Walsall Football Club

The Saddlers are on the road again this weekend...

Walsall recorded a 2-0 win at Barnsley on Tuesday evening and possess the best away record in League One, having taken 17 points from a possible 21. Colchester survived relegation on the final day of last season but have made a solid start to this campaign. The U’s are 12th in League One and have lost only once at home.
OVERVIEW:

LEAGUE STANDINGS:
Colchester: 12th – P14 W5 D4 L5 F21 A28 PTS19
Walsall: 2nd – P14 W8 D4 L2 F21 A8 PTS28

LAST FIVE LEAGUE MATCHES: (Most recent match first)
Colchester: WLLLW
Walsall: WLWDW

LAST TIME OUT:
Tuesday, 20th October – Colchester 2-1 Port Vale
The U’s ended a run of three consecutive league defeats with victory over Port Vale, courtesy of goals from George Elokobi and Marvin Sordell.
Team: Jones, Olufemi, Eastman, Elokobi, Briggs, Gilbey, Garvan (Edwards 50’), Ambrose (Sembie-Ferris 83’), Moncur, Harriott, Sordell.
Subs not used: Szmodics, Bonne, Lapslie, Parish, James.

Tuesday, 20th October – Barnsley 0-2 Walsall
Second-half goals from Manchester City loanee George Evans and ex-Barnsley winger Milan Lalkovic sealed all three points.
Team: MacGillivray, Demetriou, Downing, Chambers ©, Bradshaw, Sawyers, Forde (Morris 78'), Henry, Lalkovic (Cook 83'), Preston, Evans (Flanagan 84').
Subs not used: Jezeph, Baxendale, Bakayoko, Kinsella.

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD:
Colchester wins: 24
Walsall wins: 23
Draws: 17

LAST MEETING:
Saturday, 17th January 2015 – Colchester 0-2 Walsall
COLCHESTER MANAGER:

Anthony Forde’s first-half header and Michael Cain’s second-half tap-in earned the Saddlers victory in Essex. The result left Walsall in 14th position, three points off the top six.
Tony Humes – The 49-year-old replaced Joe Dunne as Colchester's first-team manager in September 2014 and guided the U's to League One safety last season. Humes, the Club's former Head of Youth Development, played as a defender for Ipswich and Wrexham.

COLCHESTER STAR MAN:
Darren Ambrose – The experienced midfielder has scored one goal in nine appearances for Colchester since signing from Ipswich in August 2015. A ten-time former England U21 international, Ambrose played in the Premier League for Newcastle and Charlton, and also represented Championship clubs Crystal Palace and Birmingham.

– “The players dug in well and showed an awful lot of character, in what was a tough game. The all-round display and work ethic was very good. At times we were very, very good and created opportunities and could have won by another couple."Tony Humes (on Colchester’s win against Port Vale)VIEW FROM THE COLCHESTER CAMP:


WALSALL TEAM NEWS:
Manager Dean Smith is hopeful that Rico Henry (ankle), James O’Connor (tight groin) and Andy Taylor (knee) will be fit. Sam Mantom (high ankle sprain), Neil Etheridge (gash to his knee) and Isaiah Osbourne (knee) are out.

REFEREE:
Sebastian Stockbridge (from Tyne & Wear).

Walsall have the tightest defence in League One (eight goals conceded), while Colchester have the leakiest (28 goals against).STAT OF THE DAY:


TOMORROW’S LEAGUE ONE FIXTURES: (3.00pm unless stated)
Sheff Utd vs. Millwall (12.15)
Barnsley vs. Fleetwood
Blackpool vs. Crewe
Bradford vs. Wigan
Burton vs. Port Vale
Chesterfield vs. Scunthorpe
Gillingham vs. Southend
Peterborough vs. Doncaster
Rochdale vs. Oldham
Shrewsbury vs. Bury
Swindon vs. Coventry