Relegation-threatened Colchester United take on playoff contenders Salford City at the JobServe Community Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Matt Bloomfield's side sit only six points above the bottom two, while The Ammies occupy a position in the intensely competitive playoff positions.

Match preview

Colchester United come into the midweek League Two contest in 19th position in the standings, only six points ahead of the Football League trapdoor.

However, Bloomfield's side have undergone a mini-footballing revival since Boxing Day after accumulating four victories across their last six league matches.

The U's began their recent resurgence on January 7 with a 3-1 away win over Harrogate Town, followed a week later with success over bottom-of-the-table Rochdale.

With confidence on the up in the dressing room, the hosts were brought down to earth when fellow relegation adversaries Gillingham emerged victorious - 0-2 - from this weekend's mid-season League Two relegation six-pointer at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Bloomfield's side will head into next week's encounter in high spirits, despite defeat on Saturday, after accumulating seven points from their last five home league encounters.

Spending their fourth season in the fourth tier of English football, Salford City have been in impressive form throughout the first half of the season.

Victorious in 12 league matches in the 2022-23 League Two campaign, Neil Wood's side possess the joint-second most formidable away record across the division after collecting an impressive tally of 22 points from a possible 36.

However, The Ammies' pursuit of a 13th success on Saturday was concluded prematurely by referee Samuel Barrott after deeming the pitch at Holker Street unplayable, despite Barrow vigorously voicing their objections that the match should have gone ahead.

Before this weekend's postponement, Salford City celebrated at the sound of the full-time whistle on January 14 following a first-half brace from top scorer Conor McAleny that proved enough to secure all three points against Sutton United at the Peninsula Stadium.

On the lookout for revenge after a 3-0 defeat when the sides last encountered one another in January 2022, Salford will be confident of achieving that on Tuesday evening based on their prosperous reign of form throughout the campaign.

Team News

Salford City manager Neil Wood could name an unchanged lineup for their midweek league encounter following his side's victory over Sutton United.

If that is to be the case, Jason Lowe, Theo Vassell, Ryan Leak and Ibou Touray will line up in a familiar-looking Ammies back four.

At the opposite end of the playing field, six-goal top scorer Conor McAleny is expected to join regular strike partners Luke Bolton and Matt Smith at the Colchester Community Stadium again.

Unlike his managerial counterpart, Matt Bloomfield could ring in the changes after witnessing his side fall to a demoralising defeat against Gillingham.

On the back of his appearance off the substitutes' bench on Saturday, striker Samson Tovide could be recalled to The U's starting XI, at the expense of Matt Jay, to lead the line alongside John Akinde.

Colchester United possible starting lineup:
O'Hara; Chambers, Hall, Dallison; Tchamadeu, Skuse, Ashley, Wood, Chilvers; Akinde, Tovide

Salford City possible starting lineup:
Cairns; Lowe, Vassell, Leak, Touray; Watt, Watson, Galbraith; McAleny, Bolton, Smith

We say: Colchester United 1-3 Salford City

After conceding the joint-fifth most goals - 35 - across the current League Two campaign, we predict Colchester will be helpless in preventing that number from increasing further at the hands of a relentless attacking display from Salford City come the final whistle on Tuesday evening.

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