2011 when he oversaw a goalless draw with Yeovil.

• James Dunne is set to make his 35th appearance for the club this weekend and Steve Beleck his 10th.

• A goal for Mark Roberts will be the skipper’s 25th for the club since joining in 2008 whilst a goal for Lucas Akins will be his 10th this season, making him only the second man to reach double figures for Boro in a Football League season.