Colchester vs Sutton United Predictions

• Colchester have avoided defeat in their last two home games (Won 1, Drawn 1).
• Sutton have lost their last two league games.
• Sutton have not won a match this season without suspended forward Richie Bennett in the starting line-up.

Bennett’s absence could help Colchester cope

Sutton were still seeking their first Football League win when this match was originally meant to be played in early September, but the outlook is much rosier for the Amber and Chocolates now.

The U’s have won six of their last nine league matches to shoot up into the top ten and no longer have talk of an instant relegation back into non-league attached to their every game.

The fortunes of Colchester have remained largely the same over the past seven and a half weeks as Hayden Mullins’ side have collected eight points from their subsequent eight games to occupy 19th position in the table.

At home, they have been beaten by a footballing Crawley side and a physical Salford one, but they also stunned early pacesetters Harrogate Town and picked up a draw with Bristol Rovers.

Direct Sutton will miss 6ft 4in frontman

Overall, it’s a mixed bag but the key to Tuesday’s game could be the absence of Sutton striker Richie Bennett. Sutton are a direct side that operate with a physical front two, but 6ft 4in striker Bennett will be suspended for the game after getting sent off in Saturday;s 3-2 loss at Rochdale.

The Amber and Chocolates have picked up only two points in the five games he hasn’t started this season, so last season’s National League champions may fall short of taking all three points in this fixture.

We’re expecting a tight game that could be decided by a set-piece and prefer the odds of a Colchester win here because of their recent improved results at home. Likewise, Sutton’s run of two defeats coming into this is a major red flag, hence our overall prediction of a 1-0 home win. Both of Colchester’s home wins this term have been by exactly that score.