Colchester United face a key home fixture against Exeter City this Saturday as they look to arrest a worrying slide down the League Two standings. The U's sit 19th with just 10 points from their opening nine games, a run that includes only one win in their last nine league outings. Their current form shows they have scored just two goals while conceding six in their last five matches, a statistic they must improve upon to climb the table.
Manager Danny Cowley is likely to keep faith with the side that narrowly lost 1-0 at Newport County last time out. That means a probable 4-2-3-1 setup with Lo-Tutala in goal, a back four of Kuffour, Tucker, Paul Digby and Iandolo, and a midfield anchored by Williams and Payne. The attacking trio of Sesay, Anderson and Lubala will support striker Thorn. The manager will be looking to his squad for a reaction, particularly to their recent struggles in front of goal.
Exeter arrive with their own mixed form, having beaten Shrewsbury 1-0 away last weekend but losing to Bristol Rovers before that. Their midfield engine room is Doyle-Hayes and Cummins, supplying forwards Scully, Perry, Birch and Gordon.
A victory would provide a massive boost, lifting Colchester away from the immediate relegation scrap and injecting confidence into a team that has drawn three and lost two of its last five league games. Key midfielder Payne, the club's top scorer this season with 13 goals, will be central to any turnaround. His contributions in goal minutes have been key, and his presence will be vital again. The club's full fixtures list shows this is the first of a challenging run of games, making a positive result all the more important.
The match kicks off at 15:00 on Saturday 17 October at the JobServe Community Stadium.
