Boosted by consecutive wins over Macclesfield and Yeovil, Cheltenham travel to Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium on Saturday looking to replicate their recent home form when on the road (kick-off: 3pm).
A tough test awaits Michael Duff’s side in Essex against a Colchester team with promotion aspirations, for what is the first of back-to-back away trips with a fixture at Grimsby to look forward too next week as well.
It’ll be the third time the two teams have faced each other this season. Back in August in the Carabao Cup a penalty shootout win after a 2-2 draw at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium saw Cheltenham come out on top, while in the league game a few weeks later Colchester clinched three points with a 3-1 win.
Tickets are available to buy on the day at Colchester if you haven’t purchased in advance. Kick-off is at 3pm.
Team news
Alex Addai, Tyrone Barnett and Will Boyle will all miss the trip through injury. Sean Long is back training and working towards gaining match fitness.
Tyrone Barnett is progressing on the return from a hamstring injury, Manny Duku is fit to be involved, although Nigel Atangana’s long-term Achilles injury rules him out.
Watch what Michael Duff had to say about Saturday’s game:
Opposition
Following back-to-back defeats, Colchester responded emphatically with a 4-0 win over Northampton last week. John McGreal’s side are a point off the play-off places and are in the pack chasing either an automatic or play-off promotion place.
They have recorded some impressive score lines this season having registered 1-0 wins over Lincoln City, Forest Green and MK Dons.
Their top goal scorer heading into the weekend is Sammie Szmodics with 11 goals. The attacking midfielder is joined among the goals by Luke Norris too, while they’ve recently signed Abo Eisa on loan from Shrewsbury. He was among the goal scorers in their win over Northampton and is the brother of Mo, whose goals for the Robins last season earned him a transfer to Bristol City.
The strength of Frank Nouble in forward areas will be another threat for the Robins to counter, while midfield man Harry Pell offers a challenge many in the Robins camp will be familiar with, as well as former Sunderland youngster Mikael Mandron who could feature in their front line too.
Colchester have taken 27 points from 15 home league matches this term, though they haven’t recorded three points on home turf since a 1-0 victory over Macclesfield back at the start of December.
Last time at Colchester
Last season’s trip to the JobServe Community Stadium came at the start of January 2018 as the Robins produced a remarkable second half turnaround to bag an eye-catching 4-1 away win.
Former Stevenage forward Kurtis Guthrie’s opener for Colchester five minutes before half time had set Colchester on their way against a Robins team who had failed to register a win over Christmas and who had lost 4-1 at Stevenage on New Year’s Day.
However a moment of madness from Kyel Reid just before half time saw the Essex outfit reduced to ten men and then on 57 minutes it was all square when debutant Sammi Odelusi, playing against the club he had left Cheltenham for in the January transfer window, found the net.
What followed was a goal scoring frenzy as Nigel Atangana put the Robins ahead and Jerrell Sellars then extended that lead on 79 minutes. Mo Eisa wrapped up the win with a fourth on 83 minutes.
Watch the highlights from the club’s last game at Colchester:
Tickets
If you haven’t bought tickets in advance from the club’s ticket office, they can be purchased on matchday at the stadium, or online here where you can print tickets or car parking spaces off before travelling. For Colchester’s ticket prices on a matchday click here.
Fans who have booked to travel to the game on the supporters coach are reminded that it leaves from the Jonny-Rocks Stadium at 9.30am.
Coverage
Stay up to date on matchday by following @CTFCofficial on Twitter. Catch the team news, match updates and in game photos online, while you can also keep an eye on goal updates on the club’s official Facebook page at facebook.com/ctfcofficial.
After the game visit the club website to see full reaction to the full time result. Listen to commentary on iFollow at ctfc.com/ifollow and on BBC Radio Gloucestershire.