SCENE-SETTER...
United come into the match on the back of two home wins in quick succession, defeating Grimsby Town 3-0 last Saturday and then Port Vale 2-0 at the Sands Venue Stadium on Tuesday night.
Buoyed by those results, the Iron head to the JobServe Community Stadium in confident mood and seeking a result that could bring them up to 14th in the table before the rest of this weekend's matches are played.
THE OPPOSITION...
Colchester come into the match sitting 14th in Sky Bet League Two, and drew 1-1 at home to Cambridge United in their last home match.
Prior to Tuesday's 0-0 away draw at Stevenage, they were beaten 3-0 at Morecambe and are looking for a first home win since December 5th, when they overcame Grimsby Town 2-1. Their most recent victory came three days later when they defeated us 1-0 at the Sands Venue Stadium.
Top scorer for them so far is Jevani Brown, with eight strikes to his name, while Callum Harriott, who has scored five goals and set up another five, is also a big contributor.
Goalkeeper Dean Gerken tops their appearance charts, and is closely followed by Tom Eastman, Tommy Smith, Noah Chilvers and Kwame Poku.
TEAM NEWS...
Jordan Clarke (thigh) missed the midweek home match against Port Vale and first team manager Neil Cox ruled him out for a month when speaking after the win at Port Vale.
Harrison McGahey (hamstring) is back in training but the game will come too soon, while Aaron Jarvis (also hamstring) continues to be missing for a total of 10 weeks.
Kevin van Veen continues his rehabilitation, but is ever edging closer to a return. Fin Shrimpton (ankle) is also back on grass, along with Andy Dales (ankle), as they both work their way back to fitness.
Olufela Olomola is still out following a knee injury sustained after coming off the bench against Bolton Wanderers in November.
PAST MEETINGS...
United were beaten 1-0 at home by the U's back in December, although it was a game the hosts dominated.
| SEASON - DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2020-21 - Tue Dec 8 | LG 2 | Iron 0-1 Colchester | |
| 2019-20 - Sat Dec 14 | LG 2 | Iron 2-2 Colchester | Eisa, van Veen |
| 2015-16 - Sat Jan 23 | LG 1 | Iron 3-0 Colchester | Hopper, Madden 2 |
| 2015-16 - Sat Aug 29 | LG 1 | Colchester 2-2 Iron | Van Veen, Madden |
| 2014-15 - Sat Apr 18 | LG 1 | Colchester 2-2 Iron | Robinson, Adelakun |
| 2014-15 - Sat Oct 14 | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Colchester | Fallon |
| 2012-13 - Sat Jan 12 | LG 1 | Colchester 1-2 Iron | Ryan, Hawley |
| 2012-13 - Sat Sep 22 | LG 1 | Iron 1-0 Colchester | Clarke |
| 2011-12 - Sat Jan 14 | LG 1 | Colchester 1-1 Iron | Walker |
| 2011-12 - Sat Sep 3 | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Colchester | Grant |
| 2008-09 - Sat Mar 28 | LG 1 | Iron 3-0 Colchester | Hooper 2, Lansbury |
| 2008-09 - Sat Dec 20 | LG 1 | Colchester 0-0 Iron | |
| 2007-08 - Sun May 4 | CHAMP | Iron 3-3 Colchester | Forte, Hayes 2 |
| 2007-08 - Sat Sep 29 | CHAMP | Colchester 0-1 Iron | Hayes |
| 2005-06 - Sat Mar 25 | LG 1 | Iron 0-0 Colchester | |
| 2005-06 - Tue Feb 7 | LG 1 | Colchester 1-0 Iron | |
| 1999-00 - Sat Mar 4 | DIV 2 | Iron 0-0 Colchester | |
| 1999-00 - Sat Sep 11 | DIV 2 | Colchester 0-1 Iron | Hodges |
| 1997-98 - Sat Mar 7 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-0 Colchester | McAuley |
| 1997-98 - Fri Oct 31 | DIV 3 | Colchester 3-3 Iron | Hope, D'Auria 2 |
| 1996-97 - Sat Feb 22 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-1 Colchester | D'Auria, Jones |
| 1996-97 - Tue Nov 19 | DIV 3 | Colchester 1-1 Iron | Clarkson |
| 1995-96 - Sat Dec 16 | DIV 3 | Colchester 2-1 Iron | Young |
| 1995-96 - Sat Sep 30 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-0 Colchester | Eyre |
| 1994-95 - Sat Feb 4 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-4 Colchester | Eyre 2, Bullimore |
| 1994-95 - Sat Nov 26 | DIV 3 | Colchester 4-2 Iron | Knill, Thornber |
