Friday 21st April 2000 : Colchester match preview

Cambridge United travel to Colchester United tomorrow knowing that a win, combined with defeats for Scunthorpe and Blackpool, would guarantee finishing above those two sides and moving above Colchester.

The U's will be without defender Scott Eustace, described as a "colossus" in recent weeks by Roy McFarland, but veteran left-back Clive Wilson is back in training and due for a recall if he passes a late test. This will allow stand-in left-back Marc Joseph to move back to his more accustomed central position in place of Eustace.

"Clive has trained very well all week, he hasn't had any problems with his knee, but we have to wait to see if there is any reaction," McFarland told the Cambridge Evening News. "If he can't make it, there is the option of Ben Chenery going in at centre-back, and Marc remaining at full-back, where he's done well."

No other changes are expected to the side which won 4-0 at Cardiff last Saturday and eased Cambridge's relegation worries whilst increasing Cardiff's.

"I don't see any other changes at this stage, but I'll be looking for a different performance from the one in the first half at Cardiff last weekend. We defended well, but didn't play our football," McFarland continued. "If we can play and create chances, there's no reason why we can't carry on our excellent away run. We may only need another four points from four games to avoid relegation, but we want to get three of them as soon as possible."

Colchester will be out for revenge for their 5-2 thrashing at the Abbey Stadium earlier this season, but they have problems in defence and will definitely be without former McFarland target Efe Sodje. The big defender signed on a two month contract on deadline day from Luton, but he is away with the Nigerian International squad. Ross Johnson strained a hamstring in the pre-match warm-up last weekend and is unlikely to play this weekend, and David Greene, last season's player of the year, is unlikely to feature after returning to training this week from a long lay-off with a knee injury.