Colchester United host Oldham Athletic in vital League Two game

The U's lie two points above the Latics and three points clear of the relegation zone.

The U's are hoping to bounce back following their 2-1 defeat to Hartlepool United, on Tuesday night.

From team news to line-ups, key men and the referee, all you need to know can be found below ahead of the game.

U's team news

Colchester have a near fully-fit squad to choose from ahead of the Oldham game.

The U's have no major new injury worries ahead of the match.

Corie Andrews and Alan Judge are pushing for a start after coming off the bench against Hartlepool.

However, Ryan Clampin remains a long-term absentee.

Colchester interim head coach Wayne Brown (pictured above):

“We’re at the wrong end of the table for a reason because we’ve been conceding goals all season and not scoring enough.

“That has to change and I think we’re creating more now and we’re playing a more positive game, to try and create opportunities to score which we’ve done in abundance, over the last few games.

“It’s just now having that little bit of quality and composure and ruthlessness, in their final third.

“The game is won and lost in each box and it’s about your concentration levels and it’s about being organised and defending well in your own box and then being ruthless and composed in the opposition’s box, to get your goals.

“We had the opportunities we had on Tuesday to do just that.

“If you add the two together, they become tight games which they’ve all been apart from the Northampton game.

“There’s loads of positives, we’re getting into good areas, we’ll keep encouraging the lads to do that and be ruthless in front of goal."

Predicted line-ups

Colchester United: Hornby, Coxe, Chambers, Dallison, Kenlock, Skuse, Wiredu, Chilvers, Andrews, Sears, Akinde

Oldham Athletic: Rogers, McGahey, Piergianni, Clarke, Hart, Whelan, Stobbs, Kellior-Dunn, Adams, Missilou, Hope

Last meeting

Colchester ran out 2-1 winners when the two sides last met at Boundary Park, last August.

Freddie Sears gave the U's a ninth-minute lead and Noah Chilvers doubled it, three minutes later.

Dylan Bahamboula pulled a goal back for the Latics with 17 minutes remaining but it was too little, too late for the hosts.

Opposition view

Oldham boss John Sheridan

"It's a team in a similar position to ourselves, they're at home and looking at it as a winnable game for them.

"If it was us at home I would expect us to win the game, and it's a good chance of winning the game, so I'm sure they're looking at it like that.

"But we're on an unbeaten run, 11 points from 15 we couldn't ask much more from the players. We'll go there believing we can win the game but at the same time expect a really tough game.

"I'm sure the manager (Wayne Brown) will know that we're in decent form ourselves. I hope he expects a tough game and we go and give them a tough game.

"At the same time it gives us an opportunity, if we can get the result we're after and get the win we're after we can leapfrog them in the league.

"But it's very tight and it's two teams at the bottom who are desperate for the points.

"We've just got to continue what we've been doing and don't get carried away."

Odds

Colchester are 6/5 to get a crucial win today. Oldham are seen as 12/5 for the victory, with the draw 21/10.

Referee

Andy Haines is the man in the middle today. The Tyne and Wear official has presided over 25 games so far this season, showing 67 yellow cards and just one red.

Fixtures, League Two, today (kick-off 3pm)

Barrow v Harrogate Town, Bradford City v Mansfield Town, Bristol Rovers v Exeter City, Colchester United v Oldham Athletic, Crawley Town v Forest Green Rovers, Leyton Orient v Carlisle United, Newport County v Tranmere Rovers, Port Vale v Stevenage, Rochdale v Northampton Town, Sutton United v Scunthorpe United, Swindon Town v Salford City, Walsall v Hartlepool United.