| 1993-94 - Sat Jan 22 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Colchester | Carmichael |
| 1993-94 - Sat Oct 9 | DIV 3 | Colchester 2-1 Iron | Carmichael |
| 1992-93 - Sat May 1 | DIV 3 | Colchester 1-0 Iron | |
| 1992-93 - Sat Oct 24 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-1 Colchester | Daws, Martin, Helliwell |
| 1989-90 - Sat Mar 31 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-0 Iron | |
| 1989-90 - Sat Oct 21 | DIV 4 | Iron 4-0 Colchester | Stevenson, Daws, Hamilton, Taylor |
| 1988-89 - Sat Feb 18 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-3 Colchester | Lister, Nicol |
| 1988-89 - Sat Oct 8 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-2 Iron | Flounders, Richardson |
| 1987-88 - Fri Jan 1 | DIV 4 | Colchester 0-3 Iron | Daws 2, Lister |
| 1987-88 - Sat Aug 29 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Colchester | Johnson, Flounders |
| 1986-87 - Sat Jan 3 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-0 Iron | |
| 1986-87 - Fri 21 Nov | DIV 4 | Iron 5-2 Colchester | Lister, Broddle, Johnson 2, McLean |
| 1985-86 - Tue Apr 15 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Colchester | Dixon |
| 1985-86 - Fri Oct 18 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-1 Iron | Broddle |
| 1984-85 - Tue Apr 2 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-1 Iron | Broddle |
| 1984-85 - Fri Aug 31 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Colchester | Cammack, Cowling |
| 1982-83 - Fri Apr 15 | DIV 4 | Colchester 5-1 Iron | Cammack |
| 1982-83 - Sat Oct 2 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Colchester | O'Berg, Angus |
| 1981-82 - Fri Apr 2 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Colchester | Moss, Telfer |
| 1981-82 - Fri Nov 13 | DIV 4 | Colchester 2-1 Iron | Stewart |
| 1976-77 - Sat Apr 2 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-1 Iron | Lumby |
| 1976-77 - Sat Oct 23 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Colchester | Keeley, Pilling |
| 1973-74 - Sat Mar 16 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Colchester | Keeley |
| 1973-74 - Fri Oct 19 | DIV 4 | Colchester 2-0 Iron | |
| 1971-72 - Fri Jan 21 | DIV 4 | Colchester 1-1 Iron | Fletcher |
| 1971-72 - Tue Sep 28 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Colchester | Fletcher, Davidson |
| 1970-71 - Mon Mar 22 | DIV 4 | Colchester 2-0 Iron | |
| 1970-71 - Tue Mar 16 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Colchester | Woolmer, O'Riley |
| 1969-70 - Tue Jan 27 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Colchester | Cassidy |
| 1969-70 - Mon Sep 29 | DIV 4 | Colchester 0-2 Iron | Deere, Heath |
| 1968-69 - Tue Oct 8 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-3 Colchester | Kerr, Heath |
| 1968-69 - Mon Aug 26 | DIV 4 | Colchester 0-4 Iron | Kerr 2, Heath, Deere |
| 1967-68 - Sat Mar 9 | DIV 3 | Iron 5-1 Colchester | Colquhoun 2, Punton, Heath, Deere |
| 1967-68 - Mon Feb 26 | DIV 3 | Colchester 1-0 Iron | |
| 1966-67 - Sat Feb 11 | DIV 3 | Colchester 0-1 Iron | Sloan |
| 1966-67 - Fri Sep 30 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-1 Colchester | Loughton og, Thomas, Smith |
| 1964-65 - Sat Apr 3 | DIV 3 | Colchester 2-1 Iron | Lindsey |
| 1964-65 - Fri Nov 20 | DIV 3 | Iron 0-0 Colchester |
| SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | COLCHESTER WINS | |
| LEAGUE | 25 | 22 | 17 |
| TOTAL | 25 | 22 | 17 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
SATURDAY
Carlisle v Exeter City (1pm)
Bolton Wanderers v Leyton Orient (3pm)
Bradford City v Barrow (3pm)
Cambridge United v Crawley Town (3pm)
Forest Green Rovers v Cheltenham Town (3pm)
Grimsby Town v Stevenage (3pm)
Harrogate Town v Newport County (3pm)
Morecambe v Tranmere Rovers (3pm)
Oldham Athletic v Salford City (3pm)
Port Vale v Southend United (3pm)
Walsall v Mansfield Town (3pm)
