Colchester United will be looking to claim their first home win of the campaign when they host Tranmere Rovers at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Last time out, the U’s suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat against Walsall and currently occupy the twenty-second spot in the Sky Bet League Two table.
Ben Garner’s side will now have the ambition to bounce back and pick up three points for the second time this season.
The Opposition
The U’s will face tough opposition from Tranmere who currently sit just above the North Essex side. The Rovers suffered their fifth defeat from six league games last weekend, when they succumbed to a 0-1 loss against Wrexham on the Wirral.
Following the defeat, Tranmere’s manager, Ian Dawes, said that his side failed to take control of the game but will be “focused” for their game against the U’s.
“It hurts us today. The fans, the staff, the players, everyone’s going to be hurting today,” Tranmere’s boss said last Saturday.
“It wasn’t just about a game of football today. We walk away gutted, we’ll be gutted tonight and tomorrow but come Monday morning, we’re focused on the next game, the players know that,” he added.
Tranmere’s only victory this season came against Harrogate when they put three goals past the Sulphurites, conceding none.
The Rovers have made several signings this summer including, most notably for the U’s fans, Luke Norris.
The striker made eighty-three appearances for Colchester, scoring twenty times. The thirty-year-old netted eleven goals for the U’s in the 2019-20 season, helping the U’s to sixth-place finish guaranteeing play-offs.
Norris played in both play-off semi-final matches against Exeter City in June 2020 as Colchester were defeated 3–2 on aggregate.
Another player, U’s fans should look out for is Kristian Dennis who signed for the Rovers on a two-year deal this summer. Dennis scored twenty league goals for Carlisle United in the 2022-23 campaign, massively contributing to their promotion to League One.
Tranmere’s goalkeeper, Luke McGee, has also had an eventful footballing journey so far, having signed his first professional contract at Tottenham Hotspur in 2014. He then played for Peterborough United, Bradford City, Forest Green Rovers, before finally joining Tranmere in May 2023.
The Rovers’ skipper, Tom Davies, has played every minute of the campaign so far, with the number five being a key figure in defence. He is known for his aerial dominance, tackling ability and leadership qualities.
Last Time We Met
A Noah Chilver’s penalty midway through the second half cancelled out Harvey Saunders’ early opener as Colchester secured a valuable point against Tranmere on Saturday 25 March 2023.
Ticket Info
Tickets are on sale online and from the U’s Club Shop at the MATCHDAY rate for Saturday’s game – click HERE for more information and where to purchase.
iFollow
If you can't make it to the game on Saturday, you can keep up with it via iFollow. Audio Passes (£2.50) and Video Passes (£10) are both available to supporters in the UK, with it being international weekend. Click HERE to get your iFollow pass.
