Morecambe vs Colchester United; Sky Bet League Two
Morecambe vs Colchester United. Sky Bet League Two.
Globe ArenaAttendance1,839.
Morecambe v Colchester preview
Friday 19 October 2018 12:47, UK
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley could name an unchanged line-up for the Sky Bet League Two visit of Colchester.
The Shrimps have a lengthy list of injury problems but appear to have no fresh concerns following Saturday's 2-0 victory at Carlisle. Midfielder Andrew Tutte overcame illness to feature in that game, while goalkeeper Barry Roche (wrist) and forwards Vadaine Oliver (knee) and Aaron Wildig (knee) played through the pain barrier.
Kevin Ellison (calf), Steven Old (Achilles) and Zak Mills (hamstring and hernia) are doubts to face the U's, while James Sinclair (ankle), Andy Fleming and Alex Kenyon (both knee), and Garry Thompson (Achilles) are unlikely to return.
Colchester will check on the fitness of Harry Pell. The midfielder went off with a calf injury in the closing stages of the win over Crawley.
Brandon Comley should be back in contention having been on international duty with Montserrat last weekend. Regular U's goalkeeper Dillon Barnes may have to be content with a place on the bench for the second successive week after being rested by manager John McGreal against the Reds, with Rene Gilmartin likely to retain his starting position.
Opta stats
All four meetings between Morecambe and Colchester in League Two have been drawn. The last time two sides drew each of their opening five fixtures in the Football League was Cheltenham and Portsmouth, who drew their first five between September 2013 and November 2016.
The two meetings between Morecambe and Colchester at the Globe Arena have seen just two goals scored (one each), with both finishing level.
Morecambe have won just two of their last 12 home games in League Two (D5 L5), failing to score at all in seven of these fixtures.
Colchester are the top-scoring team in League Two this term, scoring 28 goals at an average of 2.2 per game.
Morecambe's Andrew Tutte has been directly involved in six goals in his last four league games against Colchester (four goals, two assists), scoring a hat-trick in his last appearance against them in February 2016 for Bury. Against no other side has he scored as many in the Football League.
