New boys Danny Steele and Pat Baldwin could make history as Colchester United's youngest ever central defensive partnership tonight.

The 20-year-old ex-Millwall and Chelsea duo are standing by to face Barnsley at Layer Road if Mark Warren and Alan White fail to shrug off niggling injuries in time.

Warren, just back after a four match ban, missed training yesterday after feeling a twinge in his groin, while White ducked out because of a hamstring worry.

But if they don't make it, U's boss Steve Whitton has every faith that his young partnership boasting just seven League and cup appearances between them will do a good job for him.

He said: "We, of course, are hoping Mark and Alan are both going to be fit, if they're not it will be a great opportunity for Danny and Pat to show us all what they're made of."

The U's boss is hoping to field an unchanged squad following Saturday's fine performance at Huddersfield where they were cruelly robbed of a deserved one-goal win by an injury-time equaliser.

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Published Tuesday October 29, 2002

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