Preview:Grimsby Town vs Colchester United - prediction, team news, lineups

Grimsby Town will continue their League Two promotion bid when they welcome Colchester United to Blundell Park on Saturday.

The Mariners will enter the weekend in the third and final promotion spot, while the U's are down in 19th place in the League Two standings.

Match preview

Grimsby Town are sitting just inside the top three on goal difference after recording six wins, three draws and two defeats in 11 matches.

The Mariners have taken maximum points from their last two league outings, thrashing nine-man Cheltenham Town 7-1 before picking up a 2-0 away victory over Salford City.

However, they were unable to carry that form into Tuesday's EFL Trophy clash against Doncaster Rovers, which saw them fall to a heavy 3-0 defeat at Blundell Park, leaving them on the brink of group-stage elimination.

Grimsby have now won just one of their last four competitive home matches, although they have lost just one of their five league games at Blundell Park this season.

The Mariners have not won an away match against Colchester since October 2018, but they can at least take confidence from the fact that they collected a 1-0 away win in their most recent head-to-head clash in March.

As a result, the Grimsby now have the chance to record back-to-back league wins over Colchester for the first time since 1972, after picking up a 2-1 victory in March's away clash.

In contrast to the hosts, Colchester are currently operating in the bottom half of the table, having won just two of their 11 league matches this season (D5, L4).

They recorded the second of those two victories in last Saturday's thrilling 6-2 home victory against Chesterfield, which came courtesy of a Jack Payne hat-trick, a Harry Anderson brace and a Kyreece Lisbie effort.

They followed that confidence-boosting result with another successful home outing against Gillingham on Tuesday, staging a late turnaround to claim a 2-1 victory and seal their place in the EFL Trophy knockout rounds with a game to spare.

Danny Cowley's charges will turn their focus back to league matters as they seek to avoid a third consecutive away defeat following losses to Accrington Stanley and Fleetwood.

Ideally, they will be targeting their second away win of the League Two season after previously beating Shrewsbury Town on August 16.

The visitors will be able to draw inspiration from their recent record at Blundell Park, having won each of their last three away games against the Mariners, including a 1-0 victory last November.

Grimsby Town League Two form:

L W D L W W

Grimsby Town form (all competitions):

D W L W W L

Colchester United League Two form:

D D L D L W

Colchester United form (all competitions):

D L D L W W

Team News

Grimsby are unable to call upon Doug Tharme and Cameron Gardner, who are currently sidelined with long-term injuries.

After making changes for the midweek EFL Trophy fixture, David Artell could decide to revert to the lineup that started the league win over Salford last weekend.

That would see Jaze Kabia lead the line at Blundell Park, with the striker looking to add to the five league goals that he has scored this season.

As for the visitors, they are likely to be without Tom Flanagan, Jack Baldwin, Adrian Akande, Ben Perry, Dominic Gape and Will Goodwin.

Owura Edwards is available for selection following his return from a three-match ban in midweek, but the attacker may have to settle for a place on the bench if Cowley opts to field the same XI that started the 6-2 win over Chesterfield last Saturday.

Lisbie will continue to offer one of Colchester's main attacking threats, having scored five times in 11 league matches this term, including three in his last five League Two appearances.

Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:

Pym; Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Sweeney; Burns, Green, McEachran, Khouri, Vernam; Kabia

Colchester United possible starting lineup:

Macey; Vincent-Young, Tucker, Araujo, Iandolo; Bishop, Read; Lisbie, Payne, Anderson; Mbick

We say: Grimsby Town 1-1 Colchester United

Grimsby may be sitting 10 points above Colchester in the league table, but they have picked up a home win in this fixture in seven years, and with that in mind, we think that the promotion-chasing hosts will have to settle for a draw on Saturday.

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