We kickstart our Easter double-bill this Friday when we travel to Essex to take on Danny Cowley’s Colchester.
Graham Coughlan will look to get his team back to winning ways following our narrow 1-0 loss at Barrow last weekend, while Colchester will be hoping to boost their survival hopes.
The gaffer made two changes for our trip to Barrow, with Harrison Bright and Seb Palmer-Houlden replacing Matty Baker and Offrande Zanzala. Baker will be back in the squad following international duties with Wales U21s, while Zanzala and Seb will continue to battle it out for a starting position up front.
Assistant Manager’s Comments
It was Coughlan's assistant Joe Dunne who attended this morning's press conference, as he shared his thought's ahead of the upcoming Colchester clash.
“It’s my hometown club [Colchester United] who I represented for a number of years. I was a player, coach, a youth development coach then all the way up to manager,” began Dunne.
“It’s always nice to go back there and see people who I still have a lot of respect for. It’s always nice to catch up with some old faces, but from a competative point of view, it’s another game and one that we’re trying to win.
“Most of our focus is on ourselves but of course in the week building up to any game, strategy has to be taken into account. Sometimes you’ve got to look closer at the opposition, their systems, formations and how they play and the impact their new managerial team has had."
You can watch Joe Dunne's full press conference by clicking HERE.
Opposition Form
Colchester United have proven to be a stubborn side under Danny Cowley, but wins have still been extremely difficult to come by for the Us, especially at home. They are currently in 22nd place, just one point clear of the relegation zone, albeit with three games in hand over 23rd-place Sutton.
The travelling fans will feel optimistic following a determined display at Field Mill last weekend. An early goal from Harry Anderson give them the lead against Mansfield, only for a 63rd minute effort from Lewis Brunt to deny them the win.
Draws have become a bit of a speciality for the Essex club, with five of their last six games ending 1-1. Their last win, however, was at the end of January, when they defeated Morecambe 1-0 thanks to an Arthur Read effort.
Cowley’s men are yet to register a home win in 2024, with their last three points on home soil coming against Salford three days before Christmas. Since then, they have hosted five home games, drawing four and losing one.
Ticket Info
You can find out about tickets for Saturday’s trip to Colchester here.
| Age Category | Price |
| Adult | £21.50 |
| Senior 65+ | £16.25 |
| Under 21 | £16.25 |
| Under 18 | £12.25 |
Tickets will be availble to purchase on the gate but will incur a £2 price increase.
Secure your tickets HERE.
Last Time Out
Our last game with Colchester ended with a 2-1 win at Rodney Parade in October. A goal from Samson Tovide handed the visitors the lead before Will Evans pulled one back before the break. Omar Bogle would then grab a winner in the second half. You can revisit that encounter in more detail in this week’s Season Rewind.
Head to Head
Our first clash with Colchester took place all the way back in 1950. In the time since, we have met the Essex side 61 times, winning 19, losing 26, and drawing 16.
Played for Both
In recent years, very few players have lined up for Newport County and Colchester United. One of the more notable to have done so is Frank Nouble. Big Frank played for us 45 times, hitting the net on nine occasions. He has had several spells at Colchester, making a total of 79 appearances and scoring 14.
One player who left Colchester and joined Newport was Courtney Senior. The winger made over 120 appearances for Colchester, but unfortunately, failed to make an impact during his time at Rodney Parade, leaving after just one season.