Next up for Town

AT HOME Colchester Utd

SATURDAY 9TH MARCH 2021 SKY BET LEAGUE TWO, 3PM After achieving their highest ever league finish of 10th in the Championship in 2006-07, relegation followed in 2008 and the Us spent the next eight seasons in League One, before dropping into League Two in 2015-16 where they’ve remained ever since. John McGreal took charge at that point, and in two of his first three full seasons at the helm, Colchester finished a point outside the play-offs, before a play-off semi-final defeat to Exeter City last season. Former player, Steve Ball was appointed first team coach before this campaign after being an assistant coach for four years under McGreal. This season has been a tale of two halves with the Us starting off well and always in the play-off hunt. But since winning 1-0 at Scunthorpe on December 8, Colchester have gone 13 without victory at the time of going to print, which has seen them drop into the bottom half of the table as they visit Wetherby Road. In the reverse fixture in late October, Colchester won 2-1. Town were unfortunate not to come away with anything that day having dominated the game, however, two quickfire goals in two minutes from Callum Harriott and Ben Stevenson soon after half time caused the damage and despite a 68th minute reply from Jon Stead, the Us held on to inflict a first away league defeat of the season on Town.

Jon Stead heads Town’s goal in October

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ON THE ROAD Barrow

TUESDAY 2ND MARCH 2021 SKY BET LEAGUE TWO, 7PM Fellow League Two new boys Barrow have been up against it for most of the season after Ian Evatt left in the summer for Bolton Wanderers, and David Dunn was sacked in December and replaced by Michael Jolley, only for him to be relieved of his duties after the defeat on last weekend against Morecambe with Rob Kelly now appointed as Caretaker Manager until the end of the season. In January nine players joined the club, including Neal Eardley and Jamie Devitt to add some more experienced heads. Scoring hasn’t necessarily been a problem this season but those goals haven’t translated into wins with the Bluebirds often taking the lead then letting sides back into games, consequently they have just six wins on the board. Rob Kelly got off to a dream start on Tuesday night however, with Scott Quigley’s 89th-minute winner earning the Bluebirds a 1-0 victory at Oldham Athletic. In the reverse fixture in mid-October, Jack Muldoon’s first-half strike was enough to give Town a 1-0 win in what was Harrogate’s first ever league game played at The EnviroVent Stadium on the newly laid pitch.