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MATCH PREVIEW: Colchester United vs Swindon

Swindon Town will be looking to start 2023 as they ended 2022 when they travel to struggling Colchester United in League Two. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam previews the New Year’s Day clash.

Events of the last few days have rejuvenated the feeling around the County Ground as a 2-1 win against third-place Northampton Town was followed by the confirmation of Charlie Austin’s return.

Scott Lindsey said that having looked back at the Northampton game, he felt the performance was better than he had in the moment.

He said: “I have been able to watch it [Northampton] back, I watch all the games back and clip it up accordingly and we actually played better than I thought on second reflection.

“On the night I didn’t think we were great with the ball, even if we were very good without the ball, watching it back I was pleased with how we played.

“We were a bit loose with the ball and there have been better games where we have controlled the ball more than we did on Thursday. But maybe on second look I was being a bit harsh on us.

“It was really pleasing how clinical we were, because in actual fact our xG wasn’t that high, it was lower than Northampton’s.

“But we were really clinical in the moments that we needed to be.”

Swindon travel to Essex to face a Colchester side sat third from bottom in League Two and with just two wins in ten matches since they visited the County Ground back in October.

Lindsey said: “We always have a clear idea in our minds of what we think the challenges of an opposition will be because we watch a hell of a lot of footage to get an idea.

“I think it was Matt [Bloomfield]’s first game when we played them at home and they have a lot of good players and experience in their team.

“They have good wing-backs who will attack aggressively and quickly and play off the front with an intent.

“They have good size at the top of the pitch as well, depending on the personnel that they pick.

“They are not in a great position in the league as we know, but that is never an easy thing to play against a team down there who are scrapping for every point.

“We are fully expecting a really tough game as the season is only halfway and they could pick up at any point, so let’s hope it is after New Year’s Day.”

Tom Clayton, Reece Devine, Cian Harries, and Conor Brann are the only absentees from contention as Ciaran Brennan has recovered enough from illness to return to full training.

A Tyrese Shade goal proved to be enough for Swindon to get a 1-0 win against Colchester earlier in the season, which ended a run of six without a win against the U’s and they have not won at the JobServe Community Stadium in their last five attempts.

Their last win away against Colchester was back in 2016 when Nicky Ajose and Michael Doughty both bagged braces in a 4-1 win.