Having gone six games without a win, League Two strugglers Colchester United continue their battle against the drop on Saturday, when they host Tranmere Rovers.
While the U's are only five points above the relegation zone, their visitors sit safely in mid-table despite a downturn which saw Micky Mellon sacked earlier this week.
Match preview
© Reuters
Following their 3-1 home defeat to Newport County last Saturday, Tranmere's hopes of an improbable late surge towards the playoffs were all but ended, and the Wirral club's hierarchy saw fit to dispense with their manager.
Micky Mellon's side had slipped to 14th in the League Two standings after posting just six wins since October, and an 11-point gap between them and the top seven leaves little left to play for with only nine games remaining.
The Scottish coach's second spell in charge was far less successful than his first, having returned to Prenton Park in 2021 after leading Rovers to back-to-back promotions into League One during a previous four-year spell; Ian Dawes has now stepped in as caretaker manager, to be assisted by Andy Parkinson.
Tranmere will select a permanent replacement in the coming days, but must first seek an increasingly rare victory to stop the rot this weekend - even if the omens are not good.
They have scored only seven times in 10 league matches since the start of February, and with just five wins away from home this term - the same tally as Saturday's relegation-threatened opponents - they do not travel particularly well either.
© Reuters
Back in August, when Colchester were beaten 2-0 by Tranmere on Merseyside, the Essex club had already made a slow start to the 2022-23 season.
Fast forward to the start of this month, they were in dire trouble when new coach Ben Garner took the reins from Matt Bloomfield, and things had hardly improved before last week's trip to face Leyton Orient.
At Brisbane Road, the U's at least ended a four-match losing run by fighting back for a 2-2 draw against the League Two leaders, with late goals from Noah Chilvers and Connor Hall saving a precious point after they trailed by two heading into the 89th minute.
Before that dramatic double, Colchester had last scored a league goal in mid-February, and only Gillingham have found the net fewer times in English football's fourth tier this term.
Now five points above the dotted line, their survival is still far from assured, but such a morale-boosting conclusion offers ex-Swindon boss Garner the chance to build more momentum this weekend.
Team News
Once again, Colchester captain Tommy Smith will be absent from the U's squad on Saturday, after earning his 50th cap for New Zealand in midweek. His international duty continues, so Luke Chambers should start in the hosts' back three instead.
Further forward, following his dramatic equaliser at Leyton Orient, Noah Chilvers is set to feature in midfield, with Tom Hopper starting up front.
Tranmere, meanwhile, still have Kieron Morris, Paul Lewis and top scorer Kane Hemmings sidelined by injury, and Brad Walker joins them on the treatment table.
Caretaker coach Ian Dawes is unlikely to overhaul Micky Mellon's last starting XI too radically, but Swedish striker Joel Mumbongo could be drafted into the visitors' forward line.
Colchester United possible starting lineup:
O'Hara; Chambers, Kelleher, Hall; Tchamadeu, Ashley, Chilvers, Kazeem; Jay, Newby; Hopper
Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup:
Murphy; Cogley, Turnbull, Davies, Bristow; Chalmers, Merrie, Hendry, Hawkes; Saunders, Mumbongo
We say: Colchester United 0-1 Tranmere Rovers
Neither side is bursting with confidence in the final third, so a low-scoring encounter is on the cards. In fact, a single goal could decide the outcome, with Tranmere responding positively to their former manager's removal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
