New boy Brian Launders Colchester United season could be over.

The talented Derby County loanee, signed for the rest of the season only last Thursday on transfer deadline day, visited a specialist in Bradford today where he was facing the prospect of further surgery to rectify an old knee injury.

"Brian had an operation a couple of months ago and it is feared that there is still some debris floating around in the knee," said worried U's boss Mick Wadsworth.

"If it is the end of his season it will be a crying shame for the lad and the club. He is a smashing player who I am hoping to attract to Layer Road next season." Launders caught the eye of his new boss with an imprressive debut for U's in last Saturdays Division Two defeat at highflying Bournemouth.

Skipper Richard Wilkins enjoyed an hour of Wednesday's 2-1 reserve win at Ipswich, but was likely to sit out Friday's game with Preston to make sure that he is fully fit for Easter Monday's trip to Burnley.

Wadsworth described last night's strike force of Lomano Lua Lua, Karl Duguid and Steve Germain as exciting.

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