Accrington Stanley welcome Colchester United to Wham Stadium for a big game in League Two this weekend. The two sides find themselves on the opposite ends of the table, needing a win to fight for promotion or safety.
Accrington currently sit sixth in League Two after 15 games. The Owd Reds have eight wins, two draws and five losses, leaving them on 26 points, four points from the last automatic promotion spot.
In their last five games in all competitions, Accrington have five wins. The first of these wins came against a struggling Forest Green Rovers. Josh Andrews grabbed a brace for Accrington, giving them just enough of a lead to make Mathew Steven’s late goal obsolete as Accrington won 2 - 1. In the Football League Trophy, Accrington took on Harrogate Town. Lewis Trickett picked up a brace and Korede Adedoyin hat-trick gave Accrington the hard-fought 5 - 3 win over Harrogate.
After Grimsby’s Luke Waterfall’s red card in the 72nd minute, the floodgates opened, with Shaun Whalley and Andrews both scoring to give Accrington the 2 - 0 win. Whalley was on the scoresheet again against MK Dons with the only goal of the game in a 1 - 0 win for Accrington.
The last time out for Accrington was against Wimbledon. Joe Pritchard and Tommy Leigh gave Accrington the 2 - 0 lead going into halftime. Pritchard scored yet again in the opening minutes of the second half, but a brace from Omar Bugiel brough Wimbledon right back into the game. However, a late goal from Bradley Hills gave Accrington the 4 - 2 win.
Colchester, on the other hand, sit 21st in League Two after 14 games. The Us have four wins, one draw and nine losses, leaving them with 13 points, just three points above the relegation zone.
In their last five games in all competitions, Colchester have two wins and three losses. JJ McKiernan single handedly put Morecambe into a 3 - 0 lead despite being down to ten men after James Connolly was sent off in the 35th minute. Cameron McGeehan did get Colchester on the scoresheet late in the game, but it wasn’t enough as they slumped to a 3 - 1 loss. Jay Mingi was sent off in the first half for Colchester on a miserable day for The Us against Forest Green. Callum Morton, Kyle McAllister and Matt Taylor all scored along with a brace from Stevens to give Forest Green the 5 - 0 win.
In the Football League Trophy, Colchester took on Cambridge United. Samson Tovide and Chay Cooper both scored in the first half to give Colchester the 2 - 0 lead. Gassan Ahadme did convert his penalty in the 95th minute, but it wasn’t enough as Colchester won 2 - 1. However, Colchester were then on the wrong side of a 2 - 1 scoreline against Harrogate Town. Cooper opened the scoring for Colchester but subsequent goals from Matty Daly and Sam Folarin gave Harrogate the 2 - 1 win.
The most recent outing for Colchester was against Grimsby. An Owen Goodman own goal gave Grimsby the lead, but Joe Taylor and Zach Mitchell gave Colchester the lead going into halftime. Donovan Wilson opened the scoring in the second half, but a goal from Arthur Read gave Colchester the 3 - 2 win.
Accrington Stanley and Colchester have met just seven times in their histories, with the first meeting coming as recently as 2004. Colchester have just one win in the fixture, with Accrington winning on five occasions, the one other meeting ending in a draw.