Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Harrogate and Colchester United square off against each other at EnviroVent Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Sulphurites head into the match following a thrilling 3-3 draw with Hartlepool, but they need to return to winning ways as soon as possible if they are to escape the danger zone. Josh Falkingham is a major doubt, and he will be assessed ahead of the kick-off.
Meanwhile, the U’s aim to build on a hard-fought 1-0 win over Swindon Town, but given their anything but good away record, we do not believe that the visitors are capable of grabbing more than one point from Saturday’s clash. With no fresh injury worries to report, boss Matt Bloomfield is unlikely to make changes to the team that defeated the Robins. You should know that under 2.5 goals have been netted in three of Colchester’s last four league fixtures.
Highlighted Player (Mark Oxley):
Born in Sheffield, England, on the 2nd of June, 1990, Oxley's football journey started as a Rotherham youth product. The English International signed his first professional contract with the Millers in 2007 but failed to make a single appearance for the club during that season.
The following season, he signed for Hull City, who, in turn, sent him out on successive loans to clubs like Walsall, Grimbsy Town, Oldham Athletic, and Hibernian. The 6ft 3-inch goalkeeper's professional debut meanwhile, came on the 27th of February, 2010, playing for Grimbsy in a 2-0 away loss to Dagenham in League Two. Oxley's performance during his six-month loan period with Hibernian earned him a permanent deal. He signed a two-year contract starting with the club in July 2015. In his time at the Scottish outfit, he made 90 appearances and kept 35 clean sheets. Oxley then joined his current club Southend in July 2016 on an initial two-year deal.
He had a fantastic first season, winning both fans' player of the year and players' player of the year awards. As of August 2018, Oxley has signed a contract extension and also got given the captain's armband. On the International forefront, the 29-year-old is a former youth International having capped once for England at the under-18 level.
Highlighted Team (Colchester):
Founded in 1937, Colchester United are a professional football club that compete in the League Two, the English fourth tier. The U’s welcome their rivals at Colchester Community Stadium, the venue which has the capacity of 10,105 people.
Colchester United are well known for their blue kit, but white is the dominant colour of their away kit. The U’s have an official fans association known as the CUSA. Colchester supporters consider Wycombe Wanderers the club’s fiercest rivals, but the rivalries with Southend United and Ipswich Town are big as well. Colchester United did well to win the FA Trophy in the 1991/92 season, with the team clinching the Essex Senior Cup trophy in the 2009/10 season.
In December 1961 the U’s recorded their biggest win, with the team rolling over Bradford City 9-1 in the Fourth Division. Colchester United repeated the success 44 years later as they hammered Leamington 9-1 in the FA Cup round 1.