Promising Colchester United youngster Ian Wiles is out for the rest of the season with a broken arm.

The 19-year-old, a first-year professional, fractured his forearm during the U's reserves 2-1 win at Ipswich reserves and he is now in plaster.

U's assistant manager Steve Whitton today said: "Ian has done very well for us all season and has played a big part in how well the reserves have done.

"He will miss the rest of the season with the broken arm and tried to play on at Ipswich without realising how badly damaged it was."

Wiles joins Aaron Skelton, who is out with a broken ankle, on the sidelines. Tony Lock is making steady progress but won't be back for at least another week.

The U's reserves were due to meet Norwich reserves at Layer Road today, looking to maintain their push near the top of the Avon Insurance Combination League.

They will field a host of triallists as Mick Wadsworth and Whitton look to strengthen the squad for next season.

They include Ryan Palmer, a centre half from Fulham, Craig Farley, an 18-year-old from Watford who has already had one showing at Layer Road, and highly-rated midfielder Krystof Kotylo from Sheffield Wednesday.

The U's cannot sign these players for first team action until the end of the season

Whitton said: "The results are not important in reserve games - it is more about development, getting players back from injury, looking at new players and bringing youngsters through.

"Having said that, for players like Ian Wiles, David Rainford and Tamer Fernandes, who have been involved all season, it is good for them to have something to play for rather than be near the bottom."

The ever-efficient ticket office staff report slow sales for the Walsall game although the family enclosure tickets are selling briskly.

Tickets are available at the Layer Road ticket office 01206 508800.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